‘RIP to the high street’ grumble shoppers as major chain with 1,400 stores to shut two ‘lovely’ stores

A MAJOR high street chain with 1,400 stores has confirmed it will close not one, but two stores in the coming weeks. 

WHSmith will close two stores in Huddersfield and Boscombe after it decided it is no longer sustainable to continue trading from them. 

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The Boscombe store has been on the Christchurch high street for more than 12 years but it is due to close its doors for good on Saturday, June 8. 

The Huddersfield WHSmith is closing on May 11, and 50% off sale signs have already been put up in the store which is located in the Piazza shopping centre.  

Locals took to Facebook to share their disappointment at hearing the “sad” news. 

One user said: “We’ve lost what’s good in this town.”

“Awful for our town, nothing left soon,” another said. 

A third user said: “50% off at WHSmith at the moment, so sad.”

“RIP to the high street,” said a fourth user. 

Someone else described the Huddersfield branch as a “lovely bright store”.

A spokesperson for WHSmith told The Sun: “It is no longer sustainable to continue to trade from these locations and the decision has been taken to close the stores as a result of forthcoming lease expires.”

“We are disappointed to be losing our presence in Huddersfield and Boscombe 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.”

The news comes after WHSmith closed down another store in South Cheshire.

However, it’s not all bad news for WHSmith fans, as the retailer recently announced plans to open 15 new stores in unlikely places.

WHSmith is focusing on the travel side of its business where sales are growing.

It plans to open new sites in airports and railway stations, as well as hospitals.

In an update this year to investors, the retailer said it’s on track to open 15 stores this year, with a further 15 to follow “each year over the medium term”.

It forms part of wider plans to open 110 new shops worldwide.

The retailer said it would be moving away from its high-street stores and has no plans to open any more.

What is happening to the high street?

The high street has been hit hard in recent years as shoppers increasingly turn to online retail.

High energy costs and business rates have further piled pressure on businesses.

This has left some remaining retailers grappling with budgets and having no choice but to close stores to cut costs.

A number of major brands have crashed into administration since the start of 2023, including Wilko and Paperchase.

This year, The Body Shop fell into administration and it has seen dozens of branches close, 82 will have shut in total by the end of April.

Administrators for Ted Baker have confirmed 15 sites across England will close permanently in a blow to the high street.

Boots announced it would be closing 300 stores over the next year as part of plans to evolve its brand.

M&S has also confirmed store closures and openings with plans to ensure it has the best store locations.

Retailers closing stores in 2024

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 are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.

Here’s a list of all the big-name brands closing stores this year:

• Argos – The brand announced plans to close 100 standalone UK branches last year as it looks to move away from the high street and focus on expanding its presence in supermarkets.
• B&Q – The chain has over 300 shops across the UK, so chances are you have one near you, but some stores have closed in recent months.
• Boots – The health and beauty chain announced that it would be closing 300 stores last July. Closures are ongoing and this will see the retailer’s estate reduced from 2,200 to 1,900 shops.
• Clintons – Clintons mulled plans to close 38 shops in a bid to avoid insolvency late last year. We’ve listed the stores affected.
• Costa Coffee – The caffeine giant has around 2,000 sites nationwide, so chances are you’ll have one near you. The chain has shut the doors to dozens of its sites recently. We’ve revealed which stores are due to close this year.
• Iceland – The supermarket has more than 900 stores but closed nearly two dozen sites in 2023, and more selected shops are due to shut.
• Lidl – The supermarket, which has 950 stores, is changing up shop locations, which has meant that some stores have to close. But the retailer is also looking to open 12 new supermarkets.
• M&S – M&S, which runs 405 stores across the country, has been closing a string of branches across the country in a blow for shoppers. It’s not all bad news, though, because the chain also has big plans to open dozens of new shops as well.
• Trespass – The firm announced in July last year that it was closing six branches, but more are on the way.
• WHSmith – The retail giant, which runs over 1,100 stores, has shuttered eight stores since March 2023, but more are coming.

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk