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Latest NewsRetailJob creation and losses

WH Smith confirms sale of high street shops but no word on jobs

by Jo Faragher 28 Mar 2025
by Jo Faragher 28 Mar 2025 WH Smith will continue as a brand in airports and railway stations
Yau Ming Low / Shutterstock.com
WH Smith will continue as a brand in airports and railway stations
Yau Ming Low / Shutterstock.com

WH Smith as a brand is set to disappear from the high street after it agreed to sell its 480 shops to private equity firm Modella Capital.

Modella, which acquired Hobbycraft last year, will rebrand the high street chain as TGJones, and will keep the Post Office outlets that operate in many branches.

Neither company has confirmed what this will mean for employees of WH Smith, but earlier estimates suggest that there are around 5,000 staff in high-street stores who could face uncertainty about their jobs.

WH Smith will continue to operate as a brand in travel shops at airports and railway stations, as well as hospitals.

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In a statement, WH Smith group chief executive Carl Cowling said the £76m sale was “a pivotal moment” for the company.

“High street is a good business; it is profitable and cash generative with an experienced and high-performing management team,” he said.

“However, given our rapid international growth, now is the right time for a new owner to take the high street business forward.”

WH Smith’s travel business now has more than 1,200 stores across 32 countries, accounting for three-quarters of its annual revenue and 85% of its trading profit.

Modella bought the brand for £76 million and the deal will complete later this year. Sean Toal, who leads the high street division currently, will head up TGJones.

WH Smith has been a staple of local high streets since opening its first store in London in 1792.

Cowling added: “As we look forward as a simplified, travel-focused group, I am excited about the group’s future prospects. With a clear strategy, a strong balance sheet, and operations in high growth and attractive markets, we are well-positioned to generate substantial growth and value for all stakeholders.”

 

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Jo Faragher

Jo Faragher has been an employment and business journalist for 20 years. She regularly contributes to Personnel Today and writes features for a number of national business and membership magazines. Jo is also the author of 'Good Work, Great Technology', published in 2022 by Clink Street Publishing, charting the relationship between effective workplace technology and productive and happy employees. She won the Willis Towers Watson HR journalist of the year award in 2015 and has been highly commended twice.

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