Discount store Poundland has announced it will start reopening its 'hibernating' stores - including the one at Metrocentre - from Friday in response to Boris Johnson's road map plans.
While most of the company's UK-wide branches have stayed open for essential shopping during the pandemic, others, such as its shop at the Gateshead shopping centre, were placed temporaily out of action.
They closed in January when customers numbers dropped sharply due to adjacent non-essential retailers being forced to close.
But, now that the Prime Minister has outlined plans for a phased return to normality, the company has decided to act promptly and has immediately drafted in staff at 29 branches to prepare for the first wave of reopenings of what is being dubbed Operation Spring Back.
Besides the Gateshead Metrocentre store, the Poundland outlet at Captain Cook Square in Middlesbrough also will be included among the first wave of relaunches acoss England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales..
These will reopen at 8am on February 26 and the rest of the dormant stores will follow suit as Poundland irons out its plans with landlords and shopping centres.
Robust health and safety measures will be back in place and Poundland retail director Austin Cooke said: “Safety continues to be our first priority, and shoppers can return with confidence.
What do you think about the Prime Minister's roadmap to end lockdown? Please take a minute to answer our survey
"We’re well versed in making our stores safe place to shop - we’re all looking forward to giving them a warm welcome as they return.”
He added: “We’re proud to have kept most of our stores open serving our communities with the essentials they need but, in some places, we couldn’t stay open when so many of our neighbours were forced to close.
“The road map is good news for retailers and our town centres which have such an important role to play in our recovery and our colleagues and customers will be delighted that we’re re-opening in these locations, and so are we."
