Poundland ready for opening of new store in Elgin for Christmas
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POUNDLAND will open its new store in Elgin on Saturday, November 26.
Staff have been working flat out this week getting the store in Thunderton Place ready to open at 9am on Saturday.
The store on the town's High Street has been closed since it was badly damaged by a deliberately set fire on August 12.
The temporary store is in the former Poundstretcher shop, next to TX Maxx.
The opening coincides with the switching on of Elgin's Christmas lights on Saturday afternoon from 2pm on the Plainstones.
Poundland staff were praised at the time for their reaction to the fire and the way they escorted a disabled customer to safety after the blaze broke out just before closing.
The store was extensively damaged after products were set alight in one of the aisles.
Poundland proud of staff reaction to fire
A 15-year-old boy was subsequently charged in connection with wilful fireraising.
The original Victorian building in the centre of Elgin had to be dismantled at the front brick by brick.The original Victorian building in the centre of Elgin had to be dismantled at the front brick by brick.
Poundland’s property and retail teams, together with contractors, have been working flat out to convert the temporary store.
The 5,500 square feet temporary store will offer everyday essentials such as groceries, drinks and snacks, as well as health and beauty, entertainment, stationery and craft ranges, and Christmas decorations and gifts.
In addition to 12 existing colleagues, another eight are being recruited to take the total to 20 full and part-time colleagues, up from 17 previously.
Elgin store manager Gerry McAloon said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support we’ve received since the fire and can’t wait to reopen and welcome back our customers. We know they’ve missed us while we’ve been closed and we know how much they’re looking forward to us reopening at such a busy time of year for shopping.”
Poundland director of retail, Darren Kay, said: “We’d like to thank the people of Elgin for their support and for their patience while we get the new store ready.
“Our team has worked really hard on getting the temporary store ready, with the help of our contractors and the support of Moray Council which has allowed us to work quickly to get the store open as soon as possible while work goes on at High Street. We’re confident that once it’s complete it will be a great asset for the town and its people.”
The High Street store in Elgin is the only store in the retailer’s 800-plus nationwide portfolio that it owns – all the others are leased.
Poundland stepped in to buy the Victorian building in 2019 after it fell into disrepair to help breathe new life into a landmark site in the town centre that was originally a bank and for many years was home to Woolworths.
As part of a £1 million scheme, it has been working on the refurbishment of the building to create a mix of retail units and residential appartments.
