A programme of closures affecting stores formerly operated by WH Smith on high streets throughout Britain has commenced, with branches in Oxfordshire still facing potential shutdowns.
The outlets are now controlled by TG Jones, a business acquired by investment firm Modella Capital when it purchased the chain’s high street operations last year.
The company has launched a major restructuring initiative that will result in the shuttering of as many as 150 locations across the country.
Modella attributed the sweeping changes to difficult trading conditions in the retail sector.
Twenty locations have been confirmed for closure this month, including a Swindon branch expected to cease operations on September 15.
Oxfordshire stores have not been included among the initial batch of closures, though concerns persist that branches housing post office facilities in Didcot and Witney could be affected later in the year.
TG Jones maintains a presence on Oxford’s Cornmarket and within Abingdon’s Bury Street precinct.
Didcot and Wantage Liberal Democrat MP Olly Glover stated earlier this year that closure of the TG Jones branch on Broadway in Didcot would leave approximately 37,000 residents of the town and surrounding villages dependent on a single remaining Post Office facility located in Georgetown.
The potential shutdown would follow the controversial closure of the East Hagbourne branch in February, which occurred after the postmaster resigned from the position.
Witney South district councillor Jack Treloar has expressed concern regarding the potential closure of the TG Jones outlet in the town’s Woolgate Centre.
In a statement published on social media, Treloar noted that while Witney is fortunate to possess two post office facilities, losing one would be regrettable, particularly one situated in such a central location within the town.
Retail industry analyst Richard Hyman observed that the decline of the chain has been protracted.
The business model had historically comprised a diverse assortment of loosely connected product categories forming an unconventional retail mix, without achieving genuine dominance in any particular area.
Modella Capital is understood to be pursuing further acquisitions in the retail sector.
The firm completed the purchase of Danish retailer Flying Tiger in May, a worldwide brand operating approximately 900 stores.