Companies That You Expect to Disappear Soon

[Yew]

https://www.fnlondon.com/articles/trade-unions-protest-at-ncp-pass-the-parcel-20070315

Exceptionally easy to run an operating profit, but lot harder when lots of interest payments to make on large debts
£600M debt added to NCP between 2002-2005
Can't quickly find out how much debt Macquarie left it with from 2007-2017

The sheer number of these stories that seem to end in "and the venture capitalists wanted their pound of flesh, even if it would kill the company" is rather concerning.

 

[gswindale]

There was one in Torquay town centre.

There were a few in the West Midlands. Walsall had both - Menzies in the Saddler centre and WHS on the street nearby. Aldridge also had one which I believe is now TG Jones.

 

[Backroom_boy]

And for me, it sounds very similar to TJ Hughes, which is a completely different retail offering.

I do wonder who currently has the rights to the John Menzies brand? Would it be WH Smith or Menzies Aviation?

Looks like its Menzies Aviation or rather its parent group that would have rights to the brand.

The issue there is that weren’t John Menzies just in the travel locations outside of Scotland, the very part of the business they haven’t acquired. It would only make sense in Scotland..

Think it would still be thought more highly than the made up TGJ

 

[Sprinter107]

There were a few in the West Midlands. Walsall had both - Menzies in the Saddler centre and WHS on the street nearby. Aldridge also had one which I believe is now TG Jones.

There were 2 John Menzies in West Bromwich, a small branch in the Sandwell Centre Queens Square and a larger branch in the Kings Square, and also a WH Smith in the High Street.

 

[GusB]

The issue there is that weren’t John Menzies just in the travel locations outside of Scotland, the very part of the business they haven’t acquired. It would only make sense in Scotland.

The TG Jones branding looking very similar to WHSmith is probably deliberate, so people think it’s the same shop, which it is. At least the signs are vibrant blue now rather than faded washed out blue that the WHSmith signs generally were.

John Menzies was still a better-known brand, though. WHSmith was still a known brand in Scotland even though it didn't have much presence here until it took over Menzies' retail operations.

It could be that the new owners no longer have the right to use the John Menzies name - I assume that WHSmith had some sort of permission to use it, at least until its stores were rebranded.

 

[DelW]

The TG Jones branding looking very similar to WHSmith is probably deliberate, so people think it’s the same shop, which it is. At least the signs are vibrant blue now rather than faded washed out blue that the WHSmith signs generally were.

I assumed that keeping the same colour scheme was to reduce the cost of the rebranding, since it appears on a lot of the indoor decor as well.

When I bought some notebooks a couple of months ago, the "own brand" options were still all branded WHS.

I think their market has been eroded by The Works, which sells similar (indeed sometimes identical) products at much lower prices - often less than half the price at TGJ or WHS.

 

[styles]

I think their market has been eroded by The Works, which sells similar (indeed sometimes identical) products at much lower prices - often less than half the price at TGJ or WHS.

The Works and Amazon if you want something cheap.

Rymans if you want decent lighting and staff who can actually advise you on stationery and school/office products.

Waterstones if you want a 'real' bookshop, with space to sit and staff who like to read and make recommendations.

WH Smith used to be great for their 'back to school offer', and once the competition on pricing overtook them, that was it gone for me. They turned into a jack of all trades, master of nothing.

 

[Western Lord]

As regards TG Jones, would most people walking down a familiar High Street pay much attention to the name over the door, rather than the familiar shop front with familiar things in the window? If Boots were re-branded Foots but everything else remained the same would most people notice?

 

[Leyland Bus]

As regards TG Jones, would most people walking down a familiar High Street pay much attention to the name over the door, rather than the familiar shop front with familiar things in the window? If Boots were re-branded Foots but everything else remained the same would most people notice?

Most people didn't notice when Rob Brydon pretended to be Ken Bruce on Radio 2 afew year back, so probably not!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

As regards TG Jones, would most people walking down a familiar High Street pay much attention to the name over the door, rather than the familiar shop front with familiar things in the window?

