WHSmith announces closure of 17 more stores across the country, citing unsustainable trading locations. This follows a trend of closures that began in 2023, with dozens of WHSmith outlets already shuttered. The retailer plans to open 90 new stores during the same period.
WHSmith, a long-standing presence on British high street s, has announced plans to close 17 stores in the coming months. This follows a trend of closures that began in 2023, with dozens of WHSmith outlets already shuttered. The retailer, which operates over 1,100 stores nationwide, confirmed last November its intention to close up to 20 stores annually for the next three years. However, the company also plans to open 90 new stores during the same period, according to The Sun.
This week, two WHSmith stores have already closed down, offering significant discounts before shutting their doors for good. One closure was on Bournemouth high street, with shoppers enjoying discounts of up to 50% off. The store's final day of trading was January 18th. Local residents expressed their disappointment at the news, with some lamenting the decline of the town's high street. Another store in Luton Point shopping centre also closed, described by the retailer as 'no longer sustainable to continue to trade from'. Staff affected by the closures will be supported and redeployed to nearby stores where possible. A third site in March, Cambridgeshire, is also set to close on January 25th, leaving over 20,000 locals without access to a WHSmith branch. This closure has sparked similar concerns among residents, many of whom took to Facebook to voice their frustrations about the decline of the town's high street. In the coming months, several more WHSmith branches are expected to close, with five closures planned for February, one in March, five in April, two in May, and a single site in Orpington also facing closure. Several of the closing shops have launched 'everything-must-go' sales, so it may be worth checking for bargains if a store near you is closing.
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