Wilko: Two hundred ex-staff offered jobs by Poundland

Wilko staff posed for a photo on the final business day of their branch in Walthamstow, London

More than 200 former Wilko workers have been offered jobs by Poundland as it reopens some of the collapsed retailer's stores.

Last month, Poundland said it would buy up to 71 Wilko stores from administrator PwC and relaunch them under its own brand.

As part of the deal, the discount chain said it would "prioritise" former Wilko staff who applied for roles.

The first 10 shops reopened their doors last weekend.

Last month it was announced Wilko stores would disappear from UK High Streets after a rescue deal for the chain fell through.

On Tuesday, Poundland said it had made job offers to more than 200 former Wilko staff, with that number "increasing day-by-day".

• What went wrong at Wilko?

The announcement came as the Pepco-owned business revealed the next 10 former Wilko stores it would reopen under the Poundland brand.

Rescued stores in Melton Mowbray, Matlock, Chepstow, Kimberley in Nottinghamshire, Worcester, Ellesmere Port, Brigg, Redruth, Ferndown and Pontypool will open on Saturday.

'Phenomenal achievement'

Austin Cooke, managing director of Poundland, said: "Our people make Poundland special and last week they did an amazing job to turn ex-Wilko stores into brand new Poundlands in just six days - the size and scale of what they've achieved has been nothing short of phenomenal.

"But they worked hard because we meant what we said about moving quickly to create jobs for Wilko colleagues."

He added the firm would "pull out all the stops to repeat that feat" and open another 10 stores this weekend.

"I know from meeting our new colleagues from Wilko, how delighted they were to welcome customers old and new back to their store last weekend," he said.

"And that's inspiring us to keep the pace up and bring the amazing value we promise to more high streets this Saturday."