In September 2025, one of the giants on the high street in Abergavenny shut its doors for good after the company was taken over for the measly sum of £1. Now, just over a year on, that same brand could disappear altogether.

The closure of the Poundland store on Cibi Walk meant local people lost their jobs and yet another unit in Abergavenny Town Centre sat largely empty until a temporary Christmas shop moved in briefly at the end of last year.

While that store will return again this year, nobody has been trading on the premises for the past 11 months. The fact it has been so difficult to find a permanent retailer to fill the void Poundland left behind here signifies the huge impact its demise could have on high streets across the country.

The potential Poundland collapse could send shockwaves through other busy towns. Indeed, shoppers in the town where the discount giant first opened, Burton-on-Trent, told the BBC it would be a huge loss to the fabric of their town last week.

Gordon Brothers bought the struggling chain from Polish group, Pepco, last year, and vowed to restructure the business to make it more viable by closing some stores. Abergavenny’s store was not initially on this list, but closed due to the expiration of the unit’s lease. Last Thursday, Gordon Brothers confirmed it had filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators, leaving ten days for them to find a buyer.

As a result, there are fears that other stores in Monmouthshire and Torfaen could close and Poundland staff relatively nearby could be dealt a devastating blow in the run-up to Christmas.

Reform UK Senedd Member for Sir Fynwy Torfaen, Laura Anne Jones MS, weighed in on the issue.

“Poundland staff in Cwmbran and Chepstow deserve urgent answers about their future,” she said.

“Behind every job is a local person with bills to pay and a family to support.”

“My constituents in Monmouthshire and Torfaen are already struggling. The threat of losing your livelihood in the run up to Christmas is a devastating worry.”

“Our high streets cannot afford another blow. Every effort must be made to secure a rescue that protects jobs and keeps these shops trading.”

Meanwhile, the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) has called on the UK Government to do everything it can to save the almost-12,000 strong workforce. USDAW believes Poundland’s owners are ‘forcing’ the business into administration unnecessarily.

“I am calling on the Government to do everything it can to save 11,000 jobs, which are mainly done by women and part-time workers,” said Joanne Thomas, General Secretary of Usdaw.

“Over the past five years, around 250,000 jobs have been lost in the retail sector. Job security is a key priority for a successful economy; therefore, I urge the Government to grant the retail sector the same priority and strategic support it provides to other vital industries.”

The Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds MP and the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham have both questioned Gordon Brothers’ actions.