Hamleys

From Noah's Ark to Regent Street

William Hamley was a Cornishman with a passion for playthings. In 1760 he opened a small shop on High Holborn called Noah's Ark, selling tin soldiers, rag dolls, wooden hoops and other handmade toys. The business thrived, and by the Victorian era it had become a favourite of London's wealthiest families — including the royal household. In 1881 the store relocated to its current home on Regent Street, occupying a grand Edwardian building that eventually expanded to seven floors.

The twentieth century tested the shop severely. During the Blitz, the Regent Street store was bombed five times, yet staff continued to trade from the entrance wearing tin hats. Queen Mary granted Hamleys its first royal warrant in 1938, cementing its status as the nation's premier toy shop. After passing through several owners — including the Icelandic bank Baugur and Chinese conglomerate C.Banner — it was acquired by Reliance Industries in 2019.

What to See and Do

Each of the seven floors is dedicated to a different world of play. The basement houses LEGO, Meccano and construction sets, while the ground floor is home to an enormous soft toy collection and the popular Build-A-Bear Workshop. Board games, science kits and outdoor toys fill the first floor; baby and preschool toys occupy the second; dolls, dressing-up costumes and arts and crafts take over the third; remote-control vehicles and model railways command the fourth; and action figures and a family cafe sit at the top.

What sets Hamleys apart from any ordinary toy shop is the atmosphere. Staff on every floor demonstrate the latest gadgets, from flying drones to erupting volcanoes, drawing small crowds of mesmerised children. The demonstrations are not sales pitches so much as free entertainment, and many visitors come specifically to watch them.

Regent Street and Beyond

Hamleys sits at the heart of one of London's finest shopping streets. Regent Street itself is worth a stroll — the sweeping curve of John Nash's Regency architecture runs from Piccadilly Circus to Oxford Circus and is lined with flagship stores. Carnaby Street is a two-minute walk east, while Liberty department store is just around the corner on Great Marlborough Street.

The store is at its most spectacular during the Christmas season, when the facade is draped in lights and the annual Hamleys Christmas Toy Parade marches down Regent Street with floats, performers and characters. Even outside the festive period, the in-store demonstrations and sheer density of toys make Hamleys one of the few shops in London that genuinely qualifies as an attraction.