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Discount chain Poundland says it will close 44 of its º£½ÇÊÓƵ stores this weekend.

The firm is allowed to open as an 'essential trader' during the third lockdown - but said many of its outlets across the º£½ÇÊÓƵ will be put into temporary "hibernation" after they close on Saturday.

That will allow the company to focus on its larger stores in busier areas, with colleagues at the closing stores to be put on furlough, .

It follows an 80% drop in footfall since the start of the pandemic, after shopping centres and high streets were forced to close their doors.

Closures span most regions of the º£½ÇÊÓƵ entire country, including Wales and Northern Ireland.

Austin Cooke, Poundland’s retail director said: "We learned valuable lessons during the lockdown in March about how buying patterns change as people stick to government advice to stay at home.

"Putting a small number of stores into hibernation helps protect them for the long term and focus our attention on the majority of stores that remain open to serve their neighbourhoods.

"We hope this lockdown is short and we can re-open our hibernating stores as quickly as possible and we remain grateful for the vital support schemes available to us that help protect jobs."

Around 800 Poundland stores will remain open, the company said.

The following branches will temporarily close their doors from Sunday, January 10.

1. Newark, St Marks Place
2. Londonderry Ferryquay Street NI
3. Grantham, Isaac Newton Centre,
4. Kingston upon Thames Eden Walk
5. Mansfield Four Seasons SC
6. Harlow Harvey SC
7. Lowestoft Britten SC
8. Colchester Culver Street
9. Ipswich Sailmakers SC
10. Ayr High Street
11. Norwich Castle Mall
12. Workington Campbell-Savours Way
13. Newmarket, The Guineas SC
14. Carlisle Scotch Street
15. Luton 31 The Mall SC
16. Dumfries, Loreburne SC
17. Belfast Castlecourt SC NI
18. Glasgow Union Street
19. Newry Buttercrane SC NI
20. Falkirk Howgate SC
21. Enniskillen Erneside SC NI
22. Edinburgh Princes Street
23. Newry Quays SC NI
24. Perth St Johns SC
25. Inverness High Street
26. Cardiff 121 Queens Street
27. Kirkcaldy Mercat SC
28. Bridgwater Angel Place SC
29. Cramlington Manor Walks SC
30. Burnley 82 Charter Walk SC
31. Middlesbrough Captain Cook Square SC
32. Preston Fishergate Centre
33. Durham Riverwalk SC
34. Rochdale Exchange SC
35. Beverley Flemingate SC
36. Chester Frodsham Street
37. Farnham The Borough
38. Bootle Strand SC
39. Fareham Market Quay
40. Solihull High Street
41. Fareham Whiteley SC
42. Newcastle under Lyme Castle Walk
43. Crewe Market St
44. Merry Hill SC