BOSSES at the historic retailer brand WHSmith have said that they plan not to open any more UK high street stores.
It comes as they share they will instead focus on UK airports and train stations as well as expanding across US and Europe.
As WHSmith chief executive Carl Cowling told the BBC: "We've got a very healthy high street business in the UK. But we've got no ambitions to grow that."
Currently, WHSmith has around 550 high-street stores in the UK with all the main cities in England, Wales and Scotland having shops.
WHSmith to not open any more UK high street stores
In 2018 and 2019, WHSmith was ranked among the worst high-street retailers by Which?
The shop even received a spoof Twitter account whose sole purpose was to mock the carpets in-store, according to the BBC.
Although WHSmith does not plan to open more high street stores, they have shared that they will continue to invest in them.
In the last few decades, the brand has moved into airports, train stations, motorway services and even moving across the pond to US casino resorts.
WHSmith saw their biggest growth in the US market, with 12 per cent coming from the retail market in American airports, according to the BBC World Service Marketplace Morning Report.
And Mr Cowling shared that they plan to spend £120 million over the next year to open shops in the US and across Europe. He said: "We've got a pipeline of 60 stores to open and we're constantly winning tenders in airports."
WHSmith branches in Gwent:
- Abergavenny: Cibi Walk
- Caerphilly: Castle Court Shopping Centre
- Chepstow: High Street
- Cwmbran: The Mall
- Monmouth: Monnow Street
- Newport: Commercial Street
- Newport: Newport Railway Station
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