‘It’s a dreadful shame,’ cry shoppers as major high street chain to shut town centre store for good
SHOPPERS cry “it’s a dreadful shame” as a major high street chain announces the closure of its town centre store.
The store, based in the Welsh town of Rhyl, has revealed its exact closure date.
On February 15, 2025, WHSmith’s on Rhyl High Street will close for good.
As reported by North Wales Live, the stationary giant revealed the store was “no longer sustainable”.
A WHSmith spokesperson said: “We can confirm that the WHSmith store in Rhyl will be closing on Saturday 15 February 2025.
“It is no longer sustainable to continue to trade from this location and the decision has been taken to close the store as a result of the forthcoming lease expiry.
“We are disappointed to be losing our presence in Rhyl and we would like to thank all our customers for their support and for shopping with us.
“We are also extremely grateful for the commitment of our in store colleagues who we will support with this transition and redeploy to nearby stores, where possible.”
Over the past few years various WHSmith stores in the region have too, sadly closed.
Such as in Colwyn Bay and one in Bangor.
Many unhappy shoppers took to social media to share their woes in response to the closure in Rhyl.
One said: “It’s a dreadful shame was has happened to the High Street, they should never have taken Marks and Spencer’s to Prestatyn it’s buzzing there. Disgraceful!”
A second said: “Awww lovely memories of going upstairs to browse all the books. Rhyl is turning into a sad place.”
And a third said: “Spent many a happy Friday afternoon in there while my Grandkids picked their books so sad to see this.”
While a fourth commented: “Such a shame. Rhyl high street is ruined.”
And then a fifth said: “Everything is going from Rhyl. The last time I was there I wash shocked at the changes and non seem to be for the better.”
The Facebook post has in fact racked up 72 likes and hundreds of comments.
This closure comes after it was revealed WHSmith’s in March, Cambridgeshire will also shut down in January 2025.
Again, many people took to Facebook to express their frustration with the closure and the state of the town’s high street.
One user said: “I knew this would happen. God, our high street is dying…all That work seems like such a massive waste.
“And on top of that, more jobs going. I hope all the staff find work ASAP.”
Another said: “Shame as some books and mags will have to be bought online now.
“Mind you almost always empty when I’ve been in there.”
In the past 11 months, as many as nine WHSmith stores in the UK have closed.
They include:
- Crewe, Cheshire – March, 2023
- Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire – March, 2023
- Bicester, Oxfordshire – August, 2023
- Manchester – December 2, 2023
- Alfreton, Derbyshire – January, 2024
- Ramsgate, Kent – January, 2024
- Oban, Argyll and Bute, Scotland – February, 2024
- Nantwich, South Cheshire – February, 2024
- Margate, Kent – April 20, 2024
WHSmith also confirmed it is “regrettably” closing its store in Street, Somerset, early next year.
Why are retailers closing stores?
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year, and more are coming.
The number of jobs lost in British retail dropped last year, but 120,000 people still lost their employment, figures have suggested.
Figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that 10,494 shops closed for the last time during 2023, and 119,405 jobs were lost in the sector.
It was fewer shops than had been lost for several years, and a reduction from 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.
The centre’s director, Professor Joshua Bamfield, said the improvement is “less bad” than good.
Although there were some big-name losses from the high street, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bust before 2022, the centre said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.
“The cost-of-living crisis, inflation and increases in interest rates have led many consumers to tighten their belts, reducing retail spend,” Prof Bamfield said.
“Retailers themselves have suffered increasing energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and falling demand that have made rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”
Alongside Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it collapsed, 2023’s biggest failures included Paperchase, Cath Kidston, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.
The Centre for Retail Research said most stores were closed because companies were trying to reorganise and cut costs rather than the business failing.
However, experts have warned there will likely be more failures this year as consumers keep their belts tight and borrowing costs soar for businesses.
The Body Shop and Ted Baker are the biggest names to have already collapsed into administration this year.