A MAJOR retailer has confirmed it is on track to open 110 new stores this financial year but they will not be on the high street.
WHSmith has said it intends to open 15 new stores in the UK this year.
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The retailer has not yet shared a list of locations but has said they will be travel locations including airports and rail stations.
The brand has said it has seen group revenue increase by 8% over the 20 weeks leading up to January 20 compared to the same period in the previous year.
UK travel sales grew by 15% over the same period leading to a 13% growth in the overall division.
The high street retailer has seen sales boosted in its UK airports, railway stations and hospitals in recent months.
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However, the company did see high street sales decline over the same 20-week period.
Group chief executive Carl Cowling said: “The group is trading well and is in its strongest ever position as a global travel retailer.
“We are confident of another year of significant growth in 2024.”
“We continue to make excellent progress in North America, and I am particularly excited by the substantial growth opportunities that exist in this market.”
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“We are on track to open over 50 new stores in North America this financial year.
“In total, we are on track to open over 110 stores this financial year.”
The company intends to open a similar number of stores each year over the next few years.
In June last year, WHSmith confirmed it would not be opening any more high street branches.
WHSmith currently has around 550 stores and he went on to say that opening more “would just be a duplication.”
A spokesperson for WHSmith told The Sun that the retailer has no plans to close any of the current high street stores.
However, we did see a WHSmith closure earlier this month in Alfreton, Derbyshire.
Just before the end of the last year in December the retailer also closed a store in Manchester.
Several other retailers have been struggling to get by over the past few years.
Energy costs have risen and more shoppers than ever are choosing to order online rather than head into stores.
This has left some retailers grappling with budgets and having no choice but to close stores to cut costs.
Homebase closed a store last year leaving it with just 93 stores remaining since it was taken over by Hilco Capital in 2018.
Poundstretcher closed multiple stores last year but also opened new stores in closed Wilko stores.
Even charity shops are struggling Oxfam confirmed it would close eight of its UK stores last year.
Clintons, Boots, HMV and Halfords are among the chains shutting stores before January 28.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom several retailers have announced plans to open stores in the next few months.
B&M is opening 17 new locations this month and in February including in former Wilko stores.
Asda plans to open 21 new locations before the end of the month.
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