Retail group TG Jones, formerly WH Smiths high street shops, faces financial difficulties and could collapse by July 31, if lenders do not approve a major restructuring proposal.

Modella Capital, which owns the high street chain, has put forward a turnaround plan that includes injecting £35 million of funds into the business and potentially closing up to 150 stores.

A spokesman for TG Jones said: “The decision to launch an overhaul had ‘not been taken lightly’ and that it was an ‘essential part of the company’s turnaround.’”

Eight store closures have already taken place, and the company has warned that additional locations are at risk if the plan does not go ahead.

The business has stated that failure to gain approval for the restructuring would face being put into administration if the plan is not in place by July 31.

TG Jones said the “forced name change from WH Smith” has affected brand awareness and contributed to its challenges, along with rising operational costs driven by government policy.

The chain was rebranded last year following its acquisition by Modella Capital; the WH Smith brand remains in use at travel outlets such as airports and railway stations.

A vote by creditors and a High Court hearing are required for the plan to proceed.

The court hearing is scheduled for June 29.

The business is reportedly considering using a legal mechanism known as a “cram-down”, which can allow a restructuring plan to be pushed through with the approval of one class of creditors and the High Court, even if other creditors object.

When did WHSmith get taken over?

The potential closures come less than a year after Modella completed the purchase of WHSmith’s high street arm, which included 464 stores across high streets, shopping centres and retail parks.

The constituency, which includes Shotts, saw Mr Gray hold off challenges from Labour and Reform to take the seat with 10.711 votes leaving him with a majority of over 4,000.

The SNP’s Neil Gray claimed a big victory in his Airdrie constituency – and then declared the UK Government should honour his party’s commitment to hold a second referendum on independence.

The constituency, which includes Shotts, saw Mr Gray hold off challenges from Labour and Reform to take the seat with 10.711 votes leaving him with a majority of over 4,000.

Mr Gray – who is also the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care – has held the seat since 2021, when he finished ahead of former Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard.

He was previously also served as MP for Airdrie and Shotts from 2015 to 2021.

Mr Gray said: “For a fifth time I have been given the honour to represent the Airdrie and Shotts constituency, and that is a responsibility I feel deeply.

“I will keep working hard for you all, regardless of whether you voted for me or not.

“We stood on a platform of positivity, vision and values.

“We stood against the politics of division and we have won. John Swinney and the SNP has the overwhelming mandate to govern and deliver on our manifesto, for a record 5th time.

“No UK Government should stand in the way of the democratic will of the people of Scotland.”

READ MORE: Central Scotland and Lothians West MSPs split among several parties

John Swinney put a commitment to hold an IndyRef2 at the heart of his party’s 2026 manifesto – but had repeatedly said the SNP would have to replicate its achievement in 2011 of winning an outright majority of MSPs if the UK Government was to agree such a demand.

Speaking to our sister title, The Daily Record, Mr Gray said: “We are making gains that mean we will have an historic fifth term in Government – John Swinney will lead the largest party and will be the next First Minister of Scotland”.

He continued: “Regardless of a majority or not, there is a significant mandate for the SNP to govern and for its manifesto to be implemented.

“So no UK Government should not stand in the way of the will of the people of Scotland.

“It was front and centre of our campaign.

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“Everybody knew what our campaign was about, on vision, values and the choice over our future, and no UK Government should stand in the way of the people of Scotland.”

Suzanne Macleod from Labour finished in second place in a tight contest with Reform.

Suzanne said: “Thank you to the 6,201 residents of Airdrie, Shotts and the surrounding villages who cast their votes in my favour and put their trust in me.

“My amazing team worked so hard and I value every minute they contributed.

“Sadly the overall numbers were not on my side today but I can honestly say it has been a pleasure to get to know so many lovely people across the constituency.

READ MORE: Airdrie store one of seven in UK to benefit from expansion of ‘Lidl & Go’ customer trial

“I was particularly pleased to reduce the majority of the incumbent MSP and beat Reform into third place.

“There can be no place in our country for their bitterness and division.

“That said, lessons will be learned and we live to fight another day.”

Reform UK’s Graham Simpson, who was his party’s only MSP at Holyrood after defecting from the Scottish Conservatives in 2025, finished third with 5,821 votes.

Across the other parties, Euan Blockley from the Scottish Conservatives claimed 1,145 votes while Edward John Thornley, of Scottish Liberal Democrats polled 660 votes.

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Meanwhile, independent candidate Brendan O’Donnell claimed 505 votes while North Lanarkshire councillor John Jo Leckie of the British Unionist Party and Abolish the Scottish Parliament Party gained 441 votes.

The total votes cast were 25,575 and the percentage poll was 46.93 per cent.

A total of 91 ballot papers were rejected.

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Reds10 Group completed a strategic investment in ESL Fabrication Engineers, one of East Yorkshire’s fastest-growing engineering firms, to complement Reds10’s advanced construction facility in Driffield.

Reds10 is part of a family of businesses which industrialises design, production and construction of the built environment.

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Paul Ruddick, chief executive of Reds10 Group, said: “Having worked with ESL for several years, we’ve seen first-hand the consistent quality of their service and their ambition for excellence and growth, values that closely align with our own.

“Bringing steel fabrication into the Reds10 Group adds a critical piece of the jigsaw as we launch our next phase of strategic growth to exploit advancing technologies, while integrating AI at every level of the business.”

The partnership will see ESL become part of the newly formed Reds10 Group.

This collaboration will bring steel fabrication in-house and support Reds10’s next phase of company expansion.

ESL, based in Kingston upon Hull, was founded in 2010 by father and son Paul and Gareth Thompson.

Specialising in steel fabrication across the UK, ESL handles everything from manufacturing and installation to repair and maintenance.

Gareth Thompson, co-founder and managing director of ESL, said: “We’ve come a long way since ESL’s inception in 2010 and our partnership with Reds10 feels like a natural next step that will bring clear benefits to both businesses.

“This marks an exciting next phase in our evolution, and we look forward to building on the strong working relationship we’ve developed with Reds10 in recent years and maximising the opportunities ahead.”

The company has grown steadily, reaching a turnover of £7 million in 2026 and employing nearly 50 people.

Reds10 and ESL have collaborated for the past five years on projects focused on delivering high-quality, sustainable buildings for the public sector.

Their work has emphasised sectors including defence, education, justice, and health.

Reds10 reported revenue of £144.7 million for 2024/25, with an operating margin of 4.8 per cent.

The company aims to grow revenue to £500 million and expand into healthcare, affordable housing, and temporary accommodation.

The company operates five factories covering 300,000 sq ft, where it produces sustainable and innovative buildings designed for transport and on-site assembly.

By integrating steel fabrication through this new investment in ESL, the company aims to further streamline its vertically integrated construction approach and strengthen its position in the off-site manufacturing sector.

Fire crews were called to the scene on the motorway near Whitefield earlier today

This dramatic photo showed a car up in flames on the M60 motorway.

The fire broke out in the vehicle on the motorway near Whitefield earlier this morning (Monday, May 11). Large flames and a huge plume of smoke billowed from the vehicle as motorists drove past.

Two lanes were closed off on the clockwise side of the motorway as emergency crews responded. A spokesperson for the fire service said three fire engines were sent to the scene.

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Two hose reels were used to extinguish the fire. Nobody is believed to have been injured in the incident, the M.E.N understands.

Huge queues formed on the motorway as the lanes were closed off. The motorway was fully reopened at around 7.30am.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “Shortly after 6.35am on Monday 11 May, three fire engines from Broughton, Agecroft and Whitefield fire stations were called to attend a car fire on the M60 clockwise between junctions 16 and 17.

“Crews arrive quickly and used two hose reel jets and breathing apparatus to extinguish the fire. Firefighters made the area safe before departing after approximately one hour at the scene.”

All traffic has been stopped on a stretch of the M62 this morning amid an accident.

Traffic is being held on a westbound stretch of the motorway towards Manchester. It is held from junction 22 for Rishworth Moor to junction 21 for Milnrow.

Long queues are building. Motorway cameras show heavy congestion up to the closure.

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Follow our live blog below for the latest traffic updates.

It reported a pre-tax loss of £5.3 million for the six months to March 28

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High street retailer Shoe Zone has warned over the Middle East war pushing up business costs and adding to shoppers’ worries as it reported widening losses. The chain, which runs 259 stores, has been shutting shops and is in the process of cutting the size of its warehouse.

It reported a pre-tax loss of £5.3 million for the six months to March 28, widening from the £2.3 million loss reported the same time last year. Revenues fell by 12% year-on-year to £62.9 million, which was partly due to there being 19 fewer stores than the year before after a series of closures. The chain closed 39 branches last year.

But Shoe Zone also blamed slower trading on consumers being less confident to spend as a result of the two latest Government budget announcements and, more recently, the war in Iran. This was resulting in fewer visitors to shops and less spending on nonessential items, according to the firm.

At the same time, it told investors that the conflict had resulted in higher transportation costs and pushed up the price of containers used for shipping, which it expects to weigh on financial performance for the rest of the year. The retailer said it was now expecting to report an adjusted pre-tax loss of between £1 million and £2 million for the full year, having previously guided towards a £1 million profit.

The conflict and the closure of international shipping waterway the Strait of Hormuz led to a surge in the cost of fuel, which has been impacting a range of businesses who use fuel for manufacturing, transport, or across their supply chains. Last week, sports fashion retailer JD Sports, which is well known for selling trainers, warned over the potential for higher prices and a weakening of consumer demand if costs continue to rise.

Meanwhile, Shoe Zone highlighted efforts to relocate and revamp its retail chain into newer and bigger formats which it wants to complete by the end of 2027. At the same time, it said it was in the process of reducing the size of its distribution centre to reflect the fact that it had fewer stores and to “right size” for the future.

Shoe Zone shares were down about 3.5% in early trading.

Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann on Match of the Day: “I don’t think anyone would want to trade places with Darren England. Nobody would want to be sitting in that chair. He stepped up to the plate, he made the right decision and it’s the biggest VAR call in Premier League history.”

Former Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given on Match of the Day: “The thing that grates {on] me is we have seen on numerous occasions with Arsenal this season, goalkeepers and defenders getting blocked off and the goal stands. Everyone is frustrated about the consistency of the refereeing decision. Why are some goals allowed to stand and this was disallowed? There is so much at stake at the bottom of the league and the very top.

“The other thing is Gabriel is holding, Odegaard is holding, Trossard is holding before the foul even happens on Raya. When does the referee decide that’s the foul he wants to pick and not the previous foul?”

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy on Match of the Day: “The controversy and discontent around West Ham not being given the goal is because it’s Arsenal. They can’t be held accountable for decisions in the past.

“The VAR officials have got to say what they see and it’s a clear foul. Just because it’s Arsenal we shouldn’t get it distorted.”

Former West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green on BBC Radio 5 Live: “It is a foul. You are looking at two players fouling the goalkeeper. There have been so many of these this season, it has been such a talked-about topic, there has been such inconsistency with it so for it to come down to this is huge.

“It just feels like for VAR, for West Ham, for Arsenal in particular with their set-pieces, has been the topic of the season.

“In isolation – foul. There were five or six fouls going on at the same time in there but it’s where the ball landed. Then you think consistency – there hasn’t been any.”