Hamleys, the historic London toy store chain, could after more than a century of life pass into French hands. The legendary brand present since 1881 in Regent's Street would in fact, according to the British press, be taken over by the transalpine group Ludendo for around 60 million pounds (75 million euros).
According to the Sunday Times, in particular, the negotiation is underway. Most of the capital of Hamleys belongs to the Icelandic bank Landsbanki: the chain has 8 stores in England and Ireland and is also present in the Middle East and India, for a total turnover of 43 million euros in 2011. Ludendo, for its part, is already present in France, Belgium, Switzerland and Spain with a series of brands from various countries.
