Following Monday’s closure of Waterstones stores across the UK, competitor WH Smith will close approximately 60 percent of their high street bookstores as well. Initially the company resisted closing any locations, with employees complaining about the risks to the media (“It’s putting the general public and ourselves at risk. We don’t want to be there, but we feel like we have to”). But after a televised address by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday night, the chain announced it would close many stores, while keeping open locations that provide Post Office services and other key support functions: “At this critical […]
