POUNDLAND has announced it will open a second store in Bolton.

The discount firm has said it will open the shop to accompany its current premises in Victoria Square — but bosses have not revealed where the new store will be located.

It is expected to be opened by the end of the year.

The chain has more than 600 shops across the country.

Tim McDonnell, retail director at Poundland, said: “Poundland has grown significantly over the past 12 months and it’s fantastic to see this expansion continuing with another new store in Bolton. We’re looking forward to opening our doors.”

A spokesman for the firm added that it will conduct a "stringent acquisition process" before confirming the location of the new store, to ensure it is "positioned in the right location and fit Poundland’s customer profile".

Cllr Cliff Morris, leader of Bolton Council, welcomed the announcement.

He said: “We are always pleased to hear that businesses are investing in Bolton and putting their faith in the town. It is important that we have a range of different shops for our residents and it is a shop that people use and need. 

"Given they have already have a successful Poundland store in Bolton town centre, I am sure this new store will prove to be just as successful.”

The announcement comes as the firm had its plan to take over a rival firm, 99p Stores, provisionally cleared by the competition watchdog.

The Competition and Markets Authority said that its review of the deal showed that competition would not be harmed by the acquisition, which would add an extra 250 stores to its portfolio.

The firm plans to rebrand the 99p Stores to its Poundland branding.

Bosses said the new shop in Bolton would create "numerous new jobs" — but could not say how many.

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