Up to 150 Former WH Smith High Street Stores Face Closure After Rebranding

1-Minute Brief

Potential store closures may impact thousands of jobs and reflect broader challenges in UK retail spending.

Key Facts

• Modella Capital purchased WH Smith’s chain of 480 high street stores for £76m last year.
• The stores were rebranded as TG Jones following the acquisition.
• Modella Capital has announced a restructuring plan that could result in dozens of store closures.
• Up to 150 former WH Smith high street stores are at risk of closing.
• Modella Capital attributed the closures to weak consumer spending.

What Happened

Modella Capital, which acquired and rebranded WH Smith’s high street stores as TG Jones, has announced a restructuring plan that may close up to 150 locations.

Why It Matters

The potential closures could put thousands of jobs at risk and highlight ongoing difficulties for high street retailers amid weak consumer demand.

What's Next

Landlords and employees are awaiting further details on which stores will close and the timeline for the restructuring process.