AN iconic high street retailer has confirmed plans to close two more branches following a string of closures.
The news comes as the company grapples with changing shopping habits and economic pressures.
A major high street retailer has announced the closure of two more stores[/caption]
The WHSmith Haverhill branch, located at 19 High Street, is set to shut its doors for the final time on April 26, 2025.
A spokesperson for WHSmith explained the decision, citing the forthcoming lease expiry as a primary factor.
“We can confirm that the WHSmith store in Haverhill will be closing on Saturday, April 26, 2025,” the retailer said.
“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 Haverhill and we would like to thank all our customers for their support and for 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.”
One user posted to Facebook: “Such a shame this is happening.”
Others agreed, adding: “This is genuinely so sad”.
Another local said: “Labours budget has a lot to answer for in the decline of high street shops.
The closure of the WHSmith branch in Newtown has also been confirmed, with the store set to close in late February 2025.
The branch, part of Bear Lanes Shopping Centre for decades, was first opened in 1927 and is steeped in local history.
The store’s impending closure was initially announced in November 2024, with the official date now set for February 15, 2025.
Gill Bridgwater, manager of Bear Lanes Shopping Centre, expressed her disappointment on social media, writing: “WHSmith will be going at the end of February.
“Our town centres are very important to our communities, and local people supporting these businesses is vital, plus encouraging tourism too.”
The Newtown branch is also notable for its small museum housed on the first floor, showcasing the history of WHSmith.
“Some of the museum’s items have already been packed up and will be rehomed either in Swindon or in the WHSmith Archive at Reading University.
“Efforts are underway to preserve the building’s historic fixtures and fittings for future generations.
Montgomeryshire Member of the Senedd, Russell George, lamented the loss, describing it as a blow to the town’s character and heritage.
“Clearly it’s a business decision, but it’s not just a shop. The building also houses a museum, and the character of the shop is part of the identity of the town,” he said.
Locals took to Facebook to share their heartbreak.
One shopper said: “Very sad to hear about this.. but have been expecting it for some time.”
Another said: “A big blow for the town.”
While a third added: “Amazon and eBay are killing our shops, it’s so sad.”
MORE CLOSURES
Unfortunately, the closures don’t end there.
The WHSmith branch on Old Christchurch Road in Bournemouth will also shut up shop this Saturday, January 18.
Locals have expressed their devastation at the news, with some describing Bournemouth’s town centre as “almost a ghost town.”
One user commented on the closure saying: “Another shop closing—so sad to see this.”
While another added, “Another one bites the dust here in Bournemouth.”
WHSmith confirmed the decision, explaining that the store’s location was no longer viable.
“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 spokesperson said.
The retailer’s Winton branch in Bournemouth will follow suit, closing its doors on February 15, 2025.
This comes after WHSmith’s Boscombe branch in Bournemouth shut down last year in June.
Over the past two years, WHSmith has shuttered 10 stores, including locations in Manchester, Bicester, Somerset, and Sale.
Despite the closures, WHSmith still operates over 1,100 stores across the UK and remains focused on its expansion plans.
The retailer announced the opening of 110 new shops in 2024, with 15 in the UK and over 50 in the US.
Many of these new outlets are located in airports, railway stations, and hospitals.
WHSmith has also introduced a series of Toys R Us concessions in its UK stores, part of its strategy to adapt to evolving market trends.
However, the company continues to implement cost-cutting measures, aiming to save up to £10 million following a reported 4% drop in sales.
As WHSmith navigates this transitional phase, its legacy as a staple of British high streets remains at risk, and communities continue to grapple with the loss of these local landmarks.
Why are retailers closing stores?
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
However, additional costs have added further pain to an already struggling sector.
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs from April will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”
It comes after almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024.
End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker.
It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date.
This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023.
It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns.
The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker.
Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations.
Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes.
Professor Bamfield has warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”
