WHSmith confirms shock closure of popular store as locals say the 'high street is ruined'

WHSmith confirms shock closure of popular store as locals say the 'high street is ruined' (Image: Getty)

WHSmith operates more than 1,100 stores in travel and high street locations, but it will soon lose one due to an unexpected store closure.

High street shoppers in Rhyl have expressed deep disappointment over the forthcoming closure of its local High Street store. The town centre in the Welsh seaside resort will see WHSmith's doors shut for the final time in the new year.

It marks another crushing blow for locals who have known the branch to be a fixture of the town’s high street for several years.

According to reports from North Wales Live, the stationery chain has declared the store "no longer sustainable", citing the approaching lease expiry as a principal reason.

A spokesperson for WHSmith confirmed: "We can confirm that the WHSmith store in Rhyl will be closing on Saturday, February 15, 2025."

Shoppers in North Wales will bid farewell to a beloved WHSmith branch in the new year (Image: Getty)

They added: "It is no longer sustainable to continue to trade from this location, and the decision has been made to close the store due to the forthcoming lease expiry."

The coastal town has seen several retailers and amenities vanish post-pandemic, and the news has stirred up emotions among locals, many of whom have taken to social media to share their woes.

One person wrote on Facebook: "Such a shame. Rhyl high street is ruined". A second recalled: "Spent many a happy Friday afternoon in there while my Grandkids picked their books so sad to see this."

Another shopper chimed in: " Aww, lovely memories of going upstairs to browse all the books. Rhyl is turning into a sad place."

The retailer has been a pillar of the British high street for decades (Image: Getty)

WHSmith has been a pillar on British high streets since 1972, selling best-selling books, newspapers and stationery.

While WHSmith has expanded its presence in UK airports, railway stations and motorway services, the retail giant has closed a string of stores, including one in Sale, Cheshire, earlier this year.

Several others have already closed, including the high street branch in Slough, Berkshire. More will follow in 2025 as a site in March, Cambridgeshire prepares to shut its doors for good in January. 

As for shoppers in Rhyl, other notable store closures include health and beauty giant Boots. The pharmacy chain closed its Station Road branch in Colwyn Bay in April—just one among 300 national closures.

The store closure was preceded by the Rhos-on-Sea branch in March this year. 

In recent years, Colwyn Bay has seen the closure of New Look, Peacocks, WHSmith, Poundland, Subway, and Costcutter.