Full list of Poundland store closures with eight more this month

Poundland is set to axe more than a dozen stores across the UK in the run-up to Christmas.

The beleaguered budget chain has been shutting up shop on dozens of high streets across the UK for months.

In August, 48 stores closed as part of a drive by Poundland’s new owner, investment firm Gordon Brothers, to cut stores from around 800 to 650.

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The retailer’s restructuring plan was given the green light at the High Court only hours after Poundland warned that it could run out of money.

Some Poundlands have endured, however. One earmarked for closure in Irvine will remain open for ‘the foreseeable future’, bosses said.

Poundland is returning to the simple £1, £2 and £3 grocery pricing model in all UK stores.

But features have been chopped – shoppers can’t order online and loyalty programme Poundland Perks will follow in January.

A notice on the website reads: ‘While we know most of our online shoppers also visit us regularly in stores (thank you!), we know this will be disappointing to all who’ve been using our online ordering service.’

Poundlands have already closed in Birmingham, Leicester, Tunbridge Wells, Bedford and Whitechapel in London.

Alongside closures, Gordon Brothers wants to ditch frozen foods and the number of chilled items sold.

The brand will focus on women’s clothes and seasonal ranges in-store in a bid to cut costs.

Poundland employs around 15,000 people in the UK and Ireland, but the changes have put around 1,000 jobs at risk.

The company said that it aims to keep as many stores open as possible beyond the least profitable sites, and the rent reductions agreed by the court for other stores will help it achieve that.

Darren MacDonald, Poundland’s retail director, previously said: ‘It is, of course, sincerely regrettable that our recovery plans include any store closures, but sadly that’s necessary if we’re to achieve our goal of securing the future of thousands of jobs and hundreds of stores.

‘While our anticipated network of around 650-700 stores remains a sizeable one, we entirely understand how disappointing it will be for customers when one nearby, closes.

‘Nevertheless, we look forward to continuing to welcome them to a nearby Poundland.

‘It goes without saying that we will work closely with colleagues through a formal consultation process in stores scheduled to close, exploring any suitable alternative roles. That work is underway.’

Tom Smith KC, for Poundland Limited, said the company’s financial position had ‘significantly deteriorated during the last two years’ and that it had ‘performed poorly in a difficult retail and economic environment.’

A further cash injection of £60 million on top of the previous £30 million could save the retailer from collapse, he said.

Poundland rose to its success by selling items for £1 at a market stall in the 1990s, becoming a treasure trove for bargain hunters looking for deals.

Soon after being listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2014, the business was bought by the Polish firm Pepco Group for around £610 million.

Despite its upward trajectory after the coronavirus pandemic and new store openings, Poundland’s owners reported losses of about £572 million.

It was sold for £1 to Gordon Brothers this summer, leading to the significant reshaping of Poundland’s presence in British towns.

But not every troubled shop can be saved. The Centre for Retail Research predicts that more than 17,000 shops will close this year – up from 13,500 in 2024.

Battered companies include the supermarket Morrisons, restaurant Pizza Hut and beauty brand Claire’s.

This article was first published on August 26, 2025.

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