<p>掙扎中的折扣連鎖店 Poundland 正準備調用數百萬英鎊的緊急融資，以應對令人擔憂的交易下滑。</p>
<p>該零售商將很快開始提取由其前所有者 Pepco 授予的 3000 萬英鎊透支額度。</p>
<p>這家波蘭公司同意在將業務轉讓給新投資者的最後一刻提供資金。</p>
<p>該連鎖店在夏季被專注於困境投資的 Gordon Brothers 救助，作為法院批准的重組計劃的一部分，這一計劃為其關閉大量虧損門店鋪平了道路。</p>
<p>據報道，總部位於波士頓的投資公司以 1 英鎊收購了 Poundland，這筆交易保護了在英國 825 家門店中僱傭的 16000 名員工中的大多數。</p>
<p>根據協議條款，Pepco 同意向其前子公司提供大量資金，包括立即提供 3000 萬英鎊的貸款和另外 3000 萬英鎊的透支債務。</p>
<p>Gordon Brothers 隨後關閉了 Poundland 的兩個倉庫和 68 家表現最差的門店，以推動零售商的盈利能力，導致 2000 多個工作崗位面臨風險。</p>
<p>然而，Poundland 的困境在整個行業節日銷售普遍下滑的背景下加劇。</p>
<p>Sensormatic 的新數據顯示，12 月 23 日英國高街的店鋪訪問量同比下降了 13%，這通常是全年最繁忙的購物日之一。</p>
<p>根據英國工業聯合會的調查，零售商們現在也預計 1 月份的銷售將進一步下降，該調查顯示老闆們的預期處於 2021 年 3 月以來的最低水平。</p>
<p>Gordon Brothers 在最近幾周通知 Pepco 希望提取信貸額度，因為交易未能達到預期，導致流動性緊縮。</p>
<p>Poundland 計劃分兩個階段獲取緊急資金，第一筆款項將在 1 月份提取，隨後在今年晚些時候再次提取。</p>
<p>據悉，Pepco 最初對這一請求表示抵制，進一步引發了對 Poundland 生存前景的擔憂。</p>
<p>然而，在一次董事會會議上達成了一項協議，緩解了對其近期未來的擔憂。</p>
<p>一批顧問監督了這些提案。Gordon Brothers 在接管後不久就從 AlixPartners 引入了一支法務會計師團隊，以仔細監控 Poundland 的現金流。</p>
<p>Poundland 的董事會已聘請來自 FRP Advisory 的專門企業融資專家來觀察業績。</p>
<p>根據 Gordon Brothers 實施的重組計劃，該預算連鎖店預計到明年 2 月將關閉約 130 家門店。</p>
<p>在被列為關閉的門店中，已啓動清倉銷售，範圍廣泛的庫存降價幅度高達 40%。</p>
<p>本週早些時候，Poundland 宣佈將在聖誕節、節禮日和新年當天不營業，繼續優先考慮員工的福祉而非銷售。</p>
<p>Poundland 的一位發言人表示：“重組計劃解鎖了我們所需的財務支持，給了我們足夠的空間來實施我們的恢復計劃。我們繼續得到 Gordon Brothers 和我們前所有者 Pepco 的全力支持。”</p>
<p>“我們的門店狀態是近年來最好的狀態——庫存充足，商品陳列良好，服務客户。”</p>
<p>“當然，還有很多工作要做，但我們對過去幾個月的進展感到滿意，因為我們正在使業務回到正軌。”</p>
<p>Pepco 拒絕置評。</p>

<p>掙扎中的折扣連鎖店 Poundland 將動用來自前任所有者 Pepco 的 3000 萬英鎊透支，以應對聖誕交易的顯著下滑。這筆緊急融資是 Pepco 將業務轉讓給新投資者交易的一部分</p>

