Up to 150 WH Smith high street stores will close after the high court approved a significant restructure. The plan, which involves debt write-offs and rent cuts, aims to make TG Jones (formerly WH Smith) a more sustainable business, though it faced criticism for its speed and valuation.
TG Jones, formerly WH Smith's High Street business, secured High Court approval for a restructuring plan involving up to 150 store closures and significant rent cuts on remaining stores. Owner Modella Capital cited "challenging retail conditions" and underinvestment for the move, which was initially opposed by British Land.
TG Jones (formerly WH Smith) plans to restructure, leaving small suppliers, including Help for Heroes charity, with less than half of owed money, while 'exit contract' suppliers may see debts wiped out, with potential long-term profit shares.
Modella, owner of WH Smith's former high street chain (now TG Jones), plans to close up to 60 Post Offices within its stores as part of a restructuring, citing weak consumer spending and rising costs, sparking fears of 'postal deserts' and thousands of job losses.
Low-profile Modella has positioned itself as a key creditor, landlord and brand owner to struggling TG Jones as store closures and job cuts loomShoppers at WH Smith were once accustomed to being offered cheap chocolate stacked high at the counter while buying their morning newspaper. Now, the chain’s former high street stores have themselves become the subject of a cut-price deal – as the low-profile investment group that snapped them up appears set to pay less than half of the original cash price.The paperclips to books chain had notched up 233 years on the British high street when it was bought by Modella Capital last summer. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Documents show Modella Capital, which bought the chain last year, is so far owed £2.9m in royalty feesThe investment company that owns the former WH Smith high street stores is charging the retailer millions of pounds in licence fees for the right to use its widely derided TG Jones name, the Guardian can reveal.Modella Capital – which bought the chain from WH Smith’s parent company last year – on Wednesday blamed weak consumer spending as it laid out a restructuring plan that could shut 150 of its 450 shops. It also said “the forced name change from WH Smith has also negatively impacted consumer awareness”. Continue reading...
Modella Capital, which rebranded shops as TG Jones, unveils major restructure and is seeking rent holidaysUp to 150 former WH Smith stores are likely to close, putting thousands of jobs at risk under a radical restructuring plan by their new owner, which had rebranded the shops as TG Jones.The investment company Modella Capital, which bought WH Smith’s chain of 480 high street stores for £76m last year, blamed “weak consumer spending” as it set out the plan to landlords on Wednesday. Continue reading...
New owner Modella Capital, which rebranded shops to TG Jones, blames weak consumer spending Dozens of former WH Smith stores are likely to close, putting thousands of jobs at risk under a radical restructuring plan by their new owner, which had rebranded the shops to TG Jones,The investment company Modella Capital, which bought WH Smith’s chain of 480 high street stores for £76m last year, blamed “weak consumer spending” as it set out the plan to landlords on Wednesday. Continue reading...
