A NATIONAL retailer has announced it has left Ringwood after years of trading. 

WHSmith, which has a branch in High Street, has closed for good, with the forthcoming lease expiry being blamed for the decision. 

The company said staff will be redeployed to different stores in the area, the nearest being Bournemouth Airport, with multiple shops in Bournemouth and Poole as well as one in Christchurch. 

A WHSmith spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that the WHSmith store in Ringwood has now closed.  

Bournemouth Echo: WHSmith in High Street, RingwoodWHSmith in High Street, Ringwood (Image: Google Maps)

“Unfortunately, we are unable to continue to trade viably from this location and the decision has been taken to close the store as a result of the forthcoming lease expiry.   

“We are disappointed to be losing our presence in Ringwood and we would like to thank all our customers for their support and for shopping with us.  

“We are also extremely grateful for the commitment of our in store colleagues who we will support with this transition and redeploy to nearby stores, where possible.” 

Read more: 'Tradition' pub The Elm Tree in Ringwood has new owners

Ringwood councillor Cllr Philip Day, chairman of the planning, town and environment committee, said it was a “shame” the store was leaving Ringwood, which he claimed to be the smallest one in the UK. 

He said: “There has been structural problems with the building. My understanding is that they were trying to sort it out, but I think there have been a few issues with asbestos as it’s an old building.  

“It is a huge shame for the residents of Ringwood. I also believe that, when it was open, it was the smallest WHSmith shop in the UK.” 

Last month, WHSmith, which operates many stores in airports and train stations, posted a return to its annual profits after the travel industry was brought back to life following Covid travel restrictions.  

The group posted headline pre-tax profits of £61 million for the year to August 31 against losses of £104 million the previous year, when Covid restrictions impacted its retail chain and network of sites based at travel hubs worldwide. 

During the nationwide lockdown, WHSmith had its sales drop by 85 per cent.