The owner of Toys R Us has agreed a long-term licence agreement which will see it return to the UK next year.

There is a plan for web sales to UK shoppers to start over the next several months.

Toys R Us ANZ has the licence agreement to run “digital and physical retail commerce” for the brand in the UK after signing a deal with brand acquisition firm WHP Global.

READ MORE: HMV acquires Toys R Us in Canada with vision for UK return

The companies involved did not give details of when shops would open here.

Toys R Us’ estate of 100 stores in the UK closed back in 2018, with close to a quarter shut due to a CVA.

The rest were impacted after the UK arm of the business entered administration.

Toys R Us ANZ, previously called Funtastic, relaunched the chain in Australia in 2019.

“Toys R Us today is a vibrant business with over 900 stores and ecommerce sites across 25-plus countries generating over $2 billion a year in sales and growing, especially with the new launches underway for both the US and UK markets,” WHP Global and Toys R Us chairman, Yehuda Shmidman  said.

Toys R Us ANZ chief executive, Louis Mittoni said: “My team and I are looking forward to developing technical and commercial relationships with UK-based vendors and partners and to engage with the many loyal Toys R Us former customers and fans in the UK.”

Toys R Us ANZ is set to start web sales to UK shoppers over the next several months, initially from existing operations in Australia, whilst it works to establish local teams, offices and logistics sites during 2022 and 2023.

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