<p>Struggling discount chain Poundland is preparing to call on millions of pounds in emergency financing to combat a worrying slump in trading.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>掙扎中的折扣連鎖店 Poundland 正準備調用數百萬英鎊的緊急融資，以應對令人擔憂的交易下滑。</p>
</div><p>The retailer will soon begin drawing down on a £30m overdraft granted by its previous owners, Pepco.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>該零售商將很快開始提取由其前所有者 Pepco 授予的 3000 萬英鎊透支額度。</p>
</div><p>The Polish company agreed to provide the capital in a last-ditch deal to offload the business to new investors.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>這家波蘭公司同意在將業務轉讓給新投資者的最後一刻提供資金。</p>
</div><p>The chain was rescued in the summer by distressed investment specialist Gordon Brothers as part of a court-sanctioned restructuring plan that paved the way for it to close scores of loss-making stores.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>該連鎖店在夏季被專注於困境投資的 Gordon Brothers 救助，作為法院批准的重組計劃的一部分，這一計劃為其關閉大量虧損門店鋪平了道路。</p>
</div><p>It reported that the Boston-based investment firm acquired Poundland for £1, a deal that protected most of the 16,000 staff employed across 825 UK stores.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>據報道，總部位於波士頓的投資公司以 1 英鎊收購了 Poundland，這筆交易保護了在英國 825 家門店中僱傭的 16000 名員工中的大多數。</p>
</div><p>Under the terms of the agreement, Pepco agreed to provide its former subsidiary with substantial funds, including an immediate £30m loan and a separate £30m debt tranche in the form of an overdraft.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>根據協議條款，Pepco 同意向其前子公司提供大量資金，包括立即提供 3000 萬英鎊的貸款和另外 3000 萬英鎊的透支債務。</p>
</div><p>Gordon Brothers subsequently shut two of Poundland’s warehouses and 68 of its worst-performing stores in a push to boost the retailer’s profitability, putting more than 2,000 jobs at risk.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Gordon Brothers 隨後關閉了 Poundland 的兩個倉庫和 68 家表現最差的門店，以推動零售商的盈利能力，導致 2000 多個工作崗位面臨風險。</p>
</div><p>However, Poundland’s struggles have intensified amid a broader slump in festive sales across the sector.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>然而，Poundland 的困境在整個行業節日銷售普遍下滑的背景下加劇。</p>
</div><p>New figures from Sensormatic show that store visits across the UK high street were down 13pc year-on-year on Dec 23, typically one of the busiest shopping days of the year.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Sensormatic 的新數據顯示，12 月 23 日英國高街的店鋪訪問量同比下降了 13%，這通常是全年最繁忙的購物日之一。</p>
</div><p>Retailers are also now anticipating a further drop in sales in January, according to a survey from the Confederation of British Industry, which revealed bosses’ expectations are at their weakest level since March 2021.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>根據英國工業聯合會的調查，零售商們現在也預計 1 月份的銷售將進一步下降，該調查顯示老闆們的預期處於 2021 年 3 月以來的最低水平。</p>
</div><p>Gordon Brothers informed Pepco of its wish to draw down on the credit facility in recent weeks as trading fell short of forecasts, creating a liquidity crunch.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Gordon Brothers 在最近幾周通知 Pepco 希望提取信貸額度，因為交易未能達到預期，導致流動性緊縮。</p>
</div><p>Poundland plans to access the emergency funding in two stages, drawing down its first instalment in January before reaccessing it later this year.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Poundland 計劃分兩個階段獲取緊急資金，第一筆款項將在 1 月份提取，隨後在今年晚些時候再次提取。</p>
</div><p>Pepco is understood to have initially resisted the request, raising fresh concerns about Poundland’s survival prospects.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>據悉，Pepco 最初對這一請求表示抵制，進一步引發了對 Poundland 生存前景的擔憂。</p>
</div><p>However, an agreement was reached at a board meeting, alleviating concerns about its immediate future.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>然而，在一次董事會會議上達成了一項協議，緩解了對其近期未來的擔憂。</p>
</div><p>A phalanx of advisers has overseen the proposals. Gordon Brothers drafted in a team of forensic accountants from AlixPartners to carefully monitor Poundland’s cash flow shortly after taking over in July.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>一批顧問監督了這些提案。Gordon Brothers 在接管後不久就從 AlixPartners 引入了一支法務會計師團隊，以仔細監控 Poundland 的現金流。</p>
</div><p>Poundland’s board has enlisted its own specialist corporate financiers from FRP Advisory to observe performance.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Poundland 的董事會已聘請來自 FRP Advisory 的專門企業融資專家來觀察業績。</p>
</div><p>The budget chain is on track to close around 130 stores by next February under the restructuring plan implemented by Gordon Brothers.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>根據 Gordon Brothers 實施的重組計劃，該預算連鎖店預計到明年 2 月將關閉約 130 家門店。</p>
</div><p>In stores earmarked for closure, clearance sales have been launched across a wide range of stock, with reductions of up to 40pc.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>在被列為關閉的門店中，已啓動清倉銷售，範圍廣泛的庫存降價幅度高達 40%。</p>
</div><p>Earlier this week, Poundland announced it will not open on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day, continuing an established practice of prioritising staff wellbeing over sales.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>本週早些時候，Poundland 宣佈將在聖誕節、節禮日和新年當天不營業，繼續優先考慮員工的福祉而非銷售。</p>
</div><p>A spokesman for Poundland said: “The restructuring plan has unlocked the financial support we needed, giving us more than enough headroom to implement our recovery plans. We continue to receive the full support of Gordon Brothers and our former owner, Pepco.”</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Poundland 的一位發言人表示：“重組計劃解鎖了我們所需的財務支持，給了我們足夠的空間來實施我們的恢復計劃。我們繼續得到 Gordon Brothers 和我們前所有者 Pepco 的全力支持。”</p>
</div><p>“Our stores are in the best shape they’ve been in for some time – well stocked, strongly merchandised and serving customers.”</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>“我們的門店狀態是近年來最好的狀態——庫存充足，商品陳列良好，服務客户。”</p>
</div><p>“While, of course, there remains much to do, we are pleased with progress in the last few months, as we get the business back on track.”</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>“當然，還有很多工作要做，但我們對過去幾個月的進展感到滿意，因為我們正在使業務回到正軌。”</p>
</div><p>Pepco declined to comment.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Pepco 拒絕置評。</p>
</div>

Poundland 將在聖誕節交易低迷後動用緊急透支額度