The boss of TGJones, the rebranded WHSmith high street business, has outlined a new vision for the retailer as it seeks to restructure.
Alex Willson, who previously ran Hobbycraft, took the helm at TGJones in February and outlined his ambitions in a LinkedIn post.
TGJones, like Hobbycraft, owned by investor Modella, is seeking approval for a restructuring plan that may lead to as many as 150 store closures.
The business, acquired by Modella last year, has found trading challenging as a result of tough high street conditions and shoppers’ unfamiliarity with the TGJones name following the rebranding from WHSmith.
Willson maintained that TGJones can “absolutely” be turned around, and outlined a raft of measures that he will take, including a change in pricing and more hours in-store.
He promised “fairer pricing” and wrote: “We are no longer tied to WHSmith airport and rail pricing. High street prices are coming down. Simple as that.”
On staff, he said: “We are reintroducing store managers into our top locations – something that we currently have none of! We are increasing the number of area managers so that no one colleague is solely responsible for 75 stores (yes, 75). And we are putting more hours into stores to better serve both colleagues and our customers.”
He also flagged that stores will be relaid, “cutting the clutter, and doubling down on our best sellers”, while improved maintenance and décor will help in “bringing stores back to life”. The retailer also intends to extend existing partnerships and move into new categories informed by customer feedback.
Willson maintained: “The business has genuine talent, real potential, and is well worth saving! If we can get through this restructuring, and beyond, then the road to recovery is there for the taking…”
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