Future of bargain high street store with 800 sites confirmed after closure notice and furious speculation from shoppers

A BIG name discounter has confirmed the future of one of its sites after announcing its closure.

Poundland will be pulling down the shutters on its branch in Fareham within days, and shoppers have been speculating for weeks on its fate.

The shop in Market Quay will close on December 8 before reopening in new premises the next day.

There had been much speculation from locals over the past few weeks about where Poundland will be moving to.

Posting across social media, shoppers have been left confused by conflicting information and rumours.

One posted: “When Poundland move into the former marks and Spencer store apparently KFC will be moving into there current store.”

To which others replied: “They aren’t moving into ex M&S store….rent too high, nor ex Wilko…too big.”

And another said: “I spoke to a member of staff today they are just trying to finalise paper work for the Wilko store for them to move into.”

While one local also wrote: “Reopening in the old Wilko shop.”

And another commented: “Poundland is moving into the former Marks and Spencer store.”

One also said: “Why don’t people just wait and see instead of speculating.”

Local news reports had also indicated that the chain had “shut down” rumours that the shop will be moving into the former Wilko store.

But now, The Sun can confirm that the shop will be moving into the ex-Wilko site this Saturday.

It will be the 64th Poundland takeover of a former Wilko shop.

The now-empty site in Fareham shopping centre was officially vacated on September 28 after the beloved discount chain tumbled in administration and was forced to close all 400 of its shops.

The chain fell into administration on August 10, prompting a flurry of rivals to buy a handful of stores.

Among those was , which purchased 71 stores, with the first opening earlier in October.

Since then, from September 30, the discounter has cut the ribbon on 63 ex-Wilkos.

Fareham will also be the 87th new store Poundland has either opened or relocated in just 70 days.

This Saturday will see Poundland also open in former Wilko stores elsewhere in the country too.

It will then open up in two more ex-Wilko stores on Saturday, December 9 in:

• Unit B, 25-37 Foregate Street, Chester
• Unit 6, 34A The Parade, Swindon

In Stevenage, Camberley and Chester, Poundland will relocate into the Wilko units from existing nearby stores.

Poundland recently revealed plans for 15 other store openings and relocations in December, including a move into a former John Lewis in Watford.

The following locations will also open on Saturday, December 9:

• Units 4,5,7, Howgate Shopping Centre, High Street, Falkirk, (relocation)
• 44-46 High Road, Wood Green, London (relocation)
• Unit 4, Cleveragh Retail Park, Sligo (Pepco)
• 27/29 High Street, Wells
• 10B, The Fort Shopping Park, 20 Fort Parkway, Birmingham
• 59 The Broadway, Plymstock, Plymouth (relocation)
• Units 13-14 Antonine Shopping Centre, Tryst Road, Cumbernauld (relocation)

It cut the ribbon in the following sites on December 2:

• 26 Stonehills, Welwyn Garden City
• 38 High Street, Midsomer Norton, Radstock
• 34-38 Midland Road, Bedford
• 72-72A Preston Street, Faversham
• 34-35 High Street, Newport, Shropshire
• Unit 3, The Harlequin Centre, High Street, Watford (relocation)
• 56-58 Lord Street, Liverpool (relocation)
• 3 Risman Place, Washington Square, Workington (relocation)

All new Poundland stores – both Wilko and non-Wilko units – will feature the very latest Pepco family clothing that has rolled out to 560 of Poundland’s existing UK and Ireland stores.

Which former Wilko stores have already reopened under the Poundland brand?

The 56 former Wilko stores that have already opened as Poundlands are located in:

• Stafford
• Nelson
• Stockport
• Eccles
• Southport
• Leigh
• Barking
• Maidenhead
• Jarrow
• Scunthorpe.
• Melton Mowbray
• Matlock
• Chepstow
• Nottingham
• Worcester
• Ellesmere Port
• Brigg
• Redruth
• Ferndown
• Pontypool
• Ripley
• Bolton
• Gateshead
• Bicester
• Peterborough
• Sheffield Hillsborough
• Cramlington
• Rugeley
• Brentwood
• Altrincham
• Worksop
• West Ealing
• Wembley
• Sale
• Seaham
• Selly Oak
• Bishops Stortford
• Ammanford
• Alfreton
• Thornaby
• South Shields
• Newcastle-upon-Tyne (Killingworth)
• Shrewsbury
• Droitwich
• Redhill
• Leicester
• Hitchen
• Alnwick
• Headingley
• Grimsby
• Hull
• Lichfield
• Wombwell
• Edmonton Green
• Greenock
• Peterlee

Meanwhile, Wilko shops returned to UK high streets on Friday in time for Christmas.

Plus, B&M has confirmed the first location of its own Wilko store takeovers ahead of 51 new openings.

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