A DISCOUNT chain is closing one of its stores in Bury, with around 13 jobs set to be lost.

Poundstretcher at the Mill Gate Shopping Centre will be shutting its door for the final time on Saturday, November 21.

The branch is currently offering “20 per cent off everything”, with signs in its windows giving notice of the closure.

The store manager said that the staff were only made aware last week and no one from Poundstretcher had been able to give any real detail.

Denise King, who has been the manager of the store since 2018, said: "My area manager had told us that the store was marked as a possible closure but that they were trying to renew the lease.

"I've had my staff asking what's going on but nobody had communicated with me what was happening. Then last Thursday we were told the store was closing on November 21 and we had until the Tuesday to pack up any stock that's left."

The chain calls itself “a leading variety discount retailer” for quality food, toiletries, garden essentials, and home-ware brands.

Earlier this year, the retailer had a major restructuring plan involving rent cuts approved by landlords.

More than 90% of creditors approved the move, which bought an extra six weeks for 253 stores whose futures were at risk.

Poundstretcher opted to launch a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) after the impact of Covid-19 on store footfall “exacerbated” problems after a decline in profitability in recent years.

The store had much competition at Mill Gate - with discount chains Poundland and B&M among the discount retailers present at the centre.

The chain currently has more than 400 stores nationwide, employing more than 6,000 people. No other Poundstretcher stores are operating in Bury.

Poundstretcher joins other stores which have closed at Mill Gate in recent months.

Peacocks, Holland and Barrett and Thorntons have all had stores axed at the shopping centre.

The pandemic has taken its toll on high streets and shopping centres across the country, with the second lockdown causing further anguish for those in retail.

The latest BRC-ShopperTrack footfall monitor revealed that UK retail footfall decreased by 30.1% in September compared to the same month last year.