Poundland centre to close 'at the end of the month'. This is what is happening next with the site

The warehouse and distribution centre on the site at Springvale is set to close at the end of the month due to falling demand. About 250 jobs are thought to be affected.

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But international real-estate company Boreal IM has now applied to Wolverhampton Council for planning permission to convert the site for combined industrial and storage use.

Workers were told in June last year that the Springvale Bilston Distribution Centre would be closing early in 2026 as part of a restructure of the struggling business, which was sold by Poland-based Pepco Group for £1.

A spokesman for Poundland said in a statement: "We outlined business recovery plans last week that included the possible closure of our Springvale Bilston Distribution Centre in early 2026, with delivery volumes currently handled at Bilston absorbed into our other centres in Wigan and Harlow." 

It is understood that the centre, built on the site of the former Bilston steelworks, was struggling for work for about a year before the closure was announced.

One worker, who has worked for Poundland for more than 20 years, told the Express & Star: "We were fearing the worst because of how quiet it was, there has been very little work to do and they've been offering holidays and days off or half days - as there's been not enough work and too many staff."

The employee, who asked not to be named, added: "Colleagues are concerned about their jobs, especially those with mortgages and children. Times are hard whatever age you are to find a new job."

Another employee, who also wanted to remain anonymous, said: "I was shocked, to be honest, because it was surprising news to hear, although I've been here for a year-and-a-half and I could see there were signs of struggle.

"There were signs that the stock was going down and there were less people being brought in on agency and just less people in and around the place.."

Details are yet to emerge about who might be taking on the site. At the moment it is listed on Boreal IM's website as being part of the company's portfolio in 'Birmingham UK'.  

Poundland was set up by Willenhall father and son market traders Keith and Steve Smith, and fellow market trader Dave Dodd, with the first store opened in Burton-on-Trent on December 13, 1990.

The brand, which grew to become one of the most popular names on the high street with around 800 stores, was taken over by Pepco in 2016 but in recent years it has suffered since the pandemic and due to the rise of online shopping and increasing competition from the likes of B&M, Home Bargains and The Range as well as budget supermarkets.

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