The Entertainer Toy Shop: Stores, News & Guide 2026

If you’ve been hearing whispers that The Entertainer toy shop is shutting down, you’re not alone — but those rumours don’t tell the whole story. Britain’s largest independent toy retailer has closed a handful of underperforming high street branches, yet it simultaneously operates more than 3,000 UK locations through concessions, is rolling out new flagship stores, and recently posted its second consecutive year of more than 20% sales growth.

Stores across UK: over 160 standalone branches ·
Total UK touchpoints: over 3,000 via Tesco and other concessions ·
Recent news: Expansion plans for 2026 and beyond ·
International: 200+ overseas locations across 21 countries

The table below summarises The Entertainer’s key operational metrics as of early 2026.

Is The Entertainer Toy Shop Closing Down?

Short answer: no. The Entertainer is not going out of business and remains the UK’s largest independent toy retailer. However, a specific pattern of closures at underperforming standalone stores has fuelled confusion and online rumours about financial distress. Several closures did take place over the past year, driven by rising operational costs making some high street locations unviable.

Closure rumours

The Entertainer has closed stores in Dundee, Edinburgh, Luton, Croydon, Poole, and Barrow-in-Furness over the past year, according to UK Startup Magazine. The Barrow-in-Furness branch shut its doors on 3 May 2026, with the company stating: “We are sad to be closing our Barrow-in-Furness store as of 3rd May and would like to thank our customers and staff for their loyalty and support.” Closures are attributed to rising operational costs including National Insurance, energy, and local rates that render certain high street shops commercially unsustainable.

• Kidderminster Swan Centre: closing 7 February 2026 with 50% off sale (Netmums)
• St George’s Shopping Centre, Preston: closed citing commercial viability (Blog Preston)

Andrew Murphy OBE, Group Chief Executive, explained the approach: “Like most large national retailers, we continuously assess potential new locations while deciding whether to renew those shops which have reached the end of their lease arrangements.” Some closures may lead to relocations to partner locations nearby.

Specific sites affected

While the full 2026 closure list has not been publicly confirmed beyond named stores, the strategy is clear: locations with expiring leases and poor footfall are being exited. New format stores have opened in Bluewater, Cambridge, Rushden Lakes, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh, according to Retail Gazette. The first outlet locations were established at Dalton Park, The O2, and Gunwharf Quays. The company also entered the franchise market, resetting operations to focus on prime malls across 18 countries.

Why Is The Entertainer Toy Shop Closed on Sundays?

Most The Entertainer standalone stores do not open on Sundays — and this is not a sign of crisis. Sunday trading restrictions in England and Wales limit large shops to six hours of trading between 10am and 6pm, and many retailers find the additional labour costs and limited sales uplift do not justify opening. Some stores may also have individual lease arrangements or landlord restrictions.

Store hours policy

The Entertainer follows standard UK high street retail practice regarding Sunday hours. A Sunday trading trial started in September 2025 at selected locations, as UK Startup Magazine reported. The results of this trial — whether it expanded to more stores or proved inconclusive — have not been fully disclosed as of this article’s publication.

Exceptions and alternatives

• Tesco concessions operate on Tesco store hours, meaning you can buy The Entertainer toys seven days a week at over 861 Tesco locations across the UK and Republic of Ireland
• The online store at thetoyshop.com is available 24/7 with next-day delivery options
• New format flagship stores may have extended hours — check the store locator before visiting
• Click and collect is available from many standalone stores, allowing weekend ordering with weekday pickup

The implication: if Sunday shopping is important to you, the Tesco concession network effectively extends The Entertainer’s availability across thousands of additional locations nationwide.

Does Gary Grant Still Own The Entertainer?

Gary Grant co-founded The Entertainer in 1981 alongside his brother. The company has undergone significant structural changes since then, including a transition to the Teal Group corporate structure that also oversees Early Learning Centre and Addo Play. In 2025, The Entertainer transitioned to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), becoming the UK’s second largest employee-owned retailer, according to Retail Gazette.

Ownership history

The Teal Group — which includes The Entertainer, Early Learning Centre, and Addo Play — is the parent entity. Gary Grant’s ongoing role in the business, whether as active co-owner, board member, or ambassador, is not explicitly confirmed in publicly available sources. The company’s current leadership is led by Andrew Murphy OBE as Group Chief Executive, with a leadership team that has expanded internationally as the business grows.

Current status

What is clear is that the EOT transition signals long-term stability rather than a fire-sale exit. Employee-owned structures typically indicate a healthy, profitable business that the owners want to preserve for staff rather than sell to external investors. The shift to EOT came alongside reported sales growth and international expansion — hardly the profile of a company in decline.

The Entertainer Expansion and 2026 Store Plans

While some standalone stores are closing, The Entertainer is simultaneously accelerating expansion through multiple channels. The company has announced new and relocated stores planned for 2026, alongside international growth targets that dwarf the modest UK closure list.

New and relocated stores

• New format stores opened in 2025: Bluewater (Kent), Cambridge, Rushden Lakes (Northamptonshire), Aberdeen, Edinburgh
• First outlet locations: Dalton Park, The O2 (London), Gunwharf Quays (Portsmouth)
• Two new concept stores opened in Milton Keynes and Exeter in 2024
• Gen5 flagship stores confirmed at Bluewater and Rushden Lakes

The Entertainer rolled out toy shops in 861 Tesco stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland in just eight months, creating 1,200 jobs and delivering over 4.5 million toys, according to A1 Retail Magazine. Over 90% of UK shoppers are now within reach of a Tesco concession carrying The Entertainer products.

Shutting stores context

The contrast is deliberate. High street retail faces structural challenges: soaring rents, business rates, energy costs, and shifting foot traffic patterns favour out-of-town retail parks and supermarket car parks over traditional shopping streets. The Entertainer is adapting by moving where customers actually shop, not clinging to locations that no longer work commercially.

International expansion

The company operates 200 overseas locations across 21 countries, according to Toy World Magazine. The UAE Carrefour partnership is targeting over 100 stores in 2026. The international strategy replicates the UK concession model — placing toy shops inside larger retail environments with built-in foot traffic — in prime malls across 18 countries. Early Learning Centre and Addo Play products now reach 24,000 outlets worldwide via wholesale partnerships.

Andrew Murphy, Group CEO, said in a 2025 statement: “2025 has been a milestone year for The Entertainer. We’ve grown our UK retail sales by more than 20% for the second consecutive year while also advancing internationally.” The company also expanded its Pop Mart partnership with 12 additional ROBO SHOPS.

Finding The Entertainer Toy Shop: Locations, Website and Offers

Whether you prefer browsing shelves in person or shopping online from the sofa, The Entertainer has more access points than ever — if you know where to look.

Store locator

With over 160 standalone stores, The Entertainer has one of the widest physical footprints of any UK toy specialist. The store locator on thetoyshop.com allows you to search by postcode, view opening hours, and check click-and-collect availability. Key clusters include London (multiple stores across central and suburban locations), major regional cities (Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool), and retail park formats at Bluewater, Rushden Lakes, and Dalton Park.

Online shopping

The official website at thetoyshop.com offers next-day delivery on qualifying orders, a dedicated offers section with seasonal sales, and the full product range including exclusives not always available in standalone stores. The online platform has grown significantly — the company describes 2024 as a year of “unprecedented growth in both our physical and digital channels.”

London stores

London has multiple The Entertainer locations, including flagship format stores in major shopping destinations. The Bluewater Gen5 store (in Kent, accessible from East London) is among the newest formats. Central London options include Westfield White City, Oxford Street area stores, and the outlet format at The O2 in Greenwich.

Current offers

The National Big Toy Sale offered up to 60% off until 31 January 2026, according to Netmums. Closing stores like Kidderminster have additional stock-clearance events with 50% off all toys. Check thetoyshop.com offers section for current promotions.

For parents and gift-buyers: the spread of Tesco concessions means you can likely pick up The Entertainer toys during your weekly food shop without a special trip to a toy shop — a convenience advantage that no online-only retailer can easily match.

The timeline below shows the key milestones in The Entertainer’s recent evolution.

“Like most large national retailers, we continuously assess potential new locations while deciding whether to renew those shops which have reached the end of their lease arrangements.”

— Andrew Murphy OBE, Group Chief Executive (UK Startup Magazine)

“This roll-out has significantly increased our retail footprint in the UK and Ireland – putting over 90% of the UK’s shoppers within easy reach of our unmatched toy offer.”

— The Entertainer company statement (A1 Retail Magazine)

“2025 has been a milestone year for The Entertainer. We’ve grown our UK retail sales by more than 20% for the second consecutive year while also advancing internationally.”

— Andrew Murphy, Group CEO (Retail Gazette)

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While expansion beckons into 2026, 2025 store closure updates reveal strategic closures that have refined the chain’s UK footprint amid rumoured challenges.

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