Poundland has unveiled plans for an unprecedented expansion, aiming to open or relocate 75 stores within the next three months. This marks the most ambitious quarterly growth in the company’s history. The expansion includes both new stores and conversions of former Wilko locations into Poundland outlets.
Earlier this month, the discount retailer inaugurated new stores in Telford’s Forge Retail Park and Stafford’s Queens Retail Park. Additional openings and relocations are slated for various locations across the UK and Ireland, including Dublin, Gloucester, Lancaster, Sunderland, and more. Precise opening dates for these locations are expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Poundland Openings November 2023:
- Unit 33-35, Butterly Business Park, Kilmore Road, Artane, Dublin, D05 YY13 (Pepco)
- 12-18 Southgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 2DH (relocation)
- Unit 31, 11 Cornmarket, Lancaster, LA1 1AL (relocation)
- Unit B, Pallion Retail Park, Sunderland, SR4 6TY
- 26 Stonehills, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6NA
- 21-23 High Street, Portishead, BS20 6AB (relocation)
- 3 Market Street, Crewkerne, TA18 7JP
December 2023:
- 38 High Street, Midsomer Norton, Radstock, BA3 2DL
- 34-38 Midland Road, Bedford, MK40 1PS
- 72-72A Preston Street, Faversham, ME13 8PA
- 34-35 High Street, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 7AQ
- Unit 3, The Harlequin Centre, High Street, Watford, WD17 2TW (relocation)
- 44-46 High Road, Wood Green, London, N22 6BX (relocation)
- Unit 4, Cleveragh Retail Park, Sligo (Pepco)
- 27/29 High Street, Wells, BA5 2AA
- 10B, The Fort Shopping Park, 20 Fort Parkway, Birmingham, B24 9FP
- 59 The Broadway, Plymstock, Plymouth, PL9 7AX (relocation)
This expansion comes as part of Poundland’s ongoing strategy to increase its footprint and offer its wide range of products to more communities.
The new stores will include conversions of six former M&Co units in locations such as Portishead, Crewkerne, and Midsomer Norton. Notably, Poundland’s new store in Watford will occupy part of a former John Lewis unit, marking a significant milestone for the retailer as it introduces its clothing and homewares ranges to a broader audience.
Another 19 former Wilko stores are set to be converted into Poundland outlets within the next two weeks, bringing the total number of Wilko-to-Poundland conversions to 56. These include locations in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Shrewsbury, Leicester, and more.
The opening timetable for these former Wilko stores is as follows:
Saturday 28 October 2023:
- Unit A3, Carregaman Road, Ammanford, SA18 3ED
- 13 Institute Lane, Alfreton, DE55 7BQ
- 12 Vale House, Pavilion Shopping Centre, Thornaby, TS17 9FD
- 15 Market Place, South Shields, NE33 1JF
- Unit 15-18 Killingworth Centre, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE12 6YT
- Level 3, Darwin Shopping Centre, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 1PL
- Unit 38, Salter Shopping Centre, St Andrews Square, Droitwich, WR9 8HE
- 3-7 High Street, Redhill, RH1 1RD
- Epic House, 2 Charles Street, Leicester, LE1 3JA
- 18-19 Bancroft, Hitchen, SG5 1JQ
Saturday 4 November 2023:
- Unit 16, Lagny Street, Alnwick, NE66 1LB
- 22-24 Headingley Central, Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds, LS6 2UE
- 48-52 Freeman Street, Grimsby, DN32 7AG
- Unit 11, St Andrews Retail Park, Hull, HU3 4EH
- 12-14 Bore Street, Lichfield, WS13 6LL
- 30-40 High Street, Wombwell, Barnsley, S73 8AA
- Edmonton Green Shopping Centre, 3-11 North Square, London, N9 0TZ
- 41 Hamilton Way, Oak Mall Centre, Greenock, PA15 1RQ
- 32 Yoden Way, Castle Dene Shopping Centre, Peterlee, SR8 1AL
In Redhill, Hull, Greenock and Peterlee, Poundland will relocate into the Wilko units from existing nearby stores.
Austin Cooke, Poundland’s managing director, commented on the expansion: “To open 75 stores in the space of a single quarter is nothing short of a super-human effort from every member of the Poundland team. To each and every one of them I say ‘thank you’. But we’re working at this pace because we’re on a mission – ambitious to grow, create jobs and serve new communities by opening shops customers and communities can be proud of.”
All new Poundland stores, whether converted from Wilko or other units, will offer the extensive range of grocery, household, and general merchandise that customers have come to expect. Additionally, these stores will feature the latest Pepco family clothing lines, which have already been rolled out to over 500 existing Poundland stores in the UK and Ireland.
Poundland is also actively recruiting former Wilko employees for roles in the new stores. To date, the company has extended employment offers to over 500 former Wilko colleagues. Those interested in open roles can follow Poundland’s posts on LinkedIn or visit Poundland Careers for more information.
