The high street staple WHSmith will close two of its cherished stores this weekend amid a slew of other shops shutting down. The Halesowen branch in the West Midlands and the Diss, Norfolk outlet will shut their doors for the final time on Saturday. The closures come as leases expire at both locations, which has sparked dismay among local shoppers. Many have taken to social media to voice their concerns about the future of the high street.
One disheartened customer said: “Be no reason to visit the high street soon there will be nothing left.” Another added: “The Internet is killing all the shops.” A nostalgic former employee said: “That’s so sad. I was one of the original staff in November 1980. Some great times and friends.”
In response to the closures, a WHSmith spokesperson told Halesowen News: “We can confirm that the WHSmith store in Halesowen will be closing in April. We are disappointed to be losing our presence in Halesowen, and we would like to thank all our customers for their support and for shopping with us.”
Birmingham Live reports the spokesperson added: “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 WHSmith spokesperson has confirmed to the Eastern Daily Press that the Diss store is set to close its doors in April, stating: “We can confirm that the WHSmith store in Diss will be closing in April. It is no longer sustainable to continue to trade from this location and the decision has been taken to close the store as a result of the forthcoming lease expiry.
“We are disappointed to be losing our presence in Diss and we would like to thank all our customers for their support and for shopping with us.”
