THE POTENTIAL sale of WH Smith’s high street stores has raised concerns that Pembrokeshire could become a “book desert,” limiting access to reading for young people and reducing opportunities for book lovers. With Tenby’s WH Smith and Haverfordwest’s branch now changing brands, the county could soon be left without a major high street book retailer—though independent bookshops like Victoria Bookshop in Haverfordwest continue to serve the community.

WH Smith has now sold its 233-year-old high street business to the owner of Hobbycraft in a £76 million deal. The sale includes 480 stores and affects roughly 5,000 staff. Both the Haverfordwest and Tenby branches are likely to be impacted by the changes, with rebranding on the horizon. The move raises fresh questions about the future of bookselling in the region and whether books will remain a central part of the new business model.

The retailer had previously confirmed it was exploring the sale of around 500 high street stores to focus on its 1,300 branches in airports, hospitals, and train stations. While WH Smith has often been dismissed as “not highbrow enough,” author Gareth Rubin, whose works include Holmes and Moriarty, stressed its importance in introducing people to books. “Kids who started with comics then moved on to children’s books and later to adult fiction. People popped in for stationery and left with a novel. That’s brilliant. If it disappears, we lose that.”

WH Smith’s high street division remains profitable, generating £452m in revenue last year with £32m in profit.

For many Pembrokeshire residents, WH Smith has long been a vital gateway to reading. “As a child, I used to get WH Smith gift vouchers for Christmas to spend on books, so to see the chain leaving our high streets is a huge loss,” said Victoria Selman, author of Truly Darkly Deeply.

“I don’t think the importance of WH Smith’s book sections can be overstated,” added Sarah Underwood, author of Gentlest of Wild Things. “They’re critical for getting books into the hands of teenagers, especially those who are reluctant readers or those who can’t afford the higher prices of independent bookshops.”

In many towns, WH Smith is the only place to buy books without resorting to online shopping. “It’s a huge blow for readers who now find themselves in a book desert,” said Jess Popplewell, author of The Dark Within Us. However, Victoria Bookshop remains a key source of books in Haverfordwest, providing an alternative for local readers.

Authors have also voiced concerns about the potential loss of major book promotion platforms. The Richard and Judy Book Club, run in partnership with WH Smith, has provided many writers with a chance to reach new audiences. “If WH Smith’s high street stores go, it’s likely the book club will disappear too,” said Selman. “That’s another major opportunity lost for authors trying to stand out in an increasingly competitive industry.”

Publishers are also watching closely. Major firms including Hachette and Bloomsbury have urged any new buyer to keep books as a central part of the business. Pan Macmillan noted that WH Smith’s high street stores “play a vital role in the bookselling ecosystem.”

“If these stores close, it would be incredibly damaging for the publishing industry and authors,” said David Headley, managing director of Goldsboro Books. “There will be fewer avenues for promoting commercial fiction and emerging writers.”

Chris Vick, author of Shadow Creatures, warned that fewer bookshops mean fewer readers. “As the channels through which people buy books shrink, the world narrows. There’s less choice, less visibility, and, in the end, fewer people reading.”

With the loss of WH Smith in Tenby and the potential changes ahead for Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire faces an uncertain literary future. The question now is whether independent bookshops like Victoria Bookshop can step in to fill the gap, or if the county will see a permanent decline in high street bookselling.

Funding aimed at helping steelworkers stay in or return to work

MORE than £3 million is being invested by the UK Government and Neath Port Talbot Council to boost mental health services for Tata Steel workers, their families and the wider Port Talbot community.

The £3.27 million package, announced by Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens on Wednesday (March 27), forms part of the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board’s wider £80 million support fund. Over £50 million has already been allocated to help steelworkers and supply chain businesses as the company moves to greener steelmaking.

The new funding will focus on mental health and wellbeing – an area identified as crucial for helping those affected by the transition to secure and sustain employment.

Services set to benefit include:

• Recruitment of additional counsellors to support affected workers
• Grants and resources for existing mental health provision
• Expansion of peer and community support networks such as Men’s Sheds and She Sheds
• Support in schools for children impacted by changes at Tata Steel
• Specialist advice on welfare and debt for affected families
• Suicide prevention and awareness training for council and trade union support staff

The funding is flexible and could be increased depending on demand.

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:
“The past 18 months have been incredibly difficult for the steelworkers of Port Talbot, their families and the wider community. We said we would back them in whatever ways were needed.
“We are helping people learn new skills, but we also need to help protect people’s mental health. Well-being is crucial to getting back into work and staying in work.
“By boosting direct support services, we are investing in the people of the area and supporting growth in the local economy.”

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans MS added:
“Working alongside our Transition Board partners, we will continue to ensure the right assistance is in place for those impacted, as well as providing opportunities for growth, investment and employment wherever they arise.”

Neath Port Talbot Council Leader Cllr Steve Hunt welcomed the funding, saying:
“We know the impact of change at the steelworks is being felt deeply across the area, particularly in Port Talbot where most households are affected in some way.
“This is a vital addition to the support already being delivered as we adapt to the future of steelmaking and prepare for the new opportunities brought by developments like the Celtic Freeport.”

Martyn Wagstaff, a local mental health advisor, said:
“It’s really important that anyone struggling with their mental health asks for help.
“This funding means that people in Neath Port Talbot will be able to access more support when they need it.”

The Transition Board will announce further funding for regeneration and job creation projects in the coming months, with tens of millions of pounds still to be allocated.

Newport factory to support 500 new jobs and play vital role in EV supply chain

WALES is set to benefit from a £250 million investment into its advanced manufacturing sector, as US tech giant Vishay Intertechnology commits to expanding operations at the UK’s largest semiconductor facility in Newport.

The investment is a major vote of confidence in Wales’s industrial capabilities and will further strengthen South Wales’s status as home to the world’s first Compound Semiconductor Cluster. It comes as part of the UK government’s Plan for Change to grow the economy, support skilled jobs, and enhance national resilience in critical sectors.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves will visit the Newport site today (Thursday, March 27) to formally welcome the investment, which will boost production of Silicon Carbide semiconductors—an essential component in electric vehicles (EVs). These next-generation chips enable faster battery charging, improved energy efficiency, and extended driving ranges.

The development is expected to directly create over 500 high-value, highly-skilled jobs in Newport and support hundreds more across the wider supply chain. The project is backed by the UK’s Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF), which supports innovation and domestic supply in critical technologies such as semiconductors.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “Under this government, the UK is open for business. This is exactly the type of investment that will help us grow the economy, create highly-skilled jobs, and boost opportunity across the country, as we deliver on our Plan for Change to get more money into working people’s pockets.”

The investment follows the Chancellor’s Spring Statement, where she announced a “new era of security and national renewal.” The Office for Budget Responsibility has upgraded growth forecasts for 2026 and beyond, with households expected to be £500 better off per year by the end of this Parliament compared to under the previous government.

The announcement marks a major step in the UK’s ambition to become a global leader in advanced manufacturing. From 2010 to 2023, the UK saw the fastest growth in manufacturing productivity per job among G7 nations.

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:
“This is a huge vote of confidence in the Welsh economy and our plans to make Britain the destination of choice for investment in the industries of tomorrow. Vishay’s investment will help secure a domestic supply of semiconductors for our world-leading automotive and clean energy sectors—key drivers of long-term economic growth.”

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens added:
“This massive investment by Vishay and the UK Government is a huge boost for Wales’s world-leading semiconductor industry. It will build on the success of our advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, and defence sectors—creating and supporting hundreds of skilled, well-paid jobs across South Wales.”

Vishay’s Chief Operating Officer for Semiconductors and Chief Technology Officer, Roy Shoshani, said:
“This is an exciting moment and the beginning of our growth journey in the UK. With a skilled workforce and strong government backing through the Industrial Strategy, the UK has an opportunity to lead in advanced semiconductor manufacturing—enhancing economic security and helping deliver Net Zero.”

The investment coincides with the Chancellor’s participation in the Invest in Women Taskforce roundtable in Wales, which has secured over £250 million in funding commitments for female entrepreneurs.

The Automotive Transformation Fund—delivered in partnership with the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC)—has already helped unlock more than £6 billion in private sector investment for the UK’s transition to zero-emission vehicles. In addition, the Autumn Budget committed over £2 billion to capital and R&D funding for zero-emission vehicle manufacturing over the next five years.

Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said:
“This significant investment in compound semiconductors is a huge contribution to the innovation and advanced technology necessary to drive the future of UK automotive. British-made next-generation semiconductors will create jobs, support supply chains, and enhance the UK’s strategic capabilities.”