A MAP has revealed all the WHSmith stores closing this year with the retailer in talks to sell 500 UK shops.
The high street staple is shuttering 10 branches over the coming months after closing several stores already.
[iframe src=”https%3A%2F%2Fdatawrapper.dwcdn.net%2FY2mBg%2F1%2F” height=”820″ width=”100″ /]Shoppers will be waving goodbye to stores in the West Midlands, London and Greater Manchester as the retailer separately looks to sell off hundreds of its high street stores.
WHSmith, which runs around 1,100 stores, has already shut eight branches this year.
One other store is shutting this month, although an exact closure date has not been revealed.
Stores will close over the coming months in Accrington, Halstead, Halesowen, Diss, and Newport in Wales.
Five more will shut in Haverhill, Woolwich, Stockton, Oldham and Orpington.
This is the full list of branches set to close:
- Accrington, Lancashire – March 15
- Halstead, Essex – April
- Halesowen, West Midlands – April
- Diss, Norfolk – April
- Newport, Wales – April
- Haverhill, Suffolk – April 26
- Woolwich, London – April
- Stockton, County Durham – May
- Oldham, Greater Manchester – May
- Orpington, Greater London – no date given yet
Customers who use the 10 branches earmarked for closure have reacted with devastation after finding out they’ll shut for good.
[authenticated-scripts src=”%3Cscript%20class%3D%22palin-poll%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesun.co.uk%2Fpollingwidgets%2Fv3%2Fwidget.js%3Fquestion_id%3D108109%26game%3Dpolling%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E” type=”embedded” width=”100″ /]Posting on Facebook about the Halesowen branch closure, one shopper said: “Halesowen is becoming a ghost town.”
One customer commenting on the Diss closure said: “This is unfair for this town.”
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Major high street retailer with 17 Scots stores to close ‘a THIRD’ of UK shops” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6367391803112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]Meanwhile, a third shopper from Oldham jibed: “Couldn’t make it up.”
OTHER WHSMITH NEWS
The closures come as WHSmith separately looks to offload 500 of its UK high street branches.
The retailer confirmed last month it is in negotiations with a number of prospective buyers for the sites.
A WHSmith spokeswoman told The Sun the retail group was “exploring potential strategic options for this profitable and cash generative part of the group, including a possible sale”.
However, the statement added: “There can be no certainty that any agreement will be reached, and further updates will be provided as and when appropriate.”
The Sun exclusively revealed two days later Doug Putman, the Canadian entrepreneur who rescued HMV from bankruptcy in 2019, was considering a swoop on the 500 branches.
Sources said it was hoped a deal could be reached within three months.
Other bidders could make an approach to buy the 500 stores though, including Alteri and Hilco.
It comes as WHSmith looks to move away from physical high street stores and towards opening airport and train station branches.
The stationer said last January it wanted to open 15 new shops in airports, railway stations and hospitals before the end of 2024.
This formed part of wider plans to open 110 new branches worldwide.
It also said in November it will close up to 20 stores each year over the next three years, the vast majority of which are on the high street.
Group chief executive Carl Cowling said at the time: “The group is trading well and is in its strongest ever position as a global travel retailer.
“We are confident of another year of significant growth in 2024.”
“We continue to make excellent progress in North America, and I am particularly excited by the substantial growth opportunities that exist in this market.”
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