Poundland hires 962 former Wilko workers after converting 64 of its shops | Personal Finance | Finance

Poundland has hired 962 former Wilko employees as it continues to reopen stores snapped up from the collapsed high street rival.

It comes after Poundland agreed to buy up to 71 Wilko shops in September after Wilko entered administration in the face of mounting debts and weak customer demand.

Poundland said it has now converted 64 former Wilko shops and expects to open the remaining shops in the acquired units next year.

The discounter said 826 former Wilko employees have been hired to work on hourly paid contracts at the reopened shops, while a further 122 have been hired to work as store managers or assistant store managers.

A further 14 former Wilko workers have also been hired to work at Poundland’s main support centre in Walsall.

Simon Wells, people director at Poundland, said: “I really want to thank the Poundland team for their extraordinary efforts in making so many roles available, so quickly, to those affected by the administration of Wilko.

“We know by keeping our promise to reopen former Wilko stores in such numbers, and at such pace, we’ve made a big difference to hundreds of people.

“We’re incredibly proud that so many former Wilko team members have now chosen to continue their careers here at Poundland.”

Poundland said it expects to open more new stores in former Wilko units, moving “well beyond” the 71 leases it originally planned to take on.

In addition to the former Wilko sites, Poundland has also opened new stores in key locations such as Birmingham Fort and Watford, where it has started trading from a former John Lewis store.

All new Poundland stores feature its Pepco clothing brand and a chilled and frozen food aisle has been added to 18 former Wilko stores.

These include Barnsley (Wombwell), Brentwood, Barking, Scunthorpe Broadway, Sale, Thornaby, Hitchin, Bishop Stortford, South Shields, Nelson, Melton Mowbray, Worcester, Seaham, Maidenhead, West Ealing, Brigg, Peterborough and Leicester.

The discount retailer has also recruited 1,200 temporary colleagues to fill temporary Christmas positions in stores across the UK and Ireland.

While many of these shop floor roles will end on Christmas Eve, some colleagues will be taken on permanently.

Mr Wells said: “The extra recruits will help us make sure that our stores are great places to work and shop at the busiest time of year.”