WH Smith Travel Retail pit stops in UK

Most of the stores will open in 2007 with the Swayfield shops planned for 2008. All 48 Moto stores will be operated under franchise, with the Swayfield outlets operating as leasehold. But all will come under the remit of WH Smith Travel Retail, offering a boost to its 203 travel-retail sites across UK airport and rail locations.

WH Smith Group CEO Kate Swann said: “Working with Moto and the Swayfield Group opens up a new channel for our travel-retail business and brings WH Smith products and services direct to the motorist for the first time.”

Moto, owned by Macquarie Bank, claimed it is the UK’s biggest operator of motorway service areas. Moto CEO Tim Moss said: “We are very excited at the prospect of having Britain’s biggest CTN retailer as a partner in our network of motorway service areas. The agreement follows a trial of WH Smith’s Travel format, which proved to be extremely popular with our customers.”

“We are looking forward to rolling out WH Smith stores across the entire estate. This is a natural step for Moto in providing the widest and best choice of familiar high street brands to our customers.”

See DFNI December 15 issue out next month for comment and more detail.