BOLTON’S ‘grotty’ and ‘atrocious’ Poundstretcher store enjoyed an increase in footfall after featuring in a television programme on Monday night about the company.

In Channel 4’s Saving Poundstretcher, former Poundworld boss Chris Edwards visits stores across the country in a bid to save the high street retail chain from crisis.

Mr Edwards, from Wakefield, criticised the Bolton store on Knowsley Street for its lack of organisation and later brought the manager to tears.

He said: ‘It’s a grotty old place. For a town centre store it’s atrocious. If there’s any worse than this all I would say is god help us.’

The businessman was later told that, although store manager and staff were unaware, the Bolton store was just two months away from closing.

He managed to convince owners Rashid & Aziz Tayub to keep it open because he believed its location in the town centre gave it potential for improved sales.

Former store manager Tracy Rowland was told that her shop was earmarked for closure amid losses of £64,000 a year when Mr Edwards returned.

The millionaire sold Poundworld for £150million in 2015, and worked as CEO of Poundstretcher for two years.

The Yorkshireman left the company in April, but some of the changes he recommended, such as ‘in-your-face’ advertising and certain discounts, have remained in store.

The next episode, on Mon at 9pm, investigates shoplifting which costs the company millions of pounds every year.