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Revealed: owner of former WH Smith stores is charging fee to use fictitious ‘family’ brand

stores is charging the retailer millions of pounds in licence fees for the right to use its [widely derided](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/dec/24/tg-jones-brand-replaced-wh-smith-high-street) TG Jones name, the Guardian can reveal. Modella Capital – which bought the chain

Dozens of former WH Smith stores face closure, putting thousands of jobs at risk

stores could shut. When Modella acquired the chain – which employs 5,000 staff – the shops were renamed under the fictitious “family” brand name of TG Jones, ending 233 years of the WH Smith name

Fears of ‘postal deserts’ as owner of former WH Smith stores puts counters under threat

name change from [WH Smith](https://www.theguardian.com/business/whsmith) also negatively affected trade so that it was likely to have to close stores and cut jobs. The private equity group added: “The restructuring plan is designed