WH Smith has revealed a drop in High Street sales amid talks of selling 500 of its UK shops. Its High Street sales fell 6% in the 21 weeks to January 25, covering the key Christmas period, down 3% on the previous year.

The group said total high street sales dropped 6% in the 21 weeks to January 25, down 3% on a like-for-like basis, while travel shops saw 6% growth.

British retailer WH Smith Plc’s potential sale of its high street business risks triggering an event of default on its debt, according to the convertible bond desk at Jefferies.

The potential sale of the retailer's High Street stores prompted questions over the fate of the post offices housed within them.

The news comes just days after the company confirmed discussions about potentially selling off its high street stores to concentrate on its larger travel operation.

Alongside the news, the retailer – which is famous for selling stationary, books and gifts – has announced that it will close 17 of its high street stores this year. Many have questioned the fate of the 195 high street stores that also include branches of the Post Office.

WHSmith has been slashing costs in the high street stores to improve profitability as it grapples with the shift to online shopping, which has affected the number of customers visiting stores. The high street arm’s underlying annual profits after the Covid-19 pandemic fell from about £60mn to £32mn in the year to August 2024.