Poundland to close next week

Poundland will temporarily close one of its Grantham stores due to the UK being in lockdown.

While the company is classed as an essential retailer, it says there has been an 80 per cent drop in footfall since the pandemic first reared in its head in these shores in March last year.

The company has decided to focus its efforts on the larger stores in consolidated areas, including Grantham’s other outlet on Sankt Augustin Way, opened earlier this year.

It means 44 stores – including Grantham’s Isaac Newton Centre store – will be placed into “hibernation” from Sunday, January 10.

Austin Cooke, Poundland’s retail director said: “We learned valuable lessons during the lockdown in March about how buying patterns change as people stick to government advice to stay at home.

“Putting a small number of stores into hibernation helps protect them for the long term and focus our attention on the majority of stores that remain open to serve their neighbourhoods.

“We hope this lockdown is short and we can re-open our hibernating stores as quickly as possible and we remain grateful for the vital support schemes available to us that help protect jobs.”

From Monday, only Morrisons and Specsavers will remain open inside the Isaac Newton Centre.