Edinburgh’s last remaining Poundland to close following lease dispute
The retailer said a failure to agree on lease terms caused the closure of the former Woolworths
Edinburgh’s last remaining Poundland store is set to permanently close next month following a dispute over its lease.
Staff at the Lothian Road branch have been told the discount store will shut on October 25 after seven years of trading.
A spokesperson for the retailer said: “The store at 142-146 Lothian Road is set to close on October 25, as we’ve been unable to agree ongoing lease terms.
“We know how disappointing this will be to customers. We will obviously consult with colleagues and that work is now under way.”
A closing-down sale is currently being held at the branch ahead of its final day.
The Lothian Road site is well-known locally, having operated as a Woolworths for 72 years. The historic branch opened in 1936 and closed in 2008 when the retailer filed for administration, before briefly operating as a Poundstretcher.
The upcoming closure means the nearest Poundland stores for Edinburgh residents will be in Musselburgh, East Lothian, and Livingston, West Lothian.
It follows a string of branch closures by the retail giant in the Capital, having previously shut its Princes Street, Cameron Toll, Abbeyhill and Leith stores.
The move comes after Poundland shut down nearly 150 shops and axed 2,200 jobs as part of a major restructuring late last year.
Addressing future closures at the time, the company stated: “Any further closures will be a consequence of standard business-as-usual lease events expected at a retailer with a large store network.”