The WH Smith at Putney station has closed. Commuters arriving this week find the familiar unit stripped out and empty, shelving removed and the concourse space cleared.
The closure is part of a deliberate shift by WH Smith away from smaller rail locations. The company’s December 2025 results confirmed plans to close around 15 UK travel stores this financial year while opening 20, concentrating investment on airports and major London termini.
Putney does not feature in WH Smith’s stated list of priority rail locations, which the company describes as “iconic London railway stations” including Charing Cross, King’s Cross, Victoria and Waterloo.
WH Smith operates more than 110 UK rail locations. The Putney closure reflects the company’s stated aim to “reshape the portfolio to improve profitability” by concentrating resources where footfall is highest. The station’s Caffè Nero Express, directly opposite the now-empty unit, remains open.
A company in retreat
The closure comes during a difficult period for WH Smith. In March 2025 the company sold its entire UK high street estate of around 480 stores to Modella Capital for £76m, ending its presence on town high streets after more than two centuries and leaving travel retail as its sole UK business. In November 2025, group chief executive Carl Cowling resigned following a Deloitte review that found profit had been overstated in the company’s North America division by around £30m, causing a sharp fall in its share price.
Travel retail now accounts for 75% of WH Smith’s revenue and 85% of its trading profit. The company’s strategy is to grow at airports and large termini rather than at smaller commuter stations like Putney.
What happens next
The station building is owned by Network Rail, with South Western Railway acting as the Station Facility Owner and sub-letting retail units through its property manager, Amey TPT.
Ian Chalmers, principal surveyor at Amey TPT, confirmed to Putney.news that WH Smith is vacating and that the space will be used temporarily for operational purposes. He added that the unit is being marketed, with “a number of exciting retailers expressing interest,” though no terms have been agreed and no immediate replacement is planned.
The closure adds to a mixed picture on Putney’s retail streets. In December, empty units clustered at both ends of Putney High Street prompted concern about the area’s commercial health. Against that backdrop, M&S is preparing to reopen on the High Street next week after a seven-year absence.
The rent will be a stupid amount. All network rail want is rent & no bigger picture on the social environment they play a part of. You need to ask Caffè Nero.