Are we really collectively suggesting that TG Jones High Street Limited (until June 2025 previously known as WH Smith High Street Limited) is a company that's expected to disappear soon?

 

[35B]

Are we really collectively suggesting that TG Jones High Street Limited (until June 2025 previously known as WH Smith High Street Limited) is a company that's expected to disappear soon?

As the owners are considering widespread closures, and the high street stores are widely acknowledged to be struggling, it's far from inconceivable.

 

[duffield]

The Works and Amazon if you want something cheap.

Rymans if you want decent lighting and staff who can actually advise you on stationery and school/office products.

Waterstones if you want a 'real' bookshop, with space to sit and staff who like to read and make recommendations.

WH Smith used to be great for their 'back to school offer', and once the competition on pricing overtook them, that was it gone for me. They turned into a jack of all trades, master of nothing.

There's presumably a considerable long-term reduction in the demand for stationery from both home and business users too. How many people still have a working printer at home for example? Mine ran out of ink years ago and sits unused and unneeded (I used to print various bits and pieces frequently until I got a smart phone). How many pages does the average office print per week compared with 10, 20 years ago? How many people write physical letters at all? I've ended up with enough stationery supplies of all kinds to last me pretty much for the rest of my life; all I'll ever need to buy now will be greetings cards and the odd envelope for sending a rare physical document.

And as the native smartphone-from-childhood generation grows up and more and more services move to digital only I can see the stationery market just collapsing further and further both for home and office. Of course there are other types of office supplies and equipment that won't be so badly affected like furniture etc. but really I think most of the TG Jones stores are going to close sooner or later, unless they can massively reduce their dependency on shrinking markets. I don't think their books will save them. And I don't think other stationery and office supplies outlets will be unaffected, just not so badly.

 

[Djgr]

The Works and Amazon if you want something cheap.

Rymans if you want decent lighting and staff who can actually advise you on stationery and school/office products.

Waterstones if you want a 'real' bookshop, with space to sit and staff who like to read and make recommendations.

WH Smith used to be great for their 'back to school offer', and once the competition on pricing overtook them, that was it gone for me. They turned into a jack of all trades, master of nothing.

Those with very good memories might remember Smiths selling knitting materials and having a travel agency!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Mar 2026 ==

Are we really collectively suggesting that TG Jones High Street Limited (until June 2025 previously known as WH Smith High Street Limited) is a company that's expected to disappear soon?

Try to get out of the habit of thinking that senior management/directors know what they are doing!

 

[styles]

There's presumably a considerable long-term reduction in the demand for stationery from both home and business users too. How many people still have a working printer at home for example? Mine ran out of ink years ago and sits unused and unneeded (I used to print various bits and pieces frequently until I got a smart phone). How many pages does the average office print per week compared with 10, 20 years ago? How many people write physical letters at all? I've ended up with enough stationery supplies of all kinds to last me pretty much for the rest of my life; all I'll ever need to buy now will be greetings cards and the odd envelope for sending a rare physical document.

I've had the same printer since 2012, so 14 years now. I use it a lot to print things for a charity youth group I work with. I reclaim Gift Aid on the ink and paper but otherwise donate it to the charity.

Physical letters no, but children in schools do still write with pens and sketch with pencils and keep diaries and notebooks etc. There is some shift to providing every school child with a Chromebook but it's far from universal and usually kicks in at high school age.

I keep a diary of my outdoor activities and I do this on paper (with a digital summary in DLOG). I think a lot of people still use stationery even if some things like diaries for appointments or address books have been replaced mostly by digital tools.

 

[jon0844]

The sheer number of these stories that seem to end in "and the venture capitalists wanted their pound of flesh, even if it would kill the company" is rather concerning.

I think the reason every private equity owned company ends the same way is by design. Asset strip, load with debt, let the company fail, pick up the pieces cheap to start over.

It's literally part of the plan and will happen sooner or later to probably every PE owned business. There's no exact timescale because obviously you try and milk things as long as you can, but ultimately the failure of the business and the debts being written off is a very essential part. Being able to start over and hire back your staff on worse conditions is a bonus too.

The thing is, if everyone knows the plan then why is it allowed?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Mar 2026 ==

Are we really collectively suggesting that TG Jones High Street Limited (until June 2025 previously known as WH Smith High Street Limited) is a company that's expected to disappear soon?

I'd say so, yes. Stores with post offices may be saved (but perhaps downsize) but given the lack of investment under new ownership (as stated, basically some new signage/stickers) the already failing stores are only going to continue to fail. The carpets from the 1980s won't last forever either! I also can't cite where I read this (it may even be on here) but I think some 90 stores are under consideration for possible closure or downsizing.

 

[dgl]

To continue the John Menzies talk, there were two in Weymouth, one where The Swan Wetherspoons is now and the one in the T G Jones building, WH Smith was originally in a different building which closed after the acquisition of John Menzies.

 

[Dai Corner]

Here in Newport, south Wales the WHSmith branch in Commercial Street closed shortly before the acquisition and rebranding IIRC. However the whole building is going to disappear as the city Council are going to buy and demolish it, creating more public space and getting rid of some 1960s architecture which is not in keeping with the rest of the street.

 

[Andyh82]

To continue the John Menzies talk, there were two in Weymouth, one where The Swan Wetherspoons is now and the one in the T G Jones building, WH Smith was originally in a different building which closed after the acquisition of John Menzies.

Was there any high street John Menzies in Yorkshire or the North West? I only remember them at the travel locations that since became WHSmith

 

[Leyland Bus]

Was there any high street John Menzies in Yorkshire or the North West? I only remember them at the travel locations that since became WHSmith

I remember them as a child, Bury had one, on the row of shops heading from the market back towards the bus station, Middleton had one aswell. I suppose there were likely others.

 

[Bald Rick]

Was there any high street John Menzies in Yorkshire or the North West? I only remember them at the travel locations that since became WHSmith

There was defintely one in St Annes on Sea.

 

[sprunt]

I remember them as a child, Bury had one, on the row of shops heading from the market back towards the bus station, Middleton had one aswell. I suppose there were likely others.

I don't know how old you are, but when I was a child (1980s) that was NSS, not John Menzies. There was never one in Bury in my lifetime. There was one in Salford precinct though.

 

[ScottGallagher]

As the owners are considering widespread closures, and the high street stores are widely acknowledged to be struggling, it's far from inconceivable.

It kind of reminds me of when Virgin Megastores sold out to (i think) private equity and became Zavvi which couldn't survive after about 18 months

 

[Leyland Bus]

I don't know how old you are, but when I was a child (1980s) that was NSS, not John Menzies. There was never one in Bury in my lifetime. There was one in Salford precinct though.

You're probably right and i'm getting muddled up, it was easily 30 year ago!! I wonder what shop it was then???

 

[Russel]

It kind of reminds me of when Virgin Megastores sold out to (i think) private equity and became Zavvi which couldn't survive after about 18 months

Virgin Megastores and Zavvi, now that brings back memories!

 

[Statto]

Was there any high street John Menzies in Yorkshire or the North West? I only remember them at the travel locations that since became WHSmith

Yes there was, there was a John Menzies in Wallasey (Liscard), which i remember as a child, that became WH Smith.

 

[ChrisC]

Was there any high street John Menzies in Yorkshire or the North West? I only remember them at the travel locations that since became WHSmith

I don’t know about Yorkshire but there were large John Menzies high street shops just to the south in Mansfield and Chesterfield.

 

[High Dyke]

Maybe, or not. See this thread:
Sharp's Brewery | RailUK Forums https://share.google/6wIF5kTS8QmRV6CnT

 

[ScottGallagher]

I don’t know about Yorkshire but there were large John Menzies high street shops just to the south in Mansfield and Chesterfield.

One at Euston Station for sure

 

[SuspectUsual]

One at Euston Station for sure

Weren’t all the railway station ones Menzies rather than Smith’s?

 

[Gloster]

Grace’s Guide says that W.H.Smith only acquired John Menzies in 1998. It comments that Menzies was the main rival to both Smith’s small railway station outlets and its news distribution business.