2nd May 2007 12:27
WH Smith PLC02 May 2007 2 May 2007 WH Smith PLC to open 33 stores with Welcome Break WH Smith PLC announces an agreement with Welcome Break to open travel stores inall 33 of Welcome Break's motorway service areas. Today's announcement follows the successful trial of a WHSmith Travel store atthe Welcome Break service area on the M1 at Newport Pagnell. The existing stores at the 33 Welcome Break locations will be refitted andre-branded as WHSmith during 2007 and will be operated on a franchise basis. Thenew units will enhance WHSmith Travel's existing network, which comprises 259units in key air, rail and motorway locations. Commenting on the announcement, Kate Swann, WHSmith Group Chief Executive, said: "We are delighted to be working with Welcome Break to extend our motorwayservice area offer, bringing WHSmith products and services direct to themotorist." Rod McKie, Welcome Break's CEO, said: "The last two years have seen significant growth in customer revenues at WelcomeBreak and this has been due, in no small part, to our introduction of provenhigh street brands into our motorway service areas. Today's deal with WHSmithrepresents an exciting further step in this strategy and the partnership willallow us to offer our customers the best in the travel retail sector." - Ends - Enquiries: WH Smith PLC Sarah Heath Media Relations 020 7851 8850Mark Boyle Investor Relations 020 7851 8820 Brunswick Tom Buchanan 020 7404 5959Pamela Small FD (PR Adviser to Welcome Break) Ben Foster 020 7831 3113 NOTE TO EDITORS WH Smith PLC is made up of 543 high street stores and a further 259 retail unitsin airports, rail stations and motorway service areas. The High Street businesssells a wide range of newspapers, magazines, stationery, books and entertainmentproducts, while WHSmith Travel sells a tailored range of newspapers, magazines,books and confectionery products for people on the move. In addition, WHSmithDirect - www.whsmith.co.uk - serves customers on the internet 24 hours a day. Welcome Break is the second largest motorway service area operator in the UK,with a portfolio of invested sites and associated lodges. The company offersmotorists services, goods and amenities including fuel, restaurants, retailshopping, rest areas, leisure facilities and overnight accommodation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The company wasacquired by global investment firm, Investcorp, in 1997. Since then the businesshas benefited from a substantial capital investment programme exceeding £170million. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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