Waterstones to close two London branches

Waterstones is closing two of its London branches.

The company confirmed to The Bookseller that its Wimbledon and Oxford Street West branches would soon close due to "leases coming to an end". However, the company is looking for a new site in Wimbledon.

The news follow the closure of Waterstones Reading branch in the Oracle Shopping Centre on Sunday (10th January).

A Waterstones spokesperson said: "Oxford Street West bookshop will be closing on Saturday 16th January. There are plenty of other Waterstones bookshops nearby, including our beautiful new shop on Tottenham Court Road.

"The last day of trading in Wimbledon is the 17th January. Wimbledon is indeed a place where we would like to have a bookshop and we are looking for a new site."

WH Smith is also closing its Wimbledon town centre store, which is nearby the Waterstones Wimbledon branch. The shops are due to be replaced by a Metro bank that will also be used as a regional training centre, reported the Wimbledon Guardian. 

Love Wimbledon, an orgisation that represents businesses in Wimbledon, originally objected to proposals for the new bank on grounds that it would restrict "retail diverstiy" and diminish Wimbeldon's "attractiveness".

The organisation told the local paper: "Love Wimbledon is working with Waterstones and WH Smith to identify suitable new locations for the businesses in the town centre. As a Business Improvement District we want, like many customers and residents, to continue to see popular stores in our town centre and these would include WH Smith and Waterstones."