WHSmith shop closures continue as the retailer proceeds with the sale of its UK high street stores. Today, two of its branches – located in Essex and London – will be permanently closing their doors as part of a broader transformation strategy.
The long-established books and stationery retailer is reducing its high street presence following a recent £76 million agreement to sell its UK chain to Modella Capital. While many of the stores will be rebranded under the TGJones name, a significant number are expected to close altogether in the coming months.
WHSmith is retaining its profitable travel-focused outlets located in airports and railway stations, which will continue to trade under the WHSmith brand. The company operates approximately 1,200 travel stores across 32 countries, which now generate around 85% of its total group profits. In contrast, WHSmith’s high street presence stands at 480 stores, many of which are now under review.
Closing Stores: Essex and London Branches
The two closures taking place today include:
- Halstead, Essex – Situated on Halstead High Street, this branch has served the community since 2008.
- Woolwich, London – Located on Powis Street, this store also opened in 2008 and housed a Post Office. The closure of this site was confirmed earlier in the year, prior to the major sell-off announcement.
The Woolwich store’s lease is expiring, prompting the decision to cease operations. WHSmith stated: “We can confirm that the WH Smith store in Woolwich will be closing in April. It is no longer sustainable to continue to trade from this location and the decision has been taken to close the store as a result of the forthcoming lease expiry.”
The Post Office also commented on the closure: “The operator for Woolwich Post Office has resigned as WH Smith has made the difficult decision to close the store where the branch is based. A vacancy to operate Woolwich Post Office has been advertised on our runapostoffice.co.uk website and we are keen to hear from retailers in the area who may be interested in also operating a Post Office branch.”
“We are disappointed to be losing our presence in Woolwich and we would like to thank all our customers for their support and for shopping with us. We are also extremely grateful for the commitment of our in store colleagues who we will support with this transition and redeploy to nearby stores, where possible.”
More Closures on the Horizon
WHSmith, which opened its first store back in 1792, has been gradually reducing its high street footprint. Approximately 20 more store closures are anticipated before summer, with the following dates already confirmed:
| Location | Closure Date |
|---|---|
| Halstead, Essex | April 12 |
| Woolwich, London | April 12 |
| Halesowen, West Midlands | April 19 |
| Diss, Norfolk | April 19 |
| Newport, Wales | April 26 |
| Haverhill, Suffolk | April 26 |
| Oldham, Greater Manchester | May 3 |
| Stockton, County Durham | May 17 |
| West Mall, Frenchgate Centre, Doncaster | May 31 |
| Bedford, Bedfordshire | July 5 |
As the retail landscape continues to evolve, WHSmith’s focus is clearly shifting toward its more lucrative travel-based operations.
