WHSmith has once again been voted the UK’s worst high street shop, with customers criticising the chain for its poor value for money and “cramped and messy” stores. The chain came bottom of an annual survey by consumer group Which? with a customer score of just 50 per cent, behind Homebase on 53 per cent and Sports Direct on 54 per cent. WHSmith kept up its record of consistently being voted the worst chain on UK high streets, but it hit back at the poll, pointing out that it had maintained its presence while others were closing down stores. WHSmith said: “This survey accounts for the views of only 586 Which? subscribers and is neither statistically relevant nor meaningful relative to our loyal customer base. “Every week we serve 3 million customers in our 600 UK high street stores and have maintained our presence on the high street where many other retailers are closing stores. We work hard to improve customer experiences and continue to invest in new and existing stores.” Richer Sounds, which recently announced it would hand over control of the business to employees, was voted the best retailer with a customer score of 89 per cent. Customers praised Richer Sounds for carrying purchases to their cars and paying for parking. Five of the top six retailers were specialists with customers commending the expert advice provided.
