One of the most iconic retailers of the 80s and 90s is making a grand return to Greater Manchester this weekend.
Ready to turn the nostalgia dial up to 100?
That’s because, over two years after it was announced that the retailer would be making a UK comeback following it sadly going into administration back in 2018, Toys R Us is set to open its doors inside the Trafford Centre this weekend.
Toys R Us – which is now owned by parent company, WHP Global – says it’s “very proud” to be bringing its beloved brand back to the UK after half a decade, and the Greater Manchester shopping centre is one of 30 locations where the legendary toy emporium has partnered with fellow retailer, WHSmith, to open a new concession.
Iconic retailer Toys R Us is opening in the Trafford Centre this weekend / Credit: WHP Global
The new Toys R Us store will be opening next to WHSmith in the Trafford Centre this Saturday (13 July) – with a grand opening event running throughout the day, and the iconic Geoffrey the Giraffe joining the team for an official ribbon cutting and to greet customers through the doors.
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And if that wasn’t exciting enough as it is, the first 100 children visiting the store will also receive a free Toys R Us goody bag worth more than £20 too.
Speaking ahead of the grand opening of the Toys R Us concession this weekend, Ian Sanders, who is the Group Commercial Development Director at WHSmith, said the company is “really excited” for the new Manchester venture.
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“WHSmith is known for being the hub of the high street by providing customers with a range of great products and services,” he commented.
“Partnering with Toys R Us gives us a leading toys and games range in our stores and means customers have even more reasons to shop with us, so we look forward to welcoming many more customers into our store.”
WHSmith’s Managing Director, Sean Toal, added that the partnership with Toys R Us “epitomises” and “shows exactly what [the company] is all about”, and that the opening of the new Trafford Centre concession gives customers “even more reasons to shop with us”.
Toys R Us will open inside WHSmith at the Trafford Centre this Saturday 13 July, with the special grand opening event running from 10am to 2pm.
Featured Image – WHP Global
News
Cult US sustainable clothing brand Reformation to open in Manchester city centre
Emily Sergeant
Cult US sustainable clothing brand Reformation is set to open its doors in Manchester very soon.
Since it was first founded in Los Angeles all the way back in 2009, Reformation has gone on to become one of the largest sustainable womenswear brands on the planet, and is now known and loved for making beautiful, timeless apparel and accessories that aim to ‘inspire confidence’ across life stages and occasions.
Operating on a business model that pairs a smart approach to merchandising with a responsive supply chain, Reformation now operates more than 70 retail stores across the US, UK, Canada, and France.
At the heart of the Reformation story is a genuine commitment to ‘doing things differently’.
Since day one, sustainability has been woven into everything the brand makes – from the eco-certified fabrics and responsible factories, to its famously transparent sustainability reports.
Currently, Reformation has five UK stores to its name – but, it may come as no surprise to fans of the brand that they’re all in London.
That’s why the news of this new Manchester opening is such a big deal.
Set to be the label’s first UK store outside of the capital, Reformation has secured a prime spot on King Street in the heart of the city centre, and although there’s no confirmed opening date as of yet, if the shop windows saying ‘Summer 2026’ are anything to go by, we can only imagine it’ll be very soon.
“For Manchester, it’s a landmark moment, and for King Street, it’s the latest signal that this is one of the UK’s most exciting retail destinations,” a spokesperson for King Street said in a statement.
Stay tuned for details on opening dates to be announced in due course.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
News
Andy Burnham to begin rolling out new ‘everyday fixes’ for Brits amid cost of living crisis
Emily Sergeant
A series of ‘everyday fixes’ to help combat the rising cost of living crisis are soon to be rolled out nationwide.
Kicking off with two measures today, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced that he plans to ban retailers from making ‘misleading’ claims to customers about discounts.
The Government says shoppers have ‘increasingly complained’ about outlets artificially inflating prices to give a false sense of value, such as increasing prices only to then immediately advertise ‘discounts’ to make savings look larger than they really are, which goes on to create an uneven playing field for honest competitors.
The Prime Minister also wants to see an end to so-called ‘subscription traps’, where people find it hard to cancel their subscriptions, and contracts are automatically renewed at a higher cost.
Set to come into force in January 2027 and saving people an average of £14 a month for every unwanted subscription, the changes will mean businesses will need to provide clearer up-front information, regular reminders. and a ‘much easier’ exit to contracts.
Andy Burnham to begin rolling out new ‘everyday fixes’ for Brits amid cost of living crisis / Credit: gov.uk | Piotr Cichosz (via Unsplash)
A new 14-day cooling-off period will also be introduced to let consumers cancel after a trial or long-term contract renews.
Certain charitable memberships, like the ones for cultural and heritage organisations for example, will be excluded from the new subscription rules due to the fact they have a unique role in preserving the nation’s history, landscapes, and cultural collections.
The Prime Minister says he is ‘determined’ to use every chance he gets to restore fairness and take pressure off people.
“I know people are sick and tired of rip-off discounts and subscription traps,” Andy Burnham said. “Westminster has got used to telling people that everyday hassles like this are just part of life, but I don’t think that’s right, especially when the cost of living continues to weigh heavily on so many people’s lives.”
Emily Sergeant -
9th July 2024 
