Latest news with #WHSmith
Press and Journal
7 hours ago
- Business
- Press and Journal
Ikea to step up presence in Inverness with new lockers in supermarket car park
Welcome back to Planning Ahead – which brings you a round-up of the latest proposals across Inverness. Following Ikea's successful launch of a click and collect service last year, the Swedish furniture giant submitted plans to install 40 pick-up lockers at Tesco Inshes car park. They have now been given the green light. Meanwhile, plans have been submitted to replace the front sign of the High Street's WH Smith with a TG Jones one. It comes just over two months after WH Smith sold its nearly 500 High Street stores to Modella Capital. Plans have also been submitted to build a new active travel path for cyclists and pedestrians north of Inverness. In the last planning ahead, we revealed that an Inverness B&B had submitted plans to transform a garage into short-term let accommodation. Plans to do the exact thing at a property in Dalneigh have now been submitted. Let's get to it this week! Last March, we published that WH Smith had agreed to sell all 500 of its UK High Street shops, which employ around 5,000 people, in a £76 million deal. The 233-year-old British retailer reached a deal to sell the chain to Modella Capital, which will see the stores rebranded as TG Jones. The first steps to convert the WH Smith store on the High Street into a TG Jones shop have now been taken. Plans have been submitted to replace the front sign of the premises with two large blue signs reading TG Jones. The planning application reads that the additions will 'keep with the character of the area and will have very little impact on the surrounding properties.' TG Jones has been chosen by the new owners to evoke a sense of the same long family history that WH Smith has. The offering of the store is expected to remain similar. A new active travel path could be built north of Inverness. The Cawdor & West Nairnshire Community has submitted plans to form a path about half a mile long for cyclists and pedestrians. It would be connected to an existing pathway from Clephanton to Croy that is parallel to the B9091. The proposed new route would initially run along a boundary gap between a conifer woodland and roadside broadleaf strip. It would then go along the edge of a field and the verge of the B9091 by Heathpark. Amid the holiday let boom, the owners of a property on Columba Road have submitted plans to convert a garage into 'habitable accommodation for short term lets'. According to the application, the new short-term let accommodation will be managed by the homeowner. The proposed accommodation would include one bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchen/living room area. Ikea lovers are in luck as plans to install dozens of pick-up lockers at a supermarket car park have now been approved. The Swedish retailer has been operating a mobile pick-up point at Tesco Inshes over recent months. The company explained that this has proved 'successful', with the new proposals aiming to provide a 'permanent, secure and attractive service for customers.' The company informed that the pick-up point will no longer be in operation once the lockers are installed. The new facility will be located at the northern end of the car park and will feature a block of 40 storage lockers. It will lead to the loss of around eight to 10 parking spaces at the site. The lockers will be blue and yellow, the colours associated with the IKEA brand, to help customers identify the location. They will be of different sizes and will accommodate a range of orders, from home accessories and homewares to furniture. A safe collection area protected by bollards and integrated LED lighting will be set up in front of the lockers. Customers will be able to collect their order after receiving a six-digit code. Permission has also been granted to install two new Ikea signs above the lockers, which will be internally illuminated at night. A spokesperson for Ikea UK said: 'We're always exploring ways to provide our customers in and around the Inverness area with convenient and cost-effective delivery solutions such as our pick-up lockers. 'As a convenient and accessible way for shoppers to pick up their purchases, our lockers are a popular choice among customers. 'We look forward to sharing more details about our plans and what this means for the local community in due course. 'In the meantime, Inverness residents can shop online, with the option of using our Ikea collection point at Tesco Extra Inverness.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
June 2025 shop closures
More shops are set to disappear from British high streets, after more than 13,000 closures last year. From January to May, scores of shops shuttered, including those belonging to Morrisons to New Look and WH Smith. Sadly, the trend is set to continue in June, with a number of businesses shutting for good in the coming weeks. Here are the main shop closures in England, Scotland and Wales this month. The discount high street chain plans to close nine shops this month. The following shops will shut: Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire - June 26 Perth - June 28 Chester Le Street, County Durham - June 28 Arbroath, Angus - June 28 Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire - June 28 Pershore, Worcestershire - June 28 Normanton, West Yorkshire - June 28 Peterhead, Aberdeenshire - June 28 Shaftesbury, Dorset - June 28 The retailer previously said it would have to close 'loss-making' stores following financial struggle. In February, private equity firm Modella Capital bought The Original Factory Shop, launching a restructuring effort to renegotiate rent costs at the 88 stores. Modella Capital also bought WH Smith and Hobbycraft. The bargain store chain is set to shut an outlet this month, with a further 200 shops at risk. A shop in Surrey Quays is set to close on June 11. Pepco Group, the parent firm of Poundland, has said it expects to sell the chain by the end of September. In May, the Telegraph reported that up to 200 Poundland stores could face closure as part of a rescue sale. Stephan Borchert, chief executive of Pepco, said: 'At Poundland, trading remains challenging, which is reflected in a profit outturn below expectations for H1 and a weaker outlook for the full year.' Poundland revenues dropped by 6.5 per cent to 985 million euros (£830 million) for the six months to March, compared with a year earlier. The multinational chain is closing an Inverness store this month. The company has put up signs inside the shop, reading: 'We're sorry this store is closing soon but you can still shop at Holland and Barrett has not officially confirmed the closure. The frozen supermarket giant will shut a store in College Square, Margate, on June 21. Iceland has not provided a reason for the closure, however, the retailer confirmed that staff affected by the closure will be offered jobs within the business. The department store is closing for good this month, following 120 years of sales. The final day of trading will be June 8. Until then, the retailer is running a huge clearance sale, with up to 50 per cent cuts on beds, furniture, homeware and clothes. Rising costs and declining high street shopping in the UK has contributed to the retailer's demise. The Windsor flagship shop will stay open, as well as its online business. Five employees will be impacted by the closure, Daniel of Ealing said. The discount retail chain is closing a store on Margate High Street on June 8. A spokesperson for The Works said: 'As part of ongoing plans to optimise our store portfolio, we will be closing our Margate store. 'We have loved being part of the local community and apologise for any inconvenience caused by this closure. 'Customers can continue to shop with us at our nearby stores at Westwood Cross Shopping Centre and Ramsgate Garden Centre.' Five other The Works shops have closed this year due to underperformance.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
1 FTSE 250 stock to watch this week
FTSE 250 retailer WH Smith (LSE:SMWH) is set to issue a trading update on Wednesday (4 June). And I'll be watching very carefully when it does. The company has just been through a transformation by agreeing to sell its high street stores. So I'm looking to see how things are shaping up. Until recently, WH Smith's business had two parts to it. One involved stores that are based on the high street and in shopping centres and the other units in travel and other locations like railway stations, airports and even hospitals. The high street business had been struggling for two simple reasons. One is that footfall on UK high streets has been declining and the other is it's an extremely competitive environment for retailers. AT the same time, the travel business has been faring relatively well. With no direct competition from the likes of Amazon or Tesco, it had achieved stronger sales growth and higher margins. As a result, WH Smith recently sold off its high street stores and returned the cash to investors via share buybacks. It's now 100% focused on travel outlets, but the big question is: what comes next? The upcoming trading update should tell investors about revenues during the second quarter of 2025. And there's a key metric I'm going to be keeping my eye on. I'm expecting total sales to be up, but this isn't the metric I'm focusing on. WH Smith is planning on opening 110 new stores in 2025, which should provide a short-term boost to revenue growth. What I'm interested in, though, is like-for-like sales. This is a metric that measures growth of stores that were also operational in the prior year period – so it adjusts for the effect of opening new outlets. The like-for-like sales figure gives a much clearer sense of how the business is faring. And I'm hopeful it's going to provide a positive indication that the company – in its new form – is on the right track. I think WH Smith's decision to move away from the high street is a good one as UK retailers have been struggling to generate (like-for-like) sales growth recently. But it's not entirely without risk. Travel demand is cyclical and there will be times when consumers are more conscious of their spending, leading to downturns. That's the big challenge for the firm. In the short term, I expect WH Smith to be able to offset this by opening new stores. But over the long term, growth is going to come down to its ability to generate additional sales from its existing outlets. That's why like-for-like sales growth is so important – it's the clearest sign of the firm's long-term prospects. I'm generally wary of retail companies – the competitive nature of the industry can make it hard to maintain decent margins. But every rule has exceptions. WH Smith's focus on travel outlets insulates it from what I see as the biggest challenge for retailers. That's why it's on my list of stocks to consider buying at the moment. The post 1 FTSE 250 stock to watch this week appeared first on The Motley Fool UK. More reading 5 Stocks For Trying To Build Wealth After 50 One Top Growth Stock from the Motley Fool John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Stephen Wright has positions in Amazon and WH Smith. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Amazon, Tesco Plc, and WH Smith. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Motley Fool UK 2025 Sign in to access your portfolio
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
WHSmith shutting beloved branch TODAY as brand to disappear off high street forever
Has a retailer near you closed down? We'd love to hear from you please email: money@ CLOSING UP SHOP WHSmith shutting beloved branch TODAY as brand to disappear off high street forever Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WHSMITH is shutting a beloved branch today ahead of the brand disappearing off the high street forever. The 232 year-old British business is pulling the shutters one last time on its store in Doncaster's Frenchgate shopping centre. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 WHSmith is closing a branch in Doncaster today Credit: Getty It had been a long-standing part of Doncaster's high street, having opened when the Frenchgate was first built in 1968. Locals have branded the move as a "disgrace" as they prepare for the loss of the store. One upset shopper said: "There will be no point in visiting the Frenchgate soon." While another customer said: "So sad I've just walked past WHSmith and it's ceases trading today that's going to leave a big hole in the Frenchgate centre." And a third added: "Town might as well shut down hardly anywhere open so sad." A post office which also operated within the store has also closed. It comes after WHSmith agreed to sell 500 shops in a £76million deal. Retail investor Modella Capital snapped up the portfolio, with the stores eventually set to rebranded as TGJones. Around 5,000 people are employed across the high street shops. WHSmith has over 580 travel stores across airports, hospitals, railway stations and motorway service areas which will continue to live on. Sainsbury's scraps in-store changing rooms leaving shoppers furious Last January, the stationer said it wanted to open 15 new shops in airports, railway stations and hospitals before the end of 2024. The brand has already shuttered up to eight stores popular high street locations, including Halstead in Essex, and Woolwich in London. A branch in Bedford, Bedfordshire will close on July 5. As for Doncaster locals, it will not be the first time they had to wave goodbye to a popular brand. Ann Summers in Doncaster city centre closed back in December and M&S will close a branch in Baxtergate will close this summer. TROUBLE ON THE HIGH STREET It comes amid a tricky period for the retail sector, with consumers having less cash in their wallet to spend at the tills. Hikes to National Insurance contributions, imposed in April, have also added to business costs. Poundland will close three stores across Filton Abbeywood, London and the Isle of Wight in the coming weeks. The brand has already shut up to 11 stores, and up to 200 could close as part of its rescue deal. Bidding for the business started last week. A source told The Sunday Times that Poundland would be priced at "effectively a pound". Gordon Brothers, the ex-owner of Laura Ashley, and Homebase owner Hilco are reported to be in a two way race to win the chain. A decision on who the preferred bidder is could be announced in the coming days. Polish retail giant Pepco said it expects the sale of Poundland to complete by September. Pepco previously said it was looking at "all strategic options" to separate Poundland from its brand. The Polish group said it might turn its focus to its more profitable businesses in Europe. Elsewhere, New Look closed a branch in Chelmsford this week. New Look began ramping up its store closure programme prior top April's National Insurance hike. Approximately a quarter of the retailer's 364 stores are at risk when their leases expire. This equates to about 91 stores, with a significant impact on it's 8,000 strong workforce. The company has restructured its store estate twice in the past six years, reducing its portfolio from around 600 UK stores in 2018.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
WHSmith shutting beloved branch TODAY as brand to disappear off high street forever
WHSMITH is shutting a beloved branch today ahead of the brand disappearing off the high street forever. 1 It had been a long-standing part of Doncaster's high street, having opened when the Frenchgate was first built in 1968. Locals have branded the move as a "disgrace" as they prepare for the loss of the store. One upset shopper said: "There will be no point in visiting the Frenchgate soon." While another customer said: "So sad I've just walked past WHSmith and it's ceases trading today that's going to leave a big hole in the Frenchgate centre." And a third added: "Town might as well shut down hardly anywhere open so sad." post office which also operated within the store has also closed. It comes after WHSmith agreed to sell 500 shops in a £76million deal. Retail investor Modella Capital snapped up the portfolio, with the stores eventually set to rebranded as TGJones. Around 5,000 people are employed across the high street shops. WHSmith has over 580 travel stores across airports, hospitals, railway stations and motorway service areas which will continue to live on. Sainsbury's scraps in-store changing rooms leaving shoppers furious Last January, the stationer said it wanted to open 15 new shops in airports, railway stations and hospitals before the end of 2024. The brand has already shuttered up to eight stores popular high street locations, including Halstead in Essex, and Woolwich in London. A branch in Bedford, Bedfordshire will close on July 5. As for Doncaster locals, it will not be the first time they had to wave goodbye to a popular brand. Ann Summers in Doncaster city centre closed back in December and M&S will close a branch in Baxtergate will close this summer. TROUBLE ON THE HIGH STREET It comes amid a tricky period for the retail sector, with consumers having less cash in their wallet to spend at the tills. Hikes to National Insurance contributions, imposed in April, have also added to business costs. Poundland will close three stores across Filton Abbeywood, London and the Isle of Wight in the coming weeks. The brand has already shut up to 11 stores, and up to 200 could close as part of its rescue deal. Bidding for the business started last week. A source told The Sunday Times that Poundland would be priced at "effectively a pound". Gordon Brothers, the ex-owner of Laura Ashley, and Homebase owner Hilco are reported to be in a two way race to win the chain. A decision on who the preferred bidder is could be announced in the coming days. Polish retail giant Pepco said it expects the sale of Poundland to complete by September. Pepco previously said it was looking at"all strategic options" to separate Poundland from its brand. The Polish group said it might turn its focus to its more profitable businesses in Europe. New Look began ramping up its store closure programme prior top April's National Insurance hike. Approximately a quarter of the retailer's 364 stores are at risk when their leases expire. This equates to about 91 stores, with a significant impact on it's 8,000 strong workforce. The company has restructured its store estate twice in the past six years, reducing its portfolio from around 600 UK stores in 2018. RETAIL PAIN IN 2025 The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April. A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024. Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020."
