WHSmith to shut Mander Centre shop
The Mander Centre's landmark WHSmith shop will close in January.
Customer notices were placed in the Wolverhampton store's windows yesterday which announced the planned closure.
It is thought around 20 jobs will be affected in the short term.
However, insiders believe the flagship store will take up a unit in the shopping centre again following a major overhaul that will see Debenhams move in in 2017.
The retailer has not yet confirmed if the closure will be permanent or not.
However, it is not expected that the existing unit, on one of the main thoroughfares into the centre, will be used for any new-look WHSmith store.
Work on the £35 million revamp of the Mander Centre is due to start in the New Year.
The notice states: "This store will be closing as of Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 5.30pm.
"We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."
It tells customers their nearest store will then be in Market Place, Cannock – nearly 10 miles away.
Councillor Peter Bilson, Wolverhampton City Council's cabinet member for city assets, said: "What we do know for sure is that there is going to be a £35 million investment starting soon which will conclude with Debenhams as the anchor store.
"In the mean time there will be re-organisation and certain shops shifting around.
"I would be very surprised if WHSmith were not there post-improvement.
"It is going to be a massive boost for retail and the city as a whole."
Two years ago, WHSmith announced plans to close the Mander Centre store, saying it could no longer 'trade viably'.
However, at the 11th-hour, bosses made a dramatic U-turn and agreed a new lease.
The main feature of the new-look centre will be a new 90,000 sq ft Debenhams spanning three floors, which is set to open in October 2017.
The Tesco Metro store and Greggs will both close to make way for Debenhams, although both retailers are set to be offered new units in the revamped centre.
Staff at the Mander Centre WHSmith were directing queries to their head office in London yesterday.
But no-one in the media department was available to comment.
