Fears of ‘postal deserts’ as owner of former WH Smith stores puts counters under threat

Exclusive: Contract changes mean Post Office outlets inside TG Jones stores would be easier to close, with up to 60 possibly affected The owner of WH Smith’s former high street business is aiming to change contracts with the Post Office to make it easier to close outlets within its stores, increasing fears that communities will become “postal deserts”. TG Jones operates 180 post offices and it is understood that as many as 60 could be closed under a restructuring plan by Modella, the private equity group that renamed the WH Smith high street chain as TG Jones after buying it last year. Modella’s proposal involves slashing rents on dozens of the books-to-paperclip chain’s outlets. Landlords are expected to recall the lease on the shops rather than accept the rent cuts, leading to up to 150 of the 450 TG Jones stores being shut, putting thousands of jobs at risk. Modella has written to creditors saying it will amend Post Office contracts so that outlets that lose their leases can be closed with just 56 days’ notice – less than a third of the current notice period of six months – if the restructuring plan is approved. Creditors are to vote on the plan next month. Eight