Dixons Travel stores at airports bought by WH Smith

WH Smith has bought a raft of former Dixons Travel stores in airports as it expands its US InMotion tech and accessories business into the UK. The group said it bought 18 stores, including 17 Dixons Travel stores, at sites including Heathrow, Stansted, Manchester, Luton, Birmingham and East Midlands airports, which will deliver sales of about £60m a year. In April, Dixons Carphone confirmed plans to close its 35 airport shops after it was hammered by coronavirus and the end of tax-free tourist shopping.

WH Smith plans to take on some 200 of the 400 Dixons Travel staff who were affected by the closures. Total group revenues stood at 62 per cent of 2019 levels in the 18 weeks to 3 July, WH Smith said. But it added it was “encouraged” by the improving trends and that it expects a “small improvement” on its full-year expectations thanks to a better-than-forecast performance across North America.