Poundland to open in former Wilko store in Peterborough's Ortongate Shopping Centre

Retail chain Poundland has announced that it will open a new store in Peterborough on Saturday (October 14).

The discount retailer has moved into the former Wilko store in the Ortongate Shopping Centre.

Bosses say the new store will open on Saturday.

The number of staff who will work in the store has not been revealed.

News of the opening comes about four weeks after Poundland stated that it was in talks with the owners of the Ortongate Shopping Centre to take over the lease of the mall’s flagship 23,436 square feet store following Wilko’s collapse into administration.

Poundland’s arrival at the Ortongate Shopping Centre comes six months after the mall was bought by Nottingham-based ALB Group, which has attracted a number of new retailers to fill its empty units.

The Ortongate store will be one of nine new stores that Poundland will open across the UK on Saturday.

The others will be at Ripley, Bolton, Gateshead, Bicester, Sheffield, Cramlington, Aberdare and Rugeley and will mean that 29 former Wilko stores will be trading as Poundland.

Poundland already operates three stores in Peterborough. They are at the Bretton Centre, the Hereward Cross Shopping Centre and a new ‘superstore’ at the Brotherhood Shopping Park.

Poundland says the Ortongate store will have extensive grocery, household and general merchandise ranges and will feature the same Pepco family clothing that is now also rolling out to 500-plus of Poundland’s existing UK and Ireland stores.

Its extended clothing range, which Poundland says will offer more kidswear than before, also features new licensed products including Harry Potter, Gremlins, Tom& Jerry and the Moomins, alongside popular Disney, Warner & Star Wars ranges.

Darren Kay, Poundland’s retail director, said: “We’re moving at pace because we know how important opening these stores are to local communities.

“While stores will get more extensive refits next year, we’re proud that another nine former Wilko stores will begin their Poundland journeys this coming weekend.”

A spokesperson for the company added: “Poundland continues to prioritise former Wilko colleagues for roles in Poundland and encourage them to follow Poundland’s posts on LinkedIn or visit our website to find details of open roles and how to apply for them.