The Death of WHSmith: My Last-Minute Dash for 75% Off Bargains as Two More Stores Vanish TODAY

By HOAR Team 12 April, 2025 5 mins read 353 Views

God. Another piece of my childhood just died.

I literally sprinted down to WHSmith in Woolwich this morning after my neighbor texted me "CLOSING TODAY - EVERYTHING CHEAP" at 8:43am. Haven't moved that fast since 2018 when I thought I left my passport at home while the Uber was already waiting. The place was absolute carnage - pensioners fighting over discounted greeting cards and mums with strollers navigating the narrow aisles like they were training for some bizarre obstacle course.

The shelves were already half-empty.

The Brutal Death March Continues

So here's teh deal: two more WHSmith stores are shutting their doors forever today - Halstead in Essex and Woolwich in London. Both with those depressing 75% off signs that always make me feel like I'm picking over a corpse. I mean, I still bought £34 worth of stuff I absolutely don't need, but still felt weirdly guilty about it.

This is just the beginning of the end for a 233-year-old high street staple. Remember buying your first proper notebook there? Or school supplies with your mum? Yeah, all gone soon.

Where's Next on the Chopping Block?

If you're near any of these locations, prepare for the retail equivalent of a funeral:

• Halesowen and Diss - closing April 19 (with 75% off sales that are apparently causing minor riots)
• Newport and Haverhill - April 26
• Oldham - May 3
• Stockton - May 17
• Doncaster's West Mall - May 31
• Bedford - hanging on till July 5

I chatted with a staff member in Halesowen yesterday (poor Sarah, worked there 12 years) who told me they're literally selling the fixtures by the end. "Someone already asked about buying the till," she said, looking like she might cry.

Wait... TGJones? Seriously?

The most bizarre part of this whole saga? The remaining 480 high street stores aren't actually closing - they've been bought by Hobbycraft owner Modella Capital for £76 million. But they're rebranding them all as "TGJones."

Who the hell is TG Jones? Sounds like a fictional character from a BBC period drama that got canceled after one season.

My editor bet me $20 I couldn't find out who TG Jones actually is. I spent an embarrassing amount of time googling last night and... I lost that bet. His response: "Told you it was made up by some marketing team on a Tuesday afternoon brainstorm."

The Survivors (For Now)

WHSmith isn't completely vanishing - they're keeping their airport, train station and hospital locations. Those overpriced bottles of water and £14 sandwiches will continue to bankrupt travelers for years to come.

I feel stupid now for not realizing earlier that these were the profitable parts of the business. Makes perfect sense when you think about it... captive audience willing to pay anything when they're desperate enough.

A Moment of Silence for the Fallen

Let's not forget the 10 stores that have already disappeared this year:

• Bournemouth (both the Old Christchurch Road and Winton branches)
• Luton
• March (the town, not the month... though March would be a weird name for a store)
• Basingstoke
• Long Eaton
• Newtown
• Rhyl
• Bolton
• Accrington

Listen. I know it's just a shop. But there's something deeply unsettling about watching these familiar high street names disappear one by one. First Woolworths, then BHS, now WHSmith...

Anyway. If you want to experience the unique joy of vulturing over discounted stationery while avoiding eye contact with devastated staff members, you've got until closing time today in Halstead and Woolwich.

I came away with 14 notebooks I don't need and a weird sense of loss. Just like my last relationship.

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