Vodafone and Three to combine brands on high street after £15bn merger

Mobile provider VodafoneThree has launched a major overhaul of its retail stores which will see the two brands combine under one roof following the £15 billion merger of the businesses.

The telecoms giant stressed that it is committed to the UK high street following the merger and will remain in every town where it already has a presence.

However, it is understood the transformation plan will see some consolidation leading to a small number of potential store closures where Vodafone and Three currently run neighbouring premises.

It is not clear which locations will be affected and is likely to take place over a number of years.

It is nevertheless understood that there are no planned redundancies linked to the transformation, which will see Vodafone and Three stores shift into dual-branded locations.

VodafoneThree said it will invest tens of millions of pounds into the programme, which will give it the largest footprint of any mobile network operator in the UK.

The group said investment will increase the amount of support and advice available at its retail locations, including new services such as Fix & Go by Vodafone, offering additional repair services for customers.

The transformation will include flagship stores in major cities, including sites in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Cardiff, the company said.

Jon Shaw, consumer operations director at VodafoneThree, said: “We know how important stores like ours are to the health of the high street and the communities which rely on them.

“From shopping devices, seeking support from our experts or getting their phone repaired, we are proud to serve our customers where they are and reaffirm our commitment to the UK high street.

“The stores will help bring our brands to more people, offering customers more choice and greater value, as we build the UK’s best network.”