THE CLOSURE of Poundland should not be seen as a loss of confidence in Droitwich Town Centre, insist council chiefs.
And, after frustration grew with the current state of the high street following the announcement, Wychavon’s leader, Coun Richard Morris, has vowed to help make the town centre an even more attractive place for visitors.
The Poundland store on St Andrews Square will close for the final time on Tuesday, December 9, bosses at the discount chain announced last week.
A spokesperson for Poundland said the Droitwich closure is happening due to a lease expiry, with Poundland continuing a programme to ‘simplify its retail network’ around its ‘best-performing sites.’
It is one of 10 Poundland stores across the country shutting its doors before the end of the year.
Poundland’s UK country manager, Darren MacDonald, said: “We know how disappointing it is when we leave a store, but before we close our doors for a final time, we’re determined to say goodbye by offering even more amazing value to customers.”
Droitwich Poundland opened in October 2023, replacing the former Wilko store, with roles being prioritised for those made redundant by the closure of the previous store.
Following the announcement of Poundland’s closure, readers took to Facebook expressing sorrow for the staff, many of who were at Wilko when it closed.
Others aired their frustration with what they felt was a lack of variety in the shops in Droitwich town centre and asked for answers on what can be done to ensure other retailers are attracted to the town.
Coun Richard Morris, Leader of Wychavon and Executive Board Member for Economic Growth and Tourism, told the Standard: “Our sympathies go out to all the staff affected by the closure of Poundland, and we wish them well for the future. This closure is part of a national restructuring decision and should not be seen as a loss of confidence in Droitwich Spa Town Centre.
“Since 2020, we have been regularly monitoring occupancy levels, and there are currently as many occupied units as at any point in the last five years. This demonstrates that businesses and entrepreneurs continue to see Droitwich Spa as a great place to trade and invest.
“We are committed to working with the private owners of St Andrews Shopping Centre and Droitwich Spa Place Board to make the town centre an even more attractive destination for visitors and investors, creating more opportunities for local businesses to thrive.”
