Gamleys

Gamleys was a chain of toy shops mainly located in the south of the United Kingdom with a head office in Hove, near Brighton.

Unlike many of its rivals such as Toys R Us, Gamleys operated smaller shops in high streets and shopping centres rather than larger super stores. Because of this different approach to business it had managed to survive, unlike the former Childrens World. People often wondered if the name was a play on the famous Hamleys.

Late in 2007 and through the first half of 2008 a number of Gamleys stores closed down and in August 2008 rival chain The Entertainer, operator of thetoyshop.com website [http://www.thetoyshop.com] purchased the Maidstone and Brighton stores [http://www.toynewsmag.com/news/30218/Entertainer-takes-Gamleys-stores] , leaving only the Bromley store which was expected to close on 30 September 2008.

After more than 80 years of trading, Gamleys went out of business in 2008.