Ann: WHSmith High Street Stores, page-7

WHSmith and Toys“R”Us ANZ Limited have unveiled plans for nine WHSmith High Street stores which will be opening Toys“R”Us shop-in-shops from this month to bring the brand back to the UK in its physical form.Last year Toys”R”Us launched its first UK digital flagship ecommerce website www.toysrus.co.uk. It announced its sub licensing partnership with W.H Smith in October last year with plans to trial the in store implants for 12 months from the first store opening.“At WHSmith, we’re always exploring new opportunities to launch exciting, new product ranges to our customers on the high street, and our partnership with Toys “R” Us certainly does this!” said Sean Toal, Managing Director, WHSmith High Street. “The brand has long been known for its exceptional range of toys and games and complements our existing offer well. Across each of the nine locations, we have a great team of colleagues who look forward to welcoming many new and existing customers over the coming weeks and showcasing the new store layout and, not forgetting, Geoffrey the Giraffe!”Each Toys“R”Us shop-in-shop will feature a key range of products and activities from top toys brands including Barbie, Bluey, Fisher Price, Hot Wheels, LEGO, Marvel, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Playmobil, Star Wars and more. Locations include, Canterbury, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Cwmbran, Oxford, Poole, Reading, and Solihull.Simon Cartey, UK Commercial Director at Toys“R”Us, added: “Our new Toys”R”Us shop-in-shops at WHSmith create the perfect home for Toys”R”Us as it returns to the UK high street shopping scene. With this collaboration, we are not only bringing back the beloved Toys”R”Us experience but also providing convenient access to a wide range of toys and games. Together, we hope to create a magical and joyful shopping destination for families across the country.”Toys”R”Us has had a series of executive role changes in the past few months. The company announced the appointment of Simon Cartey to the role of Commercial Director for the UK in April, followed by last months announcement that Louis Mittoni would be stepping down as Group CEO and managing director, with Kevin Moore, Chair of TOY combining the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Non-Exec Chair as Executive Chair until a replacement is found.