TGJones

For the Welsh footballer, see T. G. Jones.

TG Jones High Street Limited
TGJones
Company type
Private
IndustryRetail
PredecessorsWHSmith (high street retail and online businesses)
Founded
  • 1792; 234 years ago (1792) (as W.H. Smith)
  • 30 June 2025; 11 months ago (2025-06-30)[1] (as TGJones)
FounderHenry Walton Smith (under WH Smith name)
HeadquartersGreenbridge, Swindon,
United Kingdom
Number of locations
470 (2025)
Area served
United Kingdom
Key people
Alex Willson (CEO)
ProductsBooks, periodicals, stationery, toys (76 under Toys "R" Us agreement)
OwnerModella Capital
ParentTG Jones High Street Holdings Limited[2]
Websitewww.tgjonesonline.co.uk

TG Jones High Street Limited,[1] trading as TGJones, is a British newsagent, stationer and book retailer. The retailer was formerly the high street retail and online businesses of WHSmith, which was sold to Modella Capital – which also owns Hobbycraft – on 30 June 2025.[3][4][5] The sale value of the shops was originally £76 million.[6]

The name "TGJones" is not derived from an individual, but was invented by Modella Capital to sound similar to "WHSmith" (named after William Henry Smith) and thereby continue the implication of being a family business.[7] In terms of branding, TGJones is similar to WHSmith, with a similar text mark and blue-and-white colour scheme.[8]

History

See also: WHSmith § History

Sale and transition

TGJones at the White Rose Centre in Leeds.

WHSmith opted to sell the business in order to focus on its larger travel retail operation which accounted for 75% of its trading revenue and 85% of its profits in the last financial year. The WHSmith brand has been retained by the WHSmith group for its travel retail shops and other activities, meaning the high street business would need to be rebranded.[6] Despite not being related to its travel business, the online card retailer Funky Pigeon was not included in the sale and was instead kept by WHSmith with intentions to sell it, with Card Factory being the eventual buyer. [9][10] The online stationery business Cult Pens was also retained by WHSmith.[11]

At the time the sale was agreed, there were 480 WHSmith high street stores.[12][13]

Following concerns from the Communication Workers Union, representing Post Office and Royal Mail staff, that the sale may cause "postal deserts" given the large proportion of branches inside the WHSmith high street stores, Modella insisted that they planned to make few changes, retaining Post Offices and Toys "R" Us sections within shops.[12]

In May 2025, Sky News revealed that WHSmith's 12 month long transitional services agreement with Modella Capital allowed WHSmith to cancel the contract in the event of a company voluntary arrangement.[14]

In late June 2025, before the sale to Modella Capital was officially complete, some WHSmith branches, including those in Leominster, Ross-on-Wye, and Witney, applied for planning permission to change their signs and branding to the TGJones name.[15][16]

On 30 June 2025, WHSmith completed the sale of the business at a reduced valuation of £40 million.[5]

On 1 July 2025, the website and social media were officially launched, as well as the first branded store in Aylesbury. At the same time, the company announced the closure of its store and Post Office franchise in The Broadway, Bradford.[17][18]

On 20 November 2025, the company announced that they would be opening around 36 new stores, they would be adding Hobbycraft and Claire's (both owned by Modella, latter under licence) concessions to some stores, joining their growing concession line-up which consists of Toys "R" Us and Post Office.[19][20]

On 25 November 2025, the company said that it might sell its Greenbridge HQ and distribution centre to move to a different part of Swindon.[21]

On 6 May 2026, Modella Capital announced that "up to" 150 TGJones stores would be closed as an "essential part" of the company's restructuring.[22]

References

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  1. ^ a b "TG Jones High Street Limited overview - Find and update company information - Gov.uk". Companies House. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  2. ^ "TG Jones High Street Holdings Limited persons with significant control - Find and update company information - Gov.uk". Companies House. 6 April 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  3. ^ "Iconic retailer to disappear from high streets as 480 stores become 'TGJones'". The Star. 28 March 2025. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
  4. ^ "Trading update for the 13 week period to 31 May 2025" (PDF). WHSmith. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
  5. ^ a b Wright, Georgia (30 June 2025). "WHSmith slashes £12m from high street sale to push deal through - Retail Gazette". Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  6. ^ a b Wright, Georgia (28 March 2025). "WHSmith sells UK high street arm for £76m to Modella Capital". Retail Gazette. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
  7. ^ Ashworth, Louis (28 March 2025). "What does TGJones mean?". Financial Times. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
  8. ^ "Trade mark number UK00004169377". United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  9. ^ "WHSmith sells UK High Street business to focus on higher growth travel retail markets" (PDF). WHSmith plc. 28 March 2025. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  10. ^ "Online card retailer Funky Pigeon bought out by rivals Card Factory in £24 million deal". ITV News. 6 August 2025. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  11. ^ WHSmith Annual Report 2025 – The Global Travel Retailer (PDF) (Report). 11 February 2026. p. 160.
  12. ^ a b Sweney, Mark; Butler, Sarah (28 March 2025). "WH Smith name to disappear from high street in agreed £76m sale to Modella". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077.
  13. ^ Holmes, Harry (28 March 2025). "WH Smith to rebrand as TGJones after £76m sale". The Grocer. Archived from the original on 28 March 2025. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
  14. ^ Kleinman, Mark (4 May 2025). "WH Smith buyer 'faces 12-month ban' on mass shop closures". Sky News. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  15. ^ Evans, Matthew J C (24 June 2025). "Iconic high street brand to disappear from Oxfordshire town centre". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
  16. ^ McEwan, Gavin (20 June 2025). "WHSmith name to disappear from two more Herefordshire shops". Hereford Times. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
  17. ^ "Bradford BD1 1US - 398306 - Post Office - Citizen Space". Post Office Consultation Hub. Post Office Limited. 1 July 2025. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  18. ^ Newman, Rowan (7 July 2025). "WHSmith to leave Bradford after decades with Broadway store to shut". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Telegraph & Argus. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  19. ^ "TGJones and Modella to make retailer 'hub of the high street' - Retail Gazette". 20 November 2025. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  20. ^ "The Entertainer joins forces with Modella Capital for toy supply deal - Retail Gazette". 16 October 2025. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  21. ^ "TGJones mulls sale of Swindon HQ and DC". 25 November 2025. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  22. ^ Tiffin, Angus (6 May 2026). "Up to 150 former WHSmith high street stores to close". BBC News. Retrieved 6 May 2026.

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