Reliance Industries has announced the voluntary closure of its UK subsidiary Hamleys (Franchising) Ltd., according to reports from ET Now Digital. The closure represents a strategic decision by the Indian conglomerate to exit its international toy retail operations in the United Kingdom market. As per NDTV Profit, the company received intimation at 3:11 p.m. on October 28, 2026, and made the disclosure under Regulation 30 of SEBI's listing rules.
The UK-based step-down subsidiary is on track to be dissolved by late December 2026 after the Registrar of Companies published a gazette notice on the unit's application for voluntary strike off. According to NDTV Profit, the company may be dissolved earliest by late December 2026 after a gazette notice, with the earliest dissolution possible no sooner than two months from October 27, 2026. This voluntary strike-off route allows creditors and other interested parties a window to object before formal dissolution.
The franchising entity represents a minimal portion of Reliance's overall operations, with Hamleys (Franchising) Ltd. reporting a turnover of ₹56.08 crore for calendar year 2025 and nil net worth as of December 31, 2025. As per NDTV Profit, this turnover represents 0.0048% of Reliance's consolidated turnover for financial year 2025-26, a negligible share for a conglomerate whose businesses span energy, retail and telecