New Poundland opens in Shrewsbury's former Wilko store and reunites defunct firm's former staff

Budget retailer Poundland has bought up many of the defunct firm's stores, and the Shrewsbury shop is one of 56 rapid ongoing Wilko-to-Poundland conversions.

The new shop has brought 15 jobs, with eight of them being snapped up by ex-Wilko staff.

Caroline Williams, a customer service advisor for the new Shrewsbury Poundland store, worked for Wilko for 31 years including in the Riverside Centre and in another Darwin Centre unit before the chain collapsed.

She was all smiles on the first day of the new Poundland store.

"I've seen at least a dozen of our old customers already," she said, just an hour and a half after the store opened. "They all say they'll be returning. I think the store is bright, open and welcoming.

"The customers are like friends. You get to know them over the years. You build up a rapport.

"That's what I missed [when Wilko closed]. I was disappointed how they [Wilko] treated the staff in the end.

"But I'm here now and I feel really comfortable."

Emma Crouch, area manager, added: "It's been so far, so good. We've had a busy morning. There was a queue outside the door before we opened.

"Staff are in good spirits and the customers are glad to see some of the old staff they already know.

"I'm glad we're back in the shopping centre."

The store carries extensive grocery, household and general merchandise ranges customers expect.

It also features the very latest Pepco family clothing that has rolled out to 500-plus of Poundland’s existing UK and Ireland stores.

The company is also opening a new store in Newport, having recently launched at Forge Retail Park in Telford too.

It is part of plans to open or relocate 75 stores in the next three months as part of the largest three-month growth programme in its history.

The programme covers both its existing pipeline of new stores and the former Wilko stores it has already opened, or plans to open, as new Poundland stores.

Austin Cooke, Poundland’s managing director said: “To open 75 stores in the space of a single quarter is nothing short of a super-human effort from every member of the Poundland team.”

“To each and every one of them I say ‘thank you’.

"But we’re working at this pace because we’re on a mission –ambitious to grow, create jobs and serve new communities by opening shops customers and communities can be proud of.”