Chris Harding

I'm genuinely surprised it isn't far more, frankly, and as heartless as that sounds. WHSmith has not felt like it has any tangible identity or focus for a many years now, limping on and on as a jack of all trades and master of none, only propped up by its travel hub stores where its enormous markups feel more justified. Covid-19 has shown that besides those locations, WHSmith needed a backup that it just doesn't have. Its stores (old and new) are cluttered, tired and carry an air of desperation, even despair, as far as retail is concerned. A struggling chain, mismanaged for a very long time, hopefully for those that remain this will prove to be a catalyst for much-needed substantial change. I just feel for those impacted negatively in the immediate term.

Commented on: 5 August 2020

WHSmith restructuring plans put 1,500 jobs at risk as sales plummet