Customers strip the shelves at pound shop
BARGAIN hunters queued for up to an hour to fill their trolleys in at a Runcorn pound shop as it slashed prices to 50p for a closing down sale.
Karl Clawley, Runcorn Shopping City manager, said punters ‘stripped’ Poundworld Extra bare as they grabbed goodies while they could.
Mr Clawley said the store’s closure was part of a national Poundworld restructure and the Runcorn branch was not alone in winding down this week ahead of being shut.
One reader who contacted the Weekly News said the queues reach between half and two thirds of the way down the aisle.
The closure of Poundworld comes following the departure of high street names Burtons and Dorothy Perkins from a nearby corner unit.
Mr Clawley remained upbeat and said the clothing stores were making way for an extension to JD Sports and their exit had been expected.
He said that a recently-opened Costa coffee shop had been a hit and had attracted customers from areas such as Frodsham.
Halton’s mayor and mayoress were guests of honour to cut the ribbon for a British Heart Foundation shop earlier this month.
The changes came amid warnings on ● the high street from the Royal Institute Of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) who said retail rents have been falling across the North West as vacancies rose. Mr Clawley said the centre is ‘holding its own’. He said: “Poundworld as a business has decided to restructure. “It’s closing the store here in the Shopping City and they’ve reduced everything to 50p. “They had queues of up to 60 minutes, people walking out with shopping trolleys full of bargains. “There are empty shelves now so it’s been stripped bare.” On Burtons and Dorothy Perkins he said: “We have plans to expand JD Sports so we needed the unit back so that’s been on the card’s for a while so that will be a brand new sports shop. “We’re going to shop fit on February 1 and then hopefully we will have it open for Easter, possibly after Easter.” He added: “Costa has been a huge success. “Obviously we have a coffee shop in here already and it’s not impacted on the coffee store. “It’s nice to see the fresh faces coming in from Frodsham and the likes. “We’re doing OK despite all the doom and gloom, we’re holding our own. “We’re disappointed to see Poundworld close but they’re closing across the UK. “It’s onwards and upwards at the City.”