Its high street – like many around the UK – is struggling
Poundland on Front Street, Arnold(Image: Nottingham Post)
The countdown to Christmas has begun, and in the lead-up to the big day, we are visiting as many towns in our patch as possible. In this week’s edition, we decided to visit the market town on the edge of Nottingham’s sprawl that is trying to get its buzz back – Arnold.
Arnold, which has the largest town centre in the suburban borough of Gedling, has been trying to muster a retail comeback – but now faces a fresh setback instead.
Poundland has announced its store in Front Street is due to close on December 6, after the struggling chain failed to agree terms for staying at the location.
The brand, which was recently sold for a pound and has been closing a raft of its stores as part of its new owner’s turnaround efforts, said it had entered a consultation with staff in Arnold.
The move has disappointed shoppers in the town, which has been trying to revive its ailing high street for years.
Empty shops to the north of Front Street, Arnold town centre.(Image: Joseph Raynor/ Reach PLC)
Retired Carole Elliott, 66, said the closure of yet another shop would contribute to the “domino effect” that had led to rows of empty units starting to form in the once “buzzing” market town.
“How many more shops can we lose? If we keep going like this in the next five years we will have nothing left.
“It used to be a great place to shop, with people coming from all around, but it’s gone down the pan.”
Gerald Richardson, 77, who has lived in Arnold all of his life, said he had been told by staff members that they were set to lose their jobs when the shop closed.
“One of them just told me they’re going to lose their jobs, it’s sad,” he said, sitting outside the store.
“It’s a bad thing for Arnold. There used to be a lot more choice, the shopping has gone downhill here, definitely.”
Gedling Borough Council is planning to rejuvenate the town centre, and support businesses to thrive, through its Ambition Arnold plan.
Steven Ray, 49, said the council’s plan – which is ambitious but not yet funded – could not come soon enough.
“There are more empty shops here every time I come,” he said.
“Hopefully something else can take its place and give people jobs.”
Poundland has been restructuring its operations since the summer and is expected to reduce its store network from around 800 to 650-700.
The budget retailer said that Arnold was not on the list of stores it had initially identified for closure, but it was unable to make a deal to keep the unit.
Darren MacDonald, Poundland’s UK retail manager, said: “We know how disappointing it is when we leave a store, but before we close our doors for a final time, we’re determined to say goodbye by offering even more amazing value to customers.
“These special reductions, on top of the value we offer day-in-day-out across our wider network, will help us leave locations like Arnold with pride.
“And when our doors close, we’ll look forward to welcoming customers to one of the hundreds of Poundland stores we’ll continue to operate right across the UK.”
The clearance sale at Arnold will offer reductions of up to 40 percent, with items marked down in price until they’re sold.
It covers all the stock from homewares to groceries and clothing to health and beauty.