The WHSmith convenience store at Rugby, located next to M&S Food on the main walkway to the food court from the main entrance. A very large, modern WHSmith store, which appears much more appealing to visit than most WHSmiths along the motorways. It’s a basic facility, but a vital one which provides customers essential travel/snack items & remains open 24 hours, so it’s open at midnight when most other facilities have closed. It’s a clean, well-organised store suited for a motorway services. Prices at WHSmith at motorway services are inflated significantly higher than that of a high street branch as they have more demand at a services. Despite this, many customers choose WHSmith as it’s cheaper than Marks & Spencer food. WHSmith is home to the following concessions: Costa Express, F’real Milkshakes, Tango Ice Blast slushies and a Krispy Kreme cabinet. For a single store, it offers lots. They resell Apple products, filling the gap of mobile accessories for sale, as Rugby lacks a phone shop, such as Top Gift or PhoneTech. This store “spills out” into the concourse slightly, and as customer levels continue to rise at Rugby, this “spillage” will increase. WHSmith are also the key holders for all Disabled toilets at Rugby, including the Changing Places facility at Costa. WHSmith was surprisingly quiet during my visit. Occasionally they catch the odd group of customers, but clearly not today and not at Rugby! WHSmith is not signposted from either side of the M6 as customers would expect to find such a shop at a motorway services anyway, and WHSmith is more a basic facility than a flagship brand to Moto.

Photo taken on 12/02/2024 by Tom Moon.

Assigned to galleries: Rugby, WHSmith, M6 (England), Moto