WH Smith could sell every UK shop in British high street bombshell

WH Smith has opened talks with potential buyers of its high street business.

It's been 233 years since the shopping stalwart launched its flagship shop in London but it's now looking likely the entire high street business will be sold, according to Sky News.

Smiths bosses are reportedly speaking to several prospective buyers since inviting negotiations weeks ago. The bombshell news is expected to be confirmed in a statement to the London Stock Exchange next week. The current market value of the whole group globally is a staggering £1.5billion.

At the beginning of this week we reported how the British high street institution revealed plans to shut 17 stores across the country in the coming months. The retailer which employs around 5,000 people across its 500 shops has been gradually announcing store closures in recent months.

Since 2023, numerous WHSmith stores have closed, with more expected to follow suit by May. This move comes after WH Smith confirmed last November that it intends to close up to 20 stores annually for the next three years.

However, the chain also plans to open 90 new stores at different locations during the same period. Over the weekend, two sites held significant closing-down sales before shutting their doors permanently.

WHSmith's Bournemouth high street store offered shoppers discounts of up to 50% off before its final day of trading on January 18th. Local residents expressed disappointment at the news, with one commenting, "Another shop closing - so sad to see this."

The first WHSmith store was opened in 1792 by Henry Walton Smith and his wife Anna in Little Grosvenor Street, London. They opened the first ever travel retail store in Euston station in 1848.