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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Entertainment
Lynette Pinchess

Poundland is looking for the East Midlands' tallest person to open new store

It's a tall order finding someone to officially open the UK's biggest Poundland store in Nottingham.

The company says the biggest store demands a big launch and has put out an appeal on Facebook to find the East Midlands' tallest person willing to help.

Poundland itself has tagged Nottingham Hoods Basketball Team, whose player Morakinyo Williams is 7ft tall.

Nottingham's famous YouTuber LadBaby - measuring in at 6ft 8in- is another possibility, while at 6ft 7in Nottinghamshire Live reporter Jake Brigstock misses out by a whisker.

In anticipation of the grand opening at 9am on Saturday February 12, the store at Riverside Retail Park has taken delivery of a a super-size shopping trolley - nicknamed Trolley-dactyl.

Poundland commissioned the trolley which will dwarf the standard and mini trolleys lined up ready for the first customers.

The extra-long trolley will still be able to negotiate the extra-wide aisles at the new unit, which at 15,000 sq ft, is the biggest in the network of 850-plus stores across the UK.

Manager Chris Henshaw said the trolley had become a talking point for the new employees working on preparations for the opening.

“The first reaction is usually ‘good golly’, or words to that effect. Trolley-dactyl is an awesome bit of kit and would take quite a bit of filling even on the biggest weekly shop.

"It’s a bit of fun, but we wanted to show that our fantastic new store will enable people to do more of their shopping in a single trip. Nottingham Riverside is going to be Poundland at its biggest and its best.”

Poundland is opening in the former Outfit store, the home of fashions from Dorothy Perkins, Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Wallis and Burton, until the Arcadia Group closed all its shops.

The store will employ 75 full and part-time staff – more than any other Poundland in the UK – and training for the super-size team is well underway.

While the store will contain all the usual favourites, Poundland will unveil the precise make-up of what’s inside Nottingham Riverside, closer to its opening date.

Mr Henshaw has been with Poundland for three years and has previously worked at stores including Eastpoint Retail Park, Beaumont Leys and Castle Retail Park.

The head of the PEP&CO clothing and homeware section will be Lisa Hunnam, who has worked for the business for seven years at Ilkeston Waterside Retail Park.

Nominations for the tallest person can be made at facebook.com/Poundland

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