WH Smith to become latest high street giant to disappear – what are the others? | UK News

Whe Smith’s name will be wiped out across the streets after the 233-year-old company sold part of his business to the owner of Hobbycraft.

The agreement of £ 76m will see that his 480 High Street stores again as Tgjones, under the ownership of Modella Capital, who won the Final phase of the auction process.

While Smith has given up his higher street business, he will continue with his profitable travel dealer, with 1,200 stores, mainly at airports and railway stations, in 32 countries worldwide.

But the eradication of the British streets is the end of an era that spans until 1792, then the first WH Wh, opened by Henry Walton Smith and his wife Anna in Little Grosvenor Street, London.

Here is a look at some of the other street giants that have disappeared over the past few years.

Debenhams

The Division Store Chain Debenhams, such as WH Smith, was a staple of British streets for centuries, and first opened its doors in 1778.

But the remaining premises permanently closed in May 2021 After the company has collapsed amid the fallout of the Covid 19 pandemic.

The retailer, who employs 20,000 people for pre-pandemics, struggled before the outbreak, while buyer moved away from traditional divisional shop models and moved online.

However, this could not cope with the wandering closure of websites during the locking up and quickly applied within weeks to the virus that fully hit the UK.

Debenhams was purchased by fashion retailer Boohoo before the stores were closed, and was converted into a successful online operation.

It is so successful that Boohoo, amid a big profit in profit Rename himself Debenham Group.

CEO Dan Finley said that a reversal of Debenhams was now completed and that the updated business model of the online divisional store was now responsible for the majority of the group’s profitability.

Woolworths

Once another fundamentally in the street, Woolworths – Known for its a ‘mix, home goods and everything in between – more than 800 stores in the UK had at its peak.

The first store was opened in Liverpool in November 1909 by New Yorker Frank Woolworth, which already has the brand in the We.

But almost exactly 100 years later – January 6, 2009 – his famous stores closed for the better, a few months after the company sank in the administration.

Analysts blame its downfall on a toxic combination of low cash reserves, lost credit insurance and crippling debt – all worse by The financial crisis in 2008.

The stores were popular until the end, with the final annual report of the firm showing a slight profit before tax in 2007.

But it wasn’t enough to save the struggling business that left 27,000 people without work.

Paul Seaton, who worked with the company as a store manager for 25 years and as part of the IT team, told Sky News: “The sad reality is that Woolworths took 99 years to build, and it took 42 days from administration to the day when the last door was closed.

Ted Baker

Founded by Ray Kelvin in Glasgow in 1988, Ted Baker became a popular men’s clothing in the UK and also ventured into women’s clothing.

But a Torrid period began for the trader in 2019 when Mr. Kelvin left in the midst of claims of inappropriate behavior towards colleagues.

Thereafter, it was forced to issue a series of profit warnings and accounting accidents, which had to address the Covid-19 pandemic from a position of financial weakness.

In 2020, it resolved hundreds of jobs and collected £ 100m to grow its balance sheet.

Ted Baker was delisted from the London stock market in 2022 after being bought for about £ 210m by entrepreneur Jamie Salter, led by entrepreneur Jamie Salter.

But it never recovered, and eventually closed 15 of its British stores in early 2024, Before she closed the remaining 31 stores in August 2024.

Just before they close all stores, owners are authentic an agreement concluded With United Legwear and Apparel Co (ULAC) to operate an e-commerce presence for the brand in Britain and Europe, Ted Baker still has an online store.

Arcadia Brands

The Arcadia group, led by Sir Philip Greenemployed by about 13,000 people in its high-street fashion brands such as Topshop, Topman, Burton, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge.

After nearly two decades, The Empire has crumbled When Sir Philip was forced to place the group in administration in the fall of 2020.

It was selected by online traders apart, with ASOS for big names such as Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and Hiit, and Boohoo takes over Burton, Dorothy Perkins and Wales.

Arcadia’s downfall was one of the most spectacular implosions in recent corporate history, forcing about 500 independent areas to close.

Sir Philip bought the High Street Group for £ 850m in 2002, and just three years later, one of the biggest dividends – £ 1.2bn – pays to his wife and Arcadia’s registered owner, Lady Tina Green.

Arcadia’s collapse came in the midst of the pandemic, but it is downfall occurred after many controversial movements by Sir Philip.

Bhs

BHS – or British home stores – collapsed in the administration in April 2016, which led to 11,000 workers losing their jobs.

Founded in 1928, the brand closed its last 22 stores in October 2016.

Sir Philip Green also owned BHS after buying it for £ 200m in 2000. He sold the company to Dominic Chappell, a series of bankrupt, for £ 1 in 2015.

Twenty-two thousand pensioners were hit by a black hole of £ 571m in the collapsed retailer’s pension fund, which led MPs to push on Sir Philip stripped of his chivalry.

He eventually paid £ 363m to settle the pension funds while Chappell was Jail for six years in 2020 because he did not pay taxes at £ 2.2m in revenue he received after buying BHS.