The boss of WH Smith has said the retailer won't be opening any more UK High Street stores. Instead it will focus on UK airports and train stations, as well as opening shops in the US and Europe, its chief executive Carl Cowling told the BBC. "We've got a very healthy High Street business in the UK. But we've got no ambitions to grow that," he said. WH Smith has about 550 UK High Street stores and opening more "would just be a duplication", he told the BBC. "When you look at the main cities across England, Wales and Scotland, we are present in those cities," Mr Cowling said. Over the past 20 years, WH Smith has expanded its presence in airports, train stations, motorway service areas and US-based casino resorts. Mr Cowling told the BBC World Service Marketplace Morning Report that WH Smith's biggest growth market is the US. It has captured about 12% of the retail market in US airports, he added. "Our ambition is to get to 20% over the course of the next four years and then that will mean probably only the best parts of 150 stores," he said. He added that WH Smith will spend about £120m this year opening shops in the US and Europe.
