It will retain its focus on local businesses within 500m of each branch, but will offer a range of printing services packaged simply so non-experts can buy.

"Every printing company is set up to produce highly bespoke work for the top 20% of the market," said managing director Kevin Belcher. "It misses the majority of the market. Everything has to be instantly priceable.

"None of this is about equipment, it's about mindset and what the shops look like, which is a much bigger challenge," he added.

The process will involve changing the branches so they have more space for displays of work and areas to discuss and prepare jobs, rather than actual production equipment.

Products will include the firm's core digital colour work alongside large-format and litho print. It will retain its existing set-up of distributing work from each shop to the most appropriate production site for digital and large-format work and using Printing.com for litho.

The first shop to undergo the treatment will be its Broadwick Street branch in Soho. Six buyers are lined up to buy the eight sites.

Story by Barney Cox