Related Articles
High street stalwart WHSmith is to put its 500 bricks-and-mortar stores up for sale, shifting its focus towards the more lucrative travel sector. Noted for its extensive range of books, stationery and sundries, the firm also unveiled intentions to shutter 17 high-street outlets this year.
Uncertainty looms over the fate of the remaining 195 high street stores including those with integrated Post Office operations. This announcement trails closely behind the recent closure of a cherished WHSmith location in Bournemouth’s town centre at Old Christchurch Road last month.
Another branch in the coastal town is set to say its final goodbye on February 15 in conjunction with the wind-down of three other locations across Britain. The company has indicated that closures will keep rolling in, extending up to the end of May 2025; this includes two stores that have already ceased operations earlier in January, with the Orpington site in South London awaiting confirmation of its final day.
READ MORE: Coventry Gran who was ‘born a witch’ leads viral TikTok coven and claims spells can cure disease
In contrast to the high street operation, WHSmith’s travel division, strategically situated in transportation hubs and healthcare facilities, has caught a favourable wind from the rebound in travel, according to company statements. “The transformation of our UK travel business from a news, books and convenience retailer to a one-stop-shop for travel essentials is progressing very well,” a spokesperson said during the previous year.
Dating back 233 years, WH Smith, has admitted that a sizeable 85% of its profit is courtesy of its international travel arm which boasts operations across some 32 countries including India, North America, and Australia. Meanwhile, high street store closures may spell more than just trouble for devoted shoppers, reports the Express.
The Communication Workers Union, which represents postal staff in WH Smith stores, expressed its concerns regarding potential store closures to the BBC, dubbing them “devastating”. Discussions are apparently taking place with the retailer regarding the futures of its high street outlets. A spokesperson for the union said: “For far too long, certain communities are being turned into postal deserts, and bad economic decisions are eroding high streets up and down the country.”
Following the announcement of a potential sale on January 26, a WHSmith spokesperson said: “WHSmith confirms that it is exploring potential strategic options for this profitable and cash-generative part of the group, including a possible sale.
“There can be no certainty that any agreement will be reached, and further updates will be provided as and when appropriate.”
WHSmith stores closing in 2025
January
- Bournemouth, Dorset
- Luton, Bedfordshire
February
- Basingstoke, Hampshire
- Bournemouth (Winton), Dorset
- Rhyl, Denbighshire
- Bolton, Greater Manchester
March
April
- Halstead, Essex
- Halesowen, West Midlands
- Diss, Norfolk
- Newport, South Wales
- Haverhill, Suffolk
May
- Stockton, County Durham
- Oldham, Greater Manchester
