WH Smith to open stores in Shannon

WH SMITH, the British high-street news, book and stationery retailer, is to formalise its expansion into the Republic, with the opening of two stores at Shannon Airport before the end of the year.

The retailer, which last week reported a 4% rise in group sales and a 14% increase in group profits to £76 million (€97.4m) for the year to the end of August, first said it was considering Ireland, as well as Scandinavia and parts of mainland Europe, for external expansion last February.

All expansion plans outside Britain are being focused on its travel arm — shops located in train stations, bus stations and airport — as opposed to its high-street retail division, as this has been its main driver of growth of late.