WH Smith is set to close 17 stores soon, with one shutting down shortly. Check out the full list of closures and what it means for local shoppers.
Bournemouth: WH Smith is closing 17 stores soon. One of them will shut down in just a few days. It’s a tough time for the high street, and many locals are feeling the pinch.
Since the start of 2023, WH Smith has been closing stores left and right. They’ve already shut down several locations, and more are on the chopping block. The closures will happen across the UK until May.
Last November, WH Smith announced they’d close up to 20 stores each year for the next three years. But don’t worry, they plan to open 90 new stores in different spots during that time.
Recently, two stores had big closing sales. The WH Smith on Bournemouth high street had discounts up to 50% off. It was a sad farewell for many shoppers.
Local folks were disappointed. One person said, “Another shop closing, so sad to see this.” Another added, “It’s almost a ghost town here in Bournemouth.”
A WH Smith spokesperson mentioned they were “disappointed” about the Old Christchurch Road closure. They said it just wasn’t sustainable anymore.
Another store in Luton Point also closed for the same reason. WH Smith promised to support affected staff and help them find new roles nearby.
In March, Cambridgeshire will lose its WH Smith on January 25. That’s over 20,000 locals without a store. Many residents took to Facebook to express their frustration about the high street’s decline.
One user said, “I knew this would happen. Our high street is dying.” They were worried about job losses too and hoped staff would find work soon.
After these closures, the nearest WH Smiths will be in Wisbech, Ely, and Peterborough. Five more stores will close in February, one in March, and several more in April and May.
Some closing shops are having “everything-must-go” sales. So, if there’s a store near you shutting down, it might be worth checking out for some deals.
Here’s the full list of known WH Smith store closures:
- Bournemouth Old Christchurch Road, Dorset – January 18
- Luton, Bedfordshire – January 18
- March, Cambridgeshire – January 25
- Basingstoke, Hampshire – February 1
- Newtown, Powys – February 15
- Winton branch in Bournemouth, Dorset – February 15
- Rhyl, Denbighshire – February 15
- Bolton, Greater Manchester – February
- Accrington, Lancashire – March 15
- Halstead, Essex – April
- Halesowen, West Midlands – April
- Diss, Norfolk – April
- Newport, Isle of Wight – April
- Haverhill, Suffolk – April 26
- Stockton, County Durham – May
- Oldham, Greater Manchester – May
- Orpington, Greater London – no date given yet
