WHSmith to close 17 stores this year - is your local branch affected?

21 January 2025, 18:02

WHSmith is closing 17 stores
WHSmith is closing 17 stores. Picture: Alamy

By Emma Soteriou

WHSmith is set to close 17 of its stores this year - find out if your local branch is affected.

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The high street chain has already closed two of its stores in Luton, Bedfordshire and Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth.

However, 15 others are set to close their doors for good due to it being "no longer sustainable" to keep them running.

In the last two years, 10 WHSmith stores have closed in areas such as Manchester, Crewe and Somerset.

The retailer confirmed in June 2023 that it would not be opening more high street stores, with it instead focusing on expanding outside the sector.

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It comes after WHSmith announced plans to open 110 stores in airports, train stations and hospitals, where they see a higher profit.

More than 50 stores are also expected to be opened in North America.

Full list of WHSmith stores closing

  • Bournemouth (Old Christchurch Road), Dorset - January 18
  • Luton, Bedfordshire - January 18
  • March, Cambridgeshire - January 25
  • Basingstoke, Hampshire - February 1
  • Newtown, Powys - February 15
  • Bournemouth (Winton), Dorset - February 15
  • Rhyl, Denbighshire - February 15
  • Bolton, Greater Manchester – February
  • Accrington, Lancashire - March 15
  • Halstead, Essex - April
  • Halesowen, West Midlands - April
  • Diss, Norfolk - April
  • Newport, South Wales - April
  • Haverhill, Suffolk - April 26
  • Stockton, County Durham - May
  • Oldham, Greater Manchester - May
  • Orpington, Greater London - no date given