TG Jones has confirmed that its Ryde store will close in the New Year, bringing an end to more than 25 years of WHSmith and TG Jones trading from the High Street premises.
The retailer has confirmed the closure following an approach by Island Echo, with the shop expected to shut after a closing down sale on 9th January 2027.
TG Jones says the decision follows the implementation of its Court-approved Restructuring Plan as the business works to secure its long-term future.
A spokesperson for TG Jones has said:
“As we work to secure the long-term future of TG Jones, we have confirmed that our Ryde shop will close. We know this will be disappointing news for our colleagues, customers, and the local community.
“Our focus now is on supporting those affected and continuing to serve customers throughout the closure period. We would like to thank all of our colleagues for their commitment and the contribution they have made to TG Jones.”
It has not been confirmed how many members of staff will be affected by the closure.
WHSmith has occupied the prominent town centre premises since 2000, meaning the familiar shop has been a fixture of Ryde High Street for more than a quarter of a century.
However, WHSmith’s association with Ryde stretches back considerably further than its current High Street store. Records show that the retailer had a bookshop at Ryde Esplanade railway station as far back as 1911.
Island Echo reported in March 2025 that the WHSmith stores in Ryde and Newport were set to become TG Jones after the company’s High Street business was sold to Modella Capital in a £76million deal. The transaction involved around 480 stores across the country but did not include the WHSmith brand name, resulting in the familiar High Street shops being rebranded as TG Jones.
The sale was completed in June 2025, with the Ryde store subsequently adopting its new TG Jones identity.
Since then, the former WHSmith High Street business has faced significant difficulties, with a major restructuring programme paving the way for the closure of stores across the country.
It remains unclear whether the Newport TG Jones store will be affected by the retailer’s wider programme of closures.
Sadly another one bites the dust, wonder who will be next?!
Labour doing what many knew would happen, fund the workshy and force those that fund such, out of work.
What could possibly go wrong.
I read yesterday in the Telegraph
Households with migrants claimed a record
£12 billion in universal credit.
Who’s going to work if they don’t need too!
Look at the majority of workers thesedays many are
shirking from home on full pay, mainly in the public sector.
Most of the People on benefits are people who were born here, there are many in my area who are happy to get their benefits and not interested in finding a job.
You are spot on, that is why the Government want to do
away with the triple lock for pensioners even though pensioners have paid in all their life, also that is why they
keep increasing the retirement age and done the dirty on
the Waspi’s
THEY ARE RUNNING OUT OF TAX PAYERS MONEY TO FUND
THEIR GENEROSITY TO CLAIMANTS!
I will never vote for anyone who doesn’t represent myself
or family, and none of these charlatans represent myself or family!
We need a Government who puts workers first and pensioners
who have paid into the system all their lives not to be sh*t on
at the end.
Get your kuru togas and lamy pens before it’s too late !
I wonder how long the Newport branch has got left? I used to love WH Smith as a kid. Use it or lose it folks.
Sadly it is too late.I too use to love W H Smith,
Woolworths and HMV
Those were the days.
Its so sad, Ryde is on a downward slope with shops disappearing on an all too regular basis. Llloyds are closing very soon, now TG Jones. Who’s next?
Very expensive with nothing you need to Buy I never seen everyone in this shops I Bet TG Jones will Close Down all Stores by end of the year