The Courier Mail has covered the purchase of the Spanews newsagency group by WH Smith.
BRITISH high street newsagent WHSmith has acquired the Supanews chain in Queensland, a deal set to provide tougher competition for the traditional family-owned paper shop.
Privately-owned Supanews, founded by veteran newsagent Adrian Gaskin in 1992, has 29 stores in Queensland, the ACT, New South Wales and Victoria with an annual turnover of $80 million.
The investment in Supanews by the UK retail giant could transform an industry suffering from stiff competition from convenience stores and supermarkets selling lottery products and magazines.
I am over how newsagencies are represented in reports like this. We sound like tiny struggling micro businesses. While some are, there are plenty that are small for sure but strong and healthy and enjoying change.
Newspaper reports should focus on how core parts of newsagency businesses are being constrained by rules imposed by commercial suppliers in some products categories, rules that make us less competitive.
I assume Super news would not be able to sell Lotto. There is something about not being able to sell Lotto if you have more than 30 full time staff in Queensland.
Carol Supanews stores had Lotto.
I wonder if the directors of WH Smith will have to do the Lotteries training??
perhaps the qld stores need to be franchised?
Supanews stores are franchised. Carol are u thinking of SME’s in relation to 30 or less employees per business?
Should have read Supanews Qld stores are franchised. I wonder how much Gaskin walked away with? How do u price a franchised group considering the multiple factor for selling news agencies has dropped considerably.