IPSWICH: Discount store Poundland is moving into the former Woolworths store in Carr Street, it confirmed today.

Speculation had been mounting that the store would be moving from its current base in part of the former Co-op department store into the Woolworths site.

Earlier this week a spokeswoman for Poundland denied that any deal had been agreed, but within 24 hours the company was able to confirm the move.

A statement from the company said: “Poundland’s Ipswich store will be relocating to a new, bigger and better site later this year. This new site will be on Carr Street, which was previously a Woolworths.”

The store is expected to open before Christmas, exactly two years after Woolworths closed when the chain went into administration.

The news that Poundland is expanding was welcomed by Paul Clement from Ipswich Central – which represents town centre businesses – but he warned that this was not the ideal news for Carr Street.

Poundland’s move would leave an even larger gap in the former Co-op store which closed earlier this summer after new operator Vergo went under.

Mr Clement said: “It is good news that the Woolworths store is to be occupied again however the fact is this is a store transferring from another site and not a new name to the town.

“We need to work hard to ensure that there is investment in the Carr Street area of the town.”

However the Poundland move is being seen as good news for the town centre, coming as JD Sports prepares to move into larger premises in Westgate Street and two other new stores are about to open in Buttermarket Street after deals were brokered by Ipswich agents EWS.

n Is Poundland’s move good for the town? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk