RETAILER Poundland HAS temporarily closed 32 stores – but its branches in Bromsgrove, Longbridge and Northfield will be staying open.
The Redditch branch is also safe.
The discount retailer has asked employees at the affected shops to voluntarily agree to be furloughed, with staff receiving 80 per cent of average earnings in line with the Government’s Jobs Retention Scheme.
Poundland says it took the decision for closures because a store is located in a retail park or shopping centre instructed to close, there are a number of stores in the same area, or there are not enough colleagues available to staff the store.
The Poundland stores affected are in Nottingham, Pontefract, Rotherham, Kings Lynn, Hammersmith, Farnham, Ilford, Watford, Whitehaven, Carlisle, Gateshead, York, Barrow-in-Furness, Truro, Falmouth, Christchurch, Swansea, Ebbw Vale, Newport, Droylsden, Ormskirk, Chester, Sutton Coldfield, Oswestry, Selly Oak, Crewe, Yardley, Manchester, Walsall and Birmingham (Corporation Street).