Stationers move to correct 'stationary' shop sign

The firm that took control of shops opened by one of the UK's most famous High Street stationers said it would correct a shop sign advertising "stationary".

The misspelled TG Jones sign, which should say "stationery", has now been moved from outside a former WH Smith shop in St Albans, Hertfordshire.

TG Jones said a "spelling error" had "slipped through the net" and the sign would be reprinted.

News emerged earlier this year that WH Smith would disappear from high streets after the firm agreed to sell its shops to Hobbycraft-owner Modella Capital, which rebranded the chain as TG Jones.

A TG Jones spokesman told the BBC: "Unfortunately a spelling error has slipped through the net and we're now working with our supplier to get this signage reprinted as soon as possible."

Stephen Linstead, the chair of The English Spelling Society, said people would expect stationers to be able to spell stationery.

"It's carelessness," he said.

"It's sloppiness. It does reflect a deterioration in standards, I am afraid," he added.

A BBC Brainsmart post explained the different meanings of stationery and stationary.

"The words 'stationary' and 'stationery' are often mixed up," it said.

"With an 'a', it means 'immobile', and with an 'e', it refers to paper and pens etc."

Following the sale of WH Smith, Modella said it would keep the Post Office outlets that operated in many branches.

The WH Smith name has not been sold and continues to be used at airport, railway station and hospital outlets, which were also not sold, it added.

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