A DISCOUNT shop in the city centre is set to close in a matter of weeks, the Worcester News has been told.

Poundland's store in The Shambles will be shut down in the next few weeks, staff there have been told.

Poundland also has a shop in Broad Street which will remain open.

Responding to the news, Worcester city councillor Jabba Riaz said: “Another shop closing is not good for the city.

“The retail picture for the UK looks pretty bleak but Worcester punches well above its weight.

“I’m very disappointed with it closing but I suppose it was only a matter of time as there are other similar shops in the high street and Poundland are just probably consolidating their retail business.

“I feel for the employees at this difficult time.”

We reported in September last year that West Midlands high streets are some of the most impacted by shop closures across Britain, with the region seeing 2.2 per cent of stores shut in the first six months of the year, while the national average is 1.83 per cent.

Games shops, men’s clothes, takeaways and charity shops are amongst the hardest hit in the region, while store openings across the UK have fallen to a five year low.

Sarah Phillips, Midlands retail and consumer specialist for professional services network PwC, said: “We are seeing retailers operating in an increasingly challenging environment and this is particularly exasperated in city centre locations where there is a high density of retailers.

“However, the rate of closures in the region’s cities is surprising at a time we are seeing significant investment and regeneration taking place across the region.”

The Poundland chain was founded in 1990 by Dave Dodd and Steven Smith.

A Poundland spokesman said: "While we’re sad to be closing our store in The Shambles, Worcester, on 16 March 2020, we’ll still be offering customers amazing value nearby in Worcester Broad Street. Where we close a store, it goes without saying we always work hard to look after colleagues directly affected."