Discount store Poundland opens in a shopping centre this Saturday giving customers the chance to snap up some festive bargains.

The retail chain is moving into a unit formerly occupied by Iceland in Rainham Shopping Precinct ending months of speculation.

It's the fifth branch to move into Medway, with the company having expressed an active interest to have a presence in the town for months.

Poundland director of retail, Darren Kay, said: “We’re putting the finishing touches to our new store at Rainham Shopping Centre, and are looking forward to opening our doors.

"We’ve put a lot of effort into making it a store Rainham can be proud of.

“We think customers are going to love the store which has been designed to offer customers more of what they want, from everyday essentials to PEP&CO clothing for the family.

"It goes without saying we make sure we offer amazing value which has never been so important when household budgets are under so much pressure."

The new store will have 3,800 sq ft of space and employ 16 staff.

Opening day events include a ribbon cutting and a golden ticket giveaway with a top prize of £50 worth of vouchers.

An advert appeared on the job search website indeed.com in September for an assistant store manager for Poundland in Rainham.

However, the company would not confirm whether it intended to open at the unit made vacant by Iceland which closed earlier this year.

Poundland is pulling out all the stops to open eight new stores, relocations and extensions in a day that has been hailed as “Super Saturday”.

Providing work for more than 200 employees, including around 160 new roles, the new stores are bringing new life to locations left empty by other retailers across the country.

All offer a wide selection of everyday essentials such as groceries, drinks and snacks, as well as revamped health and beauty, entertainment, stationery and craft ranges.

At the end of last month, a family-run bakery opened its 12th branch in the county in the Rainham precinct, moving into what used to be Shoe Zone.

The company has gone from strength to strength since Keith and Karen Boyce set it up 25 years ago on the Isle of Sheppey.

Speaking at the opening, Keith and Karen's son Tommy, said: "It's been very busy with a lot of people coming in to see what's going on.

"We've had builders, a lot of older people, a lot of younger people coming and it's been a good mix, very welcoming and had some nice chats.

"We've also seen a lot of old faces from when we used to run a market stall just outside of here in the precinct."