Poundland to reopen Derry city centre store this Friday

The retail giant is reopening four Northern Ireland stores in total, with Belfast’s Castlecourt Shopping Centre, Enniskillen’s Erneside Shopping Centre and Newry’s Buttercrane Shopping Centre stores all opening their doors to customers this Friday.

The UK’s leading discount retailer has kept the vast majority of its stores open for essential shopping across the UK throughout the pandemic but placed some stores, including the Derry one in Ferryquay Street, back in hibernation in January as customer numbers dropped sharply when nearby non-essential retailers closed.

In anticipation that the pathway-to-recovery plan, to be announced by the Executive on Monday March 1, will outline a journey towards normality, colleagues in four hibernating stores in Northern Ireland have returned to work today (Tuesday) to prepare the store for opening on Friday.

Poundland is working closely with landlords and shopping centres on re-opening plans.

Dubbed “Operation Spring Back”, all 29 stores coming out of hibernation across the UK will reopen to customers with the robust health and safety measures that have been in operation throughout the pandemic.

Poundland retail director, Austin Cooke, said: “We’re proud to have kept most of our stores open serving our communities with the essentials they need, but in some places, we couldn’t stay open when so many of our neighbours were forced to close.

“The roadmap will hopefully give clarity to retailers and our town centres which have such an important role to play in our recovery. Our colleagues and customers will be delighted that we’re reopening in these locations, and so are we.

“Safety continues to be our first priority, and shoppers can return with confidence - we’re well versed in making our stores safe places to shop. We’re all looking forward to giving them a warm welcome as they return.”

Like all Poundland stores, the reopened stores will operate with barrier screens at checkouts and thorough and regular cleaning regimes applied across the day.

Customers are asked to observe government guidelines on social distancing and wearing masks.