Two poundland stores in Fareham among 44 in country to temporarily close amid coronavirus lockdown

It means shops at the Whiteley Shopping Centre and in Market Quay will shut their doors.

The closures come after the retailer reported an 80 per cent drop in customers visiting some stores.

The rest of Poundland's 800 stores in the UK will remain open as the retailer has been classed as an ‘essential’ business.

It is not known when the stores will reopen.

Staff will be placed on furlough where appropriate.

Austin Cooke, Poundland’s retail director said: ‘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.’

Poundland has been allowed to stay open throughout the coronavirus pandemic as it sells food, medicine and other important goods.

Customers must only visit stores for essential products, though.

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