WH Smith has announced a store closure – leaving shoppers fuming – and customers panicking there will be “hardly any shops left”. WH Smith has announced that it will be leaving Sale’s high street with the closure of its Stanley Square store.
The shop will close on 14 September 2024. A WHSmith spokesperson said, “We can confirm that the WHSmith store in Sale will be closing on Saturday 14 September owing to the landlord’s redevelopment plans. We are disappointed to be losing our presence in Sale and we would like to thank all our customers for their support and for shopping with us.
“We are also extremely grateful for the commitment of our in store colleagues who we will support with this transition and redeploy to nearby stores, where possible.” The high street giant, which opened its first store in 1792, sells books, stationary and convenience products at more than 1,100 stores across the UK.
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Staff at the Stanley Square store have been informed and will now begin a process of redundancy. The store is set to run a closing down sale until its closure in September. The unit will be taken over by The Northern Light, an independent, 153-seat cinema opening in early 2025.
In response to the closure, one person commented: “How long before one of the supermarkets pull out of Sale? Sale centre is dying at a rapid rate.” Another person commented: “End of an era, it’s been there a long time, hardly any shops now, no point in going to Sale really, I’m almost sure it will be another cafe or restaurant.”
Tony Mundin, the managing director of Manero Cinemas, said: “We are thrilled to bring an affordable, luxury experience to Sale for everyone to enjoy a trip to the cinema. We will prioritise comfort to ensure everyone has a great time.”