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18
Jul
WHSmith’s Harrogate demise appears imminent
The disappearance of WHSmith’s name from Harrogate after almost 100 years appears imminent.
The retailer announced in March it had sold its non-travel division to private equity firm Modella Capital in a deal worth £76 million.
The WHSmith name was not part of the deal, which means its high street stores, including those in Harrogate and Ripon, are being rebranded under the new name TGJones.
The company, which was founded in 1792, has operated in Harrogate since 1930 and Ripon since 1935.
The current store in Harrogate.
Now North Yorkshire Council has approved plans for new TGJones signs at the Harrogate unit in the Victoria Shopping Centre. The town’s main Post Office will continue to operate from the site.
Council case officer Sam Fleming said in a public report explaining the decision:
The proposed signage will be installed in the same positions as the existing WHSmith signs, above the entrance doors. The panels will retain the existing colour scheme and dimensions, with the only change being the lettering to reflect the new TGJones branding. The signs will feature internal LED illumination to the lettering only, consistent with the current signage. Given the like-for-like nature of the replacement, the signage is considered to have a neutral impact on the character and appearance of the Harrogate Conservation Area. The design is proportionate, appropriately scaled and visually coherent with the host building and surrounding context.
WHSmith stores up and down the country are in the process of being rebranded, with the Hastings and Derby branches being among the latest to change name.
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