Following a series of shutdowns last year, WHSmith is preparing for more store closures in 2025. The high street mainstay has already closed branches in Scotland, Kent, and Manchester and continues to axe sites across the UK.
Bournemouth shoppers are the latest to feel the impact of the stationery giant’s restructuring, as a popular WHSmith branch on Old Christchurch Road ceased trading on Saturday, January 18. A second location in nearby Winton is set to follow suit on February 15, a significant blow to locals given the earlier closure of another store in Boscombe in June.
The WHSmith Basingstoke branch will close within weeks after more than 50 years of trade, leaving the retailer with one less shop in its expansive portfolio of over 1,100. As for those already axed, in 2024, sites in Ramsgate, Oban, Bute, Nantwich, Margate, Bridgwater, Sale, and Manchester ceased trading.
According to the Basingstoke Gazette, the store is preparing to exit the shopping centre in the coming weeks. In the leadup to its closure, it will hold a clearance sale, with some stock discounted by 30%, before employees pull down the shutters for the last time on February 1.
The Oldham store closure is the most recent addition to a growing list of sites set to shut, as confirmed by a WHSmith spokesperson. The spokesperson told the Oldham Times that it was ‘no longer sustainable’ to continue trading from its current location in a shopping centre, reports the Express.
The full list of WHSmith sites shutting this year is as follows:
Winton, Bournemouth – February 15
Basingstoke – February 1
Bolton – February
Accrington – March
Diss, Norfolk – April
Newport – April
Oldham – May
Despite the challenging retail environment, WHSmith is adapting its strategy by shifting its focus from high streets to travel hubs such as train stations and airports. The company has plans to open 110 new stores in these locations.
According to the company’s accounts, sales in their travel division have seen a 15% increase, while revenue from their high street stores has dipped by 3%. As part of a significant revamp, the stationery behemoth will broaden its product range and reintroduce vinyl records, tapping into a growing consumer trend.
The iconic items will make a comeback after being absent for 30 years. But that’s not all.
Last year, the retailer announced that 76 of its stores would stock Toys R Us products, breathing new life into the beloved toy brand that disappeared almost a decade ago. In addition, some new sites will offer hot food and drinks.