‘I’m buzzing’ fans shout despite closure of bargain chain with 800 branches

A BARGAIN chain has suddenly closed a city center store – but shoppers are ‘buzzing’ about its ‘great’ replacement.

Poundland has around 800 branches across the UK, including in major cities such as London, Leeds and Birmingham.

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But Norwich shoppers can no longer visit Poundland in St Stephens Street after it closed for the final time this weekend.

However, it is not all bad news for shoppers, because the chain will open a new store around the corner from the old location on March 30.

Customers flocked to social media to share their excitement about the new store.

One Facebook user said: “I can’t wait. I’m dying to open this.”

Another wrote: “It will be so good to see it open again!”

While a third said: “I wouldn’t miss this opening to the world, I’m soooo excited!!”

A Poundland spokesperson said the chain’s new store will open on the site of a former store. Primark.

They added: “The new store will give us the space to bring our best offering to the city – including great Pepco clothing for all the family and our all-new general merchandise ranges.

“Of course, we also carry customers’ favorite groceries – all at the great price we promise customers.”

It comes just weeks after Poundland revealed it is embarking on a major new makeover project that the chain is calling “Project Evo”.

The stores will also have fresh new signage, flooring and lighting.

After the adjustments, all stores will offer more baby and children’s clothing for parents on a limited budget.

The introduction of chilled food will give shoppers the chance to pick up items from Poundland’s popular frozen range.

Nearly a dozen stores have been renovated so far, including those in Darlington and Plymouth.

But in the future, 150 stores will get a makeover.

Poundland has also revealed it is launching thousands of new products, including homeware and bathroom decoration lines.

Shoppers can pick up the new items at more than 850 branches in Great Britain and Ireland and online.

Pepco, which took over Poundland in 2017, revamped its clothing departments in Poundland stores last year.

More than 550 stores with clothing ranges were redesigned, doubling the amount of space for baby and children’s clothing.

Meanwhile, Poundland is expanding its store portfolio after opening more than 85 stores in just 70 days before Christmas.

It included 10 branches that welcomed customers for the first time over two days in December, on what was dubbed “Super Saturday”.

The retailer has opened stores across the UK, including in Falkirk, Scotland, Birmingham and Plymouth.

Some of the new locations have been acquired from former rival Wilko, which went into administration in August last year.

In November, Poundland said it expected to have opened stores in 64 former Wilko locations before Christmas.

It came after Wilko’s last remaining stores closed for good in early October.

The openings come as B&M makes similar moves, announcing earlier in January plans to open 17 new locations by the end of next month.

Branches have already opened in Stourbridge, Wigston and Loughborough, with more set to open in London, Castle Douglas and Beaumont Lays.

The retailer shuttered its branch in the Chineham Shopping Center near Basingstoke on December 31.

A spokesperson said it was closing the location because the lease could not be renewed.

Meanwhile, Poundland closed its store in Colwyn Bay, Wales, on January 5, leaving locals devastated.

Poundland opened its first store in Burton-upon-Trent in 1990 and today has opened more than 850 stores across Britain and Ireland.

The retailer employs 18,000 employees and serves seven million customers per week.

What other stores are opening stores?

A number of retailers are expanding their store portfolio after positive sales periods.

More than a dozen chains, including household names such as Primark and B&M, are bucking the trend and opening branches in the UK.

Asda, Primark, Nike and Sainsbury’s are all bringing new stores to shoppers in the coming months and years.

Asda opened 110 smaller Express convenience stores in February as part of major expansion plans.

Primark confirmed plans to open new branches and invest and renovate more than a dozen of its existing stores.

It comes as part of a £75 million investment in its UK shopping complex.

Primark previously announced that new stores will open in Bury St. Edmunds, Teesside Park and Glasgow Fort in 2024.

Wilko has already launched a comeback on the high street, opening stores in Plymouth, Luton and Exeter before the end of 2023.

The retailer, which went bankrupt in August last year, has plans to further open the shutters.

CDS Superstores, trading as The Range and Wilko, has previously said it could reopen dozens more Wilko branches.

In January, B&M said it had plans to open 17 new locations by 2024, some of which would open soon.

The Sun has compiled a full list of chains opening stores.

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