Poundland to hire 400 temporary seasonal workers to cope with Christmas rush

Poundland is looking to recruit 400 temporary seasonal staff to work in its stores in the run-up to Christmas.

The discount retailer is preparing for a busy festive season as talks continue to try to find a buyer for the Walsall headquartered firm.

Poundland bosses have said it is business as usual despite much media speculation about the future of the business as takeover talks continue.

The company says the seasonal recruitment drive is another sign that Poundland has “firmly established a recovery that has seen it return to like-for-like sales growth and profitability”.

Alan Smallman, retail director at Poundland, said: “After a busy year getting the business back on track, our store teams are excited about delivering our best Christmas in years as our all-new seasonal ranges begin landing in store.

“Our people make the difference whatever the time of year, but at Christmas they play a special role looking after our customers.

“We look forward to welcoming new colleagues to our teams to help make this Christmas really special.”

Having delivered 3.3 per cent like-for-like growth in the final quarter of its financial year, and 6.7 per cent in the month of September, the company says it is performing well following an extensive restructuring programme, despite concerns raised by union Usdaw that it could enter administration if a buyer is not found soon.

Poundland’s management team has been working with the Martin Property Group on a “fully funded, ready-to-go” offer to buy the business and build on progress made to return it to growth.

Lakeland owner Hilco Capital and Poundstretcher owner Fortress Investment Group have also reportedly shown interest, with Fortress believed to be interested in a portion of stores - around 200 to 250. TG Jones and Hobbycraft owner Modella Capital is also believed to be among bidders involved in the continuing Poundland sale process.

Professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal has been advising Poundland's owner, Gordon Brothers, and it’s understood that bids submitted on September 28 were this week still being evaluated.

Meanwhile, three new directors - Andrew Kirkpatrick, Stephen Welch and Dominic Young - have been brought into Poundland’s board to bring “additional M&A (merger and acquisition) transaction and industry experience” to the firm as sale talks continue. Mr Kirkpatrick was previously an adviser to Steinhoff International, the South Africa-based former Poundland owner. Mr Welch is a restructuring expert who was previously a director at the Telegraph and is currently chairman of fintech firm FNZ. Dominic Young is a former director of the Spectator magazine’s parent company.

Gordon Brothers said in a statement: “Andrew Kirkpatrick, Stephen Welch and Dominic Young have agreed to join the Board of Poundland as independent directors bringing additional M&A transaction and industry experience. After commencing a thorough sale process for the entirety of the company, prompted by interest from several parties, active discussions continue with a number of potential acquirers. The offers include those from buyers for the whole business and also indicative offers for significant viable parts of the business from established retail operators. The Board will now objectively evaluate these options, considering all relevant stakeholders, with a view to minimising uncertainty for the people, suppliers and local communities with an interest in the business and its future.”

Poundland’s recovery plan, which has included a raft of store closures across the country, has seen the business return to a simple £1, £2 and £3 grocery pricing across all its UK shops, with around 60 per cent of grocery items priced at £1. It has also removed frozen foods, some chilled ranges and abandoned its online offering - and relaunched in-house designed Pep&Co clothing to its UK and Ireland stores.

Having completed a top to bottom range reinvention, stores are now getting set for Christmas with new toys and lines added each week through October and November. Seasonal items already in-store include a full range of new festive bags and wraps are available in a‘three for £3’ pick-and-mix-style offer.

Poundland said seasonal workers are needed to support existing store teams during one of the busiest times of the retail calendar, to help keep shelves stocked and stores running smoothly.

Store staff working busily up to Christmas Eve will be able to enjoy a day off on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day, as Poundland has promised to keep its stores closed on the festive Bank Holiday days as a thank you for their hard work over the past 12 months.

To add to the festive spirit, Poundland is giving every staff member in November a book of £25 vouchers to use in-store during December 2025 and January 2026.

Anyone interested in joining the team can find out which Poundland stores across the UK are recruiting for seasonal roles by visiting www.poundlandcareers.co.uk.