WHSmith has confirmed the closure of one of its city centre stores after years of trade.
The brand has been a staple of the British high street for decades and grew in popularity when Post Offices were opened in 71 WHSmith branches in 2007.
However, shoppers in Sheffield are the latest to be impacted by changes to WHSmith’s portfolio. The retailer announced the sale of all 500 of its high street stores to focus on its more profitable travel sector.
The branch, which occupies a large unit at Meadowhall shopping centre on the upper High Street, has launched a closing-down sale before it pulls down the shutters.
However, it’s not all bad news for the locals as the Sheffield branch is one of a few stores that will be undergoing a revamp and moving elsewhere.
A Meadowhall spokesperson said WHSmith was moving to a newly refitted store on The Arcade in March.
Local news publication The Star said that the units were previously occupied by Scotts and Barbour, which closed on December 31. No plans to replace what will soon be the empty WHSmith unit have been revealed.
It could mean another bare shopfront remains in the shopping centre, along with the former Ted Baker branch, which shut down in August 2024. The shop on Upper High Street remains empty, along with the ex-Wilko site, which remained in the hands of administrators after it shut in 2023, reports The Star.
Meanwhile, a handful of stores owned by WHSmith will close elsewhere in the UK as part of plans to overhaul the brand’s high street presence.
Two sites in Bournemouth, Dorset and Luton, Bedfordshire, ceased trading in January, followed by The Malls site in Basingstoke, Hampshire, which shut on February 1.
The Basingstoke branch, home to a Post Office, had served local shoppers for more than 50 years before it locked its doors for the last time.
Fans of WHSmith in Bournemouth will witness the final nail in the brand’s coffin on February 15, when the branch in Winton closes. This comes just weeks after the Christchurch Road site in the town centre closed.
A triple store closure could occur on Saturday, February 15, when two other sites in Rhyl and Bolton plan to close.
A spokesperson for the Bolton store said: “We are disappointed to be losing our presence in Bolton, and we would like to thank all our customers for their support and shopping with us.
“We are also extremely grateful for the commitment of our in-store colleagues, who we will support with this transition and redeploy to nearby stores, where possible.”
A staff member told The Bolton News that the closure date was either February 14 or 15.
- Bournemouth (Winton), Dorset (February 15)
- Rhyl, Denbighshire (February 15)
- Bolton, Greater Manchester (February 14 or 15)
While high street stores are closing, WHSmith’s travel outlets, commonly located in train stations, airports, and hospitals, have seen a boost from the uptick in consumer travel, according to the company.
“The transformation of our UK travel business from a news, books and convenience retailer to a one-stop-shop for travel essentials is progressing very well,” said a spokesperson last year.
Following the announcement of a possible sale, a WHSmith spokesperson confirmed: “WHSmith confirms that it is exploring potential strategic options for this profitable and cash-generative part of the group, including a possible sale.”
They added: “There can be no certainty that any agreement will be reached, and further updates will be provided as and when appropriate.”
