Editing Hamleys (section)

==History==
Hamleys is the oldest and in 1994 was the largest toy shop in the world.<ref name="oldest largest">{{cite book|title=The Guinness Book of Records 1994|page=134|author=Peter Matthews, Michelle Dunkley McCarthy|publisher=Facts on File|year= 1994}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Guinness Book of Records 1991|page=135|author=Donald McFarlan, Norris McWhirter|publisher=Guinness|year= 1990}}</ref> It is named after William Hamley, who founded a toy shop called "Noah's Ark" at No. 231 [[High Holborn]], [[London]], in 1760. Ownership of the shop passed through the family, and by the time it was operated by Hamley's grandsons in 1837, the store had become famous, counting royalty and nobility among its customers.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/london/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8510000/8510277.stm|title=The history of Hamleys - London's famous toy shop|date=11 February 2010|access-date=9 May 2021|publisher=BBC News London}}</ref>

A branch at 200 [[Regent Street]] in the [[West End of London]] was opened in 1881. The original High Holborn store was destroyed by fire in 1901 and subsequently relocated to 86–87 High Holborn.<ref name="History">{{citation|url=http://myhamleys.com/experience/history.html|title=History - once upon a time a boy dreamed of owning a toy shop|publisher=Hamleys|access-date=4 August 2009}}</ref>

Hamleys suffered a downturn through the 1920s and closed, entering receivership, in 1931.<ref name="bbc"/> After ensuring that it would not alienate their suppliers,<ref name="BrightonToyMuseum">{{cite web|title=Category:Hamleys - The Brighton Toy and Model Index|url=https://www.brightontoymuseum.co.uk/index/Category:Hamleys|website=brightontoymuseum.co.uk|publisher=Brighton Toy and Model Museum|access-date=9 May 2021}}</ref> the [[Lines Bros]] toy company, Hamleys' largest creditor, purchased the company and reopened the Regent Street store by the end of that year, keeping it largely independent.<ref name="BrightonToyMuseum" /> The High Holborn branch, opened in 1901, would not reopen under the new ownership.<ref name="BrightonToyMuseum" />

In 1938, [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]], consort of King [[George V]], gave Hamleys a [[Royal Warrant of Appointment (United Kingdom)|royal warrant]].<ref name="bbc"/> During the [[Second World War]], the Regent Street store was bombed five times. In 1955, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] gave the company a second royal warrant as a "toys and sports merchant".<ref>{{cite news |title=Hamleys |url=https://www.retailappointment.co.uk/career-advice/company-a-z/companies-f-j/hamleys |access-date=30 June 2023 |work=Retail Appointment}}</ref>

[[File:"Bearer of Gifts", Paddington Bear, Hamley's - geograph.org.uk - 4268837.jpg|thumb|upright|Statue of [[Paddington Bear]] in Hamleys (who bought the rights to the character) in London which was auctioned for the [[National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children]] (NSPCC)]]
In 1981, Hamleys would move to 188–196 Regent Street.<ref name="bbc"/><ref name="BrightonToyMuseum"/> The following year, it was purchased by the department store chain [[Debenhams]].<ref name="Debenhams1982">{{cite book |title=Report and Accounts for the 52 Weeks to 30th January 1982 |date=1982 |publisher=Debenhams plc}}</ref> Debenhams itself was the subject of a takeover in August 1985 by the [[Burton Group]].<ref name="BurtonGroup1985">{{cite book |title=Annual Report 1985 |date=1985 |publisher=The Burton Group plc}}</ref> Burton Group divested Hamleys in August 1986 to [[Queensway (retailer)|Harris Queensway]], a retail group led by [[Philip Harris, Baron Harris of Peckham|Philip Harris]]. At the time it was said that a strategic plan had been formulated to build on the strength of the brand to ensure the company lived up to its reputation.<ref name="HarrisQueensway1987">{{cite book |title=Annual Report and Accounts January 1987 |date=1987 |publisher=Harris Queensway plc}}</ref> The Harris Queensway group, including Hamleys, was taken over in 1988 to become Lowdnes Queensway. Hamleys was sold by Lowndes Queensway in May 1989 to a group led by Duncan Chadwick<ref name="HamleysofLondon1990">{{cite book |title=Report and Financial Statements 31 January 1990 |date=1990 |publisher=Hamleys of London Limited}}</ref> for £22 million.<ref name="Herald15Aug1989">{{cite journal |last1= |first1= |title=Shares in Lowndes Queensway suspended at company's request |journal=The Herald |date=15 August 1989 |volume= |issue= |page= |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/11931995.shares-in-lowndes-queensway-suspended-at-companys-request/ |access-date=20 October 2022}}</ref>

Hamleys was bought in June 2003 by the [[Baugur Group]], an Icelandic investment company. When Baugur collapsed, its stake in the toy store was taken over by the Icelandic bank [[Landsbanki]]. In September 2012 Groupe Ludendo, a toy retailer based in France with shops also located in Belgium, Spain and Switzerland, bought Hamleys for a reported £60 million.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news |title=Hamleys toy chain sold to French firm Groupe Ludendo |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19627941 |newspaper=BBC News Online |date=17 September 2012 |access-date=17 September 2012}}</ref>

In October 2015 it was reported that Groupe Ludendo was negotiating the sale of Hamleys, possibly to a Hong Kong company owned by a relative of the owner of department store [[House of Fraser]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/asia-travel/china/hamleys-handover-mjzx8c626g8|title=Hamleys handover|first=Oliver|last=Shah|date=18 October 2015|work=[[The Times]]}}</ref> It was subsequently purchased by C.Banner, a large Chinese footwear and fashion wear conglomerate based in [[Nanjing]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Official website - C.banner International Holdings|url=http://www.cbanner.com.cn/en/about-corporate.html|website=cbanner.com.cn|publisher=C.banner International Holdings|access-date=6 September 2016}}</ref>

In May 2019, Indian retail company, [[Reliance Retail]], part of the [[Reliance Industries Limited|Reliance Industries]], announced that it has acquired Hamleys for £67.96 million (around ₹620 [[crore]]) using international bank receipt.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reliance Brands completes acquisition of Hamleys |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/retail/reliance-brands-completes-acquisition-of-hamleys/articleshow/70274092.cms |access-date=2022-11-01 |website=The Economic Times}}</ref>