Jollyes opening six stores in six weeks as it moves into five former Poundland sites

Just days after opening a new store in Chesterfield, Britain’s award-winning pet discount superstore Jollyes is preparing to open a further six new stores in just six weeks, after it secured an agreement to move into five Poundland stores that are scheduled for closure.

Jollyes was already planning to open another two new stores before Christmas bringing its unique combination of low prices and pet expertise to new communities.

After opening the doors at its newest location in Chesterfield this month, dates have now been confirmed for new stores in Swansea (15 November) and Southend (22 November).

But the fast-growing retailer also now plans to open a further four stores before the end of the year, in Thurrock (28 November), Colne (29 November), Carlisle (6 December) and Burnley (13 December), converting these former Poundland units rapidly into new Jollyes superstores.

It has also agreed to take on an additional former Poundland location in Blackpool which will open as Jollyes in early 2026.

With four of the former Poundland units in the North West, the openings will underscore Jollyes’ growing strength in the region, following recent launches in Blackburn, Chester, Leyland, Southport, Warrington and Widnes.

What’s in store?

All the six stores opening before Christmas will open with the full Jollyes range which includes a promise to be the lowest-price pet retailer in town, following successive moves to lower the price of two-thirds of its ranges over 2025 and significant reductions on big brand favourites.

The new stores will offer frozen food that’s becoming an increasingly popular choice for pet owners, the retailer’s very latest expanded range for cat owners, and a community pet clinic with a vaccination and microchip service from trained Royal College Vets.

Each location will also carry its new extensive ‘pick and mix’ Natural Treats range which include sausages, lamb braid pigs’ ears and pork rolls.

The stores will be set-up from day one to offer ‘Zoomies’ – Jollyes’ new partnership with Uber Eats which allows customers within a five-mile radius of each store to have pet food, frozen raw food and toys and accessories delivered in as little as 30 minutes via the Uber Eats app.

Guaranteed interviews for Poundland colleagues

Jollyes today also confirmed it would offer any former Poundland colleagues in the stores it’s taking over, a guaranteed interview for roles when their shop re-opens as a Jollyes.

In the last 12 months Jollyes has invested in new family-friendly employment schemes as it seeks to become a best-in-class retail employer to help it attract the best talent.

Those new benefits include enhanced paid maternity leave of six months, up from six weeks, and the doubling of paid paternity to four weeks, up from two weeks.

And earlier this year colleagues could take advantage of fertility leave for two days of each IVF cycle, alongside neonatal leave and baby loss leave.

Jollyes has also teamed up with a number of organisations to help broaden the range of people who have the chance to build a career at the retailer.

That includes over-50’s recruitment platform Rest Less, Fair Chance Business Alliance, which specialises in securing roles for people with criminal records and has joined the Armed Forces Covenant that will guarantee any ex-servicemen and women an interview on applying for a role.

Jollyes’ chief operating officer and CEO designate, Adam Dury, said: “We’re excited to have the opportunity to bring our combination of low prices and pet expertise to so many new places before the end of the year.

“For too long pet parents across the UK have had little choice – high prices at a specialist or the limited range of a general retailer.

“The secret to our rapid growth is the serious commitment to value in a store where customers can get all they need to care for their family pet alongside advice from our knowledgeable and highly trained colleagues in store.”

Over the past three years Jollyes has almost doubled the number of store locations across the UK, becoming a clear challenger brand in the UK pet retail market.

It was named as one of The Sunday Times’ best big companies to work for in 2024, and this year won the Retail Week Award for Head Office Heroes following its highly successful raw frozen food roll out.

Jollyes’ confirmed opening schedule: