West Bromwich Poundworld among latest round of closures

It comes just a week after Deloitte, the accountancy firm handling the administration process since Poundworld went bust, starting announcing store closures.

And it brings the number set to shut by the end of this month to 145, with around 1,900 jobs set to go.

The closure of the New Square shop in West Bromwich will mean redundancy for 13 shop workers, among 531 facing the axe with the latest closures, due to take place on July 24. Another 28 Black Country workers will lose their jobs with the closure of the stores at Merry Hill and in Bloxwich High Street, announced last week.

But the administrators say they remain in talks with 'interested parties' for a possible sale of part of parts of the remaining business, currently made up of around 190 stores and 3,200 staff.

Clare Boardman, one of the Deloitte restructuring partners appointed as a joint administrator last month, said: “We would like to thank all the employees for their continued support and commitment during this difficult time. We are keeping staff appraised of developments as they happen.”

The latest announcement leaves six Poundworld stores remaining in the Black Country and southern Staffordshire, including two shops in Wolverhampton, in the Mander Centre and on Birmingham Road, as well as branches on the Reedswood Retail Park in Walsall, the Queen’s Retail Park in Stafford, Victoria Shopping Park in Hednesford and at the Three Spires in Lichfield.

Earlier this month Deloitte turned down a bid for Poundworld from its founder, Chris Edwards, who was looking to save a raft of stores and safeguard around 3,000 jobs.

Last week there were reports that the founder of Black Country-based rival Poundland, Steve Smith, was in early-stage talks about a bid to salvage part of Poundworld out of administration. But Mr Smith, the former Willenhall market trader who sold Poundland for £50m with his father in 2002, has not commented on the claims.