POUNDLAND has temporarily closed 32 stores from today - including branches in Newport and Ebbw Vale - putting their staff on furlough.

The stores in Newport's Spytty Retail Park and Ebbw Vale Festival Park are included in the closures, which, 

According to shopworkers' trade union Usdaw, Poundland say the closures are being attributed to three different reasons.

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These include the store being located in a retail park or centre which is being closed by the landlord or due to a business requirement, or there are a a number of stores in the area and closing will help to strealine distribution or there are not enough colleagues to staff the store.

Dave Gill – Usdaw National Officer says: “This is clearly a difficult time for shopworkers on the frontline of providing essential services during the Coronavirus emergency.

"We understand why the company feel the need to temporarily streamline the number of outlets and we have emphasised the need for furloughed workers to be volunteers. Usdaw continues in negotiations with the company, where we are calling for Poundland to top up the Government scheme, so that our members have no loss of income.”

The discount retailer, which has stores across the country, sell a range of goods including food, home goods, groceries, craft and stationery items and other products.

The Poundland stores impacted are:

  • Newport - Spytty Retail Park
  • Ebbw Vale Festival Park
  • Nottingham - Chilwell Retail Park
  • Pontefract
  • Rotherham - Parkgate Retail Park
  • Kings Lynn - Vancouver Shopping Centre
  • Meadowhall SC
  • Hammersmith - Kings Street
  • Farnham
  • Ilford - The Mall Shopping Centre
  • Watford - 77 High Street
  • Whitehaven
  • Carlisle - Scotch Street
  • Wick RP
  • Gateshead Team Valley Retail Park
  • York - Monks Cross Retail Park
  • Barrow-in-Furness - Hindpool Retail Park
  • Truro
  • Falmouth
  • Christchurch
  • Swansea - Fforestfach Retail Park
  • Droylsden
  • Ormskirk - Two Saints Retail Park
  • Chester - Old Sealand Retail Park
  • Sutton Coldfield
  • Oswestry
  • Selly Oak RP
  • Crewe
  • Yardley - Swan Shopping Centre
  • Manchester Arndale Shopping Centre
  • Walsall - Saddlers Shopping Centre
  • Birmingham - Corporation Street (small)