‘I’m buzzing’ scream shoppers despite bargain chain with 800 branches closing store as it reveals ‘amazing’ replacement

A BARGAIN chain has suddenly closed a city centre store – but shoppers are “buzzing” about its “amazing” replacement.

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

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

It’s not all bad news for shoppers though, as the chain is to open a new shop just around the corner from the old site on March 30.

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

One Facebook user said: “Can’t wait. I’m buzzing for this to open.”

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

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

A Poundland spokesperson said the chain’s new shop is opening in the site of a former. Primark.

They added: “In the new store we’ll have the space to bring our best offer to the city – including amazing Pepco clothing for all the family and our all-new general merchandise ranges. 

“Of course we’ll also carry shoppers’ favourite grocery items too – all at the amazing value we promise shoppers.”

It comes just weeks after Poundland revealed it is starting a huge new makeover project that the chain is calling “Project Evo“.

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

After the alterations, all the stores will offer more baby and kids clothing for parents on a budget.

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

Almost a dozen shops have been renovated so far, including those in Darlington and Plymouth.

But 150 shops will be getting a makeover in the future.

Poundland has also revealed it is rolling out thousands of new products, including homeware and bathroom decor lines.

Shoppers can pick up the new items across the chain’s more than 850 UK and Ireland branches and online.

Pepco, which acquired Poundland in 2017, revamped its clothing sections across Poundland stores last year.

Over 550 stores with clothing ranges were reconfigured and double the amount of space dedicated to baby and kidswear.

Meanwhile, Poundland is growing its portfolio of stores after opening over 85 in just 70 days before Christmas.

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

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

Some of the new sites have been taken on from former rival Wilko, which collapsed into administration in August last year.

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

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

The openings come as B&M makes similar moves, earlier in January announcing 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 pull up their shutters in London, Castle Douglas and Beaumont Lays.

The retailer pulled down the shutters on its branch at the Chineham Shopping Centre near Basingstoke on December 31.

A spokesperson said it was closing the site as it was unable to renew the lease.

Meanwhile, Poundland shut its store in Colwyn Bay, Wales on January 5, with locals left devastated.

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

The retailer employs 18,000 staff, serving seven million customers a week.

Which other shops are opening stores?

A number of retailers are expanding their store portfolios following positive periods of sales.

More than a dozen chains including well known names like Primark and B&M are bucking the trend and opening branches across the UK.

Asda, Primark, Nike and Sainsbury’s are all bringing new stores to shoppers over 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 shops.

It comes as part of a £75million investment in its UK store estate.

Primark previously revealed new shops will pop up 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 collapsed into administration in August last year, has plans to pull up the shutters on more.

CDS Superstores, which trades 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 sites in 2024, with some set to open imminently.

The Sun has put together a full list of chains opening stores.

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk