Overview

• WHSmith has officially closed its Stockton on Tees store on May 17, bringing the total number of high street closures this year to at least ten.
• The Stockton closure also resulted in the shutdown of the attached Post Office, with efforts underway to restore local postal services.
• The retailer sold its 480 high street stores to Modella Capital in a £76 million deal and is rebranding them as TGJones, effectively removing the WHSmith name from town centres.
• WHSmith is shifting its business strategy to focus solely on its travel retail arm, which generates 85% of the company’s profits through locations in airports, train stations, and hospitals.
• Further closures are scheduled for Doncaster on May 31 and Bedford on July 5, as WHSmith completes its phased withdrawal from UK high streets.