Express & Star

Poundland hires nearly 1,000 former Wilko staff

Poundland has recruited nearly 1,000 former Wilko workers, it has revealed.

Published
Last updated
Poundland Shrewsbury opened in The Darwin Centre recently

The business said a total of 962 ex-Wilko staff had joined its team over the past three months

In 64 Wilko locations has reopened as Poundland, 826 former Wilko workers have now joined Poundland on hourly paid contracts, with a further 122 becoming Poundland store managers or assistant store managers.

A further 14 former Wilko workers have begun working at Poundland’s main customer support centre in Walsall.

Former Wilkos locally to have become Poundland include Stafford, Rugeley, Lichfield and Shrewsbury. Additionally, as part of its organic store opening programme, Poundland has opened a destination store at Birmingham Fort in a former Wilko unit.

Poundland expects to be able to open other new stores in former Wilko units next year, moving beyond the 71 lease options it obtained from the administrator on September 12.

Over the last two months. Poundland says it has also recruited 1,200 temporary staff to work in stores across the UK and Ireland in the run-up to Christmas.

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.”

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.