Large retail chain with 1,400 branches will close another store TODAY
Shoppers are devastated after a major retail chain with 1,400 branches closed another store today.
The WHSmith in Oban, Scotland, has lowered its shutters for the final time.
Writing in the Information Oban group on Facebook, a WH Smith store manager reminded punters that the store would close today.
There has been talk of a closing sale for months on what was a parting gift for bargain hunters.
It allowed customers to buy books and stationery for as much as 75 percent off.
Local residents took to social media to express their disappointment over the closure.
One wrote: “I will really miss this store.”
A second said: “Another store is closing, it will be a big loss for Oban.”
Another added: “Not what it used to be, it was good when they had a CD video and music department, shame only one big empty shop in town had closed.”
The store has always been a favorite with shoppers over the Christmas period, with an abundance of gifts including beautiful diaries for the coming year.
The sale was full of things from sweet treats like chocolate and candy to greeting cards, best-selling books, family games and even stationery.
Newspapers and magazines would not be included in the sale, but almost everything else in the store was marked down.
The store has been in Oban since 1998 when it was transformed from a John Menzies to the popular WHSmith store.
John Menzies was famous for his popular bookstalls that could be found all over Scotland.
The WHSmith store was previously forced to reduce its floor space by a third in a blow to the high street.
Boots pharmacy also announced last year that it was considering closing one of its two branches in Oban.
Naked Veg, a popular organic food store, had to leave the high street in recent months.
WHSmith has around 1,400 stores in Britain, 550 of which are on the high street.
Recently, the company announced plans to open 15 new locations at airports, train stations and hospitals.
In June last year, WHSmith confirmed it would NOT be opening any more high streets.
The retailer has previously said that opening more stores on the high street would “just be a duplication” as the company looks to focus on growth.
WHSmith closed its branch in Ramsgate, Kent, in early 2024.
The retailer also pulled down the shutters of its store in Alfreton, Derbyshire, last month.
'DEATH' OF HOOFSTRAAT
The hospitality sector has been feeling the pressure since the pandemic, as households cut back on spending due to the rising cost of living.
High energy costs and higher prices are also taking their toll, and many restaurants and cafes in the main shopping streets are struggling to stay afloat.
We've seen a slew of closures in the past year and more are on the way.
Pubs such as Wetherspoons and restaurants such as Frankie & Benny's and Chiquito closed their doors.
Costa Coffee on Bruntsfield Place in Edinburgh ground its last bean this week when the store officially closed on Valentine's Day.
Several major retail brands have also gone bankrupt in recent years, such as Wilko and Paperchase.
The Body Shop recently confirmed it has gone bankrupt, leaving 200 stores at risk of closure.
More shoppers than ever are choosing to order online instead of going to the store.
This leaves some retailers struggling with budgets and having no choice but to close stores to cut costs.
British retailers saw the amount of goods sold fall last month, at the fastest pace in three years, as under-pressure households moved some of their Christmas shopping to earlier in the year.
Sales volumes fell 3.2% in December, Office for National Statistics data showed, compared with a 1.4% increase a month earlier.
Several major chains are pulling down the shutters for the last time this month.
An iconic department store has also closed its flagship store in London forever.
Last year it was announced that Fenwick would close its central London store on Bond Street for good, and on February 3 the shutters were pulled down for the final time.