Up to 150 former WHSmith high street stores to close

Up to 150 former WHSmith high street stores are set to close as part of a restructuring plan by owner Modella Capital, putting hundreds of jobs at risk [1]. The plan affects the 480-store chain, which was purchased from WHSmith last year and rebranded as TGJones [1]. A spokesperson for Modella Capital said the decision was driven by challenging retail conditions, including the impact of a forced name change, rising operating costs, and difficult trading [1]. "The restructuring plan is designed to protect the substantial core of the store estate and create a stronger, more sustainable business," the spokesperson said [1]. However, they added that the plan "may result in the closure of some stores and the loss of some roles" [1]. WHSmith sold its high street business in March 2025 for £40 million to focus on its travel locations [1]. This is the second major restructuring for Modella Capital recently, following the closure of all 154 Claire's stores in the UK and Ireland last month, which resulted in 1,300 redundancies [1]. The private equity firm also owns the arts and crafts retailer Hobbycraft [1].