The Whrsmith’s brand name seems to be disappearing from British streets after 230 years.
The retail giant is working to erode the entire estate on the street to focus on the rapidly growing trip to shops at airports and train stations.
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The High Street Arm company consists of approximately 500 stores, employing about 5000 people across the countrycredit: EPA
For a few weeks, WHSMITH discussed with a series of potential customers regarding the sale of its high street stores.
The process, supervised by Greenhill Investment Boutique, attracted the interest of investment companies Alterri and Modella Capital.
Both companies are experts in acquiring and reviving combat merchants, with initial bids for WHSMITH High Street estate submitted last week.
Other potential buyers for 500 high street chain stores include Hilco, former Homebase owner, and Doug Putman, the current owner of HMV.
However, according to The Times, it is now understood that the sale of these stores will exclude the right to the Whrsmith brand name.
This means that even if all 500 stores are sold, they will have to manage the new owners under another name.
Potential customers are expected to receive a timeframe on which they have to abolish the brandy WHSMITH.
This is said, although the negotiations are ongoing, it remains that the brand can still be purchased as part of the Agreement.
If such a job is not achieved, the 230-year name WHSMITH will remain exclusively related to travel stores, located in train stations, airports and other transit hubs.
WHSMITH is contacted for comment.
Main Seller High Street with 17 Scots Shop to Close ‘Third’ Shop in UK
Retail pain in 2025.
The British retail consortium predicted that the Treasury Tripler would cost NICS’s retail sector 2.3 billion pounds.
A study by the British Chamber of Economic Chamber shows that more than half of companies plan to increase prices by early April.
A study at more than 4,800 companies showed that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, which is more than 39% in a similar survey conducted in the second half of 2024.
Three quarters of companies have cited the cost of employment of people as their primary financial pressure.
The Retail Research Center (CRR) also warned that around 17,350 retail places are expected this year.
It is located on the back of a heavy 2024. When 13,000 stores closed its doors forever, it is already an increase of 28% compared to the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, CRR Director, said: “The results for 2024 show that although the results for the closing of stores were not as bad as in 2020 or 2022, they still do not mind, with worse in 2025.”
Professor Bamfield also warned of a dark view of 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“Increasing the cost of running and the cost of the household of each consumer, it is very likely that we will see retail losses of eclipse of pandemic height 2020.”
On the path of multiple street shutter
WHSMITH will close 10 high street stores in the coming months, after closing several branches earlier this year.
Customers in areas such as West Midlands, London and Greater Manchester will soon say goodbye to their local stores as part of constant effort to reduce sales.
Whrsmith, which operates around 1,100 stores, has already closed eight branches this year.
The next wave of shutter will affect locations in Accrington, Halstead, Halesowen, Disp -u Newport in Wales, with additional zippers planned for Haverhill, Woolwich, Stockton, Oldham and Orpington.
Here’s a complete list of branches and their expected closing dates:
- 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, Great Manchester – May
- Orpington, Velika London – Date to confirm
Customers who rely on these 10 branches expressed disappointment and sadness after learning their local stores will close forever.
By posting on Facebook on the closure of the Halesowen branch, one buyer said: “Halesowen becomes a ghost town.”
One buyer commenting on the closure does not admire he said, “This is unfair for this city.”
Meanwhile, the third buyer from Oldham Jibed: “He couldn’t compensate him.”
Why do traders close stores?
Empty stores have become the eyes of many British high streets and are often symbolic fall of the city.
The Sun Editor of Ashley Armstrong explains why so many traders close her doors.
In many cases, traders close stores because they are no longer money earnings that they used to be due to the increase in the Internet purchase.
The sales of stores and the growing staff costs have made even more expensive stores to stay open.
The British retail consortium predicted that the Treasury Triple Part of NICS would cost the retail sector of £ 2.3 billion since April 2025.
At the same time, the minimum wage will increase to £ 12.21 per hour from April, and the minimum wage for people between the ages of 18 and 20 will increase at £ 10 per hour, an increase of £ 1.40.
In some cases, traders close the store and reopen the new store at the other end of the high street to reflect how the city has changed.
The problem is that when a large store closes, the foot falls over the local high street, which puts more stores in danger of closing.
Retail parks are increasingly popular with customers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils flew to parking in cities.
Many traders, including Next and Marks & Spencer, close stores in high Street and take larger stores in retail parks instead.
In some cases, stores are closed when the seller collapses, as in the case of Carpetright, Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, Paperchase, Ted Baker, The Body Shop, Topshop and Wilko.
What is increasing is when a chain breaks a rival seller or a private capital company abolishes the rights of intellectual property so that they can own the brand and sell it online.
It may open a handful of stores if there is a customer demand, but there are rarely so many stores or in the same places.
The Retail Research Center (CRR) warned that around 17,350 retail places are expected this year.
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