Doncaster Poundland store set to re-open next week as lockdown restrictions eased

The Wheatley Hall Road branch is among one of 30 UK stores back in business – although strict social distancing rules will be in place for shoppers and staff.

A spokesman said the firm was ‘reawakening hibernating stores’ and would ‘proceed thoughtfully,’ when the stores re-open next Monday.

Poundland has kept most of its stores open for essential shopping, but in March it placed one-in-nine stores in hibernation, largely where it had another store close by or was in a shopping centre that had difficulty remaining open.

“Operation Sleeping Beauty” will see it gently begin the process of bringing stores out of hibernation. Other stores that were temporarily closed will reopen in the coming weeks.

Measures customers can expect to see include: Marshals at the door to limit the number of customers in store, floor markers to help customers maintain social distancing, perspex screens at manned checkouts to protect colleagues and customers, the closure of every other self-checkout to make appropriate social distancing easier and rigorous hygiene routines that include colleagues washing their hands every 20 minutes and key surfaces being wiped down every hour.

“We’ve never been prouder of our role as a retailer at the heart of communities and high streets,” said Poundland’s retail director Austin Cooke. “While safety has to come first, we’re delighted to be able to begin reopening hibernating Poundland stores to fully serve those communities across the UK with the essentials they need.”