Jobs saved as WH Smith to stay at Merry Hill centre

The iconic chain had announced the shop would close during June but bosses have now announced it will remain part of the Black Country shopping centre.

It means that jobs that had been under threat at the store have been saved.

The branch has been part of the complex since 1989 but its days appeared to be numbered when signs were put up announcing it was to close on June 9.

It would have meant the nearest WH Smith would have been at the Ryemarket in Stourbridge.

Bosses at the company said they had 'reached an agreement with the landlord' to enable them to stay put.

The news comes as a boost to Merry Hill as it is also facing losing its BHS store after the company plunged into administration.

Two major fashion stores closing at Merry Hill, as Gap and Dorothy Perkins shut in September.

Liz Taylor, general manager at Merry Hill, said: "We are delighted that WH Smith are staying at the centre. This news, along with the opening of a new flagship Topshop/Topman in April, shows that intu Merry Hill is a desirable location for the country's best known and most popular retailers.

"We are always working hard behind the scenes to give our shoppers the very best experience and there are exciting times ahead."

A spokesman for WH Smith said: "WH Smith is pleased to confirm that it will retain its presence in the Merry Hill Centre.

"Following further discussions with the landlord, we are pleased to have reached an agreement which allows us to continue to trade from this store."

It had appeared another WH Smith store was going to disappear from the Black Country.

Dudley town centre store closed in September 2013, with a loss of six jobs, as bosses said they could not continue to 'trade viably' from the Wolverhampton Street branch.

And the firm shuts its shop in the Mander Centre, Wolverhampton, in January due to the redevelopment of the shopping centre, affecting around 20 jobs.