WHSmith name to disappear from Herefordshire

The WHSmith name will no longer be seen in Herefordshire after the company confirmed it will change its name of its two remaining branches in the county following a similar planned move in Hereford.

WH Smith High Street Ltd has submitted planning applications for “advertisement consent” to have new branding approved at its stores in Leominster and Ross-on-Wye, following a similar bid at its High Town, Hereford branch.

The two town branches also occupy prominent central spots, Leominster’s in Corn Street near Corn Square and Ross’s at the top of Broad Street near the Market House.

If approved, both will become “TG Jones”, in line with a national rebranding programme brought in by private equity firm Modella Capital, which bought the troubled chain’s 480 high street branches for just £76 million earlier this year.

The firm has said it is keeping the blue and white brand colours for “a sense of reassuring continuity”, though the name does not reference any actual person.

More profitable branches in railway stations, airports, ports, hospitals and motorway service stations will continue under the WHSmith brand – but none of these are in Herefordshire.

Comments on the applications can be made until July 10 (Ross-on-Wye) and until July 17 (Leominster).