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.
