Poundland to reopen its 100 temporarily closed stores starting next week

• The time frame of store reopenings depends on pressure from shopping centre management and landlords

• Social distancing measures at the stores will include floor markers, Perspex screens at checkouts and marshals at doors

Poundland is set to reopen its 100 temporarily closed stores starting from next week.

Thirty-six stores will reopen from Monday 18 May, the variety discounter said. The plan is to reopen the rest in the coming weeks, although the time frame depends on pressure from shopping centre management and landlords.

Poundland announced the closures at the end of March, saying a significant number were due to pressure from shopping centres that had “told us it’s difficult to stay open for just us”. Falling footfall was also cited, along with the close proximity of some stores to other, still-trading branches.

The move saw employees furloughed in the government’s job retention scheme, including 250 central staff in Willenhall and Watford.

It left about 800 Poundland stores open during lockdown, designated as essential shops because of their food and drink ranges.

The reopenings will follow the announcement this week of government plans for non-essential retailers in England to reopen in phases from 1 June. The move could ease pressure on essential retailers in shopping centres as more shops open.

Poundland said the reopening stores would adopt the social distancing measures already in place in open ones, including Perspex screens at checkouts.

The retailer also has marshals at doors to limit customer numbers and floor markers to help shoppers stay two metres apart.

“We’ve never been prouder of our role as a retailer at the heart of communities and high streets,” said Poundland’s retail director Austin Cooke. “While safety has to come first, we’re delighted to be able to begin reopening hibernating Poundland stores to fully serve those communities across the UK with the essentials they need.”

The stores reopening from Monday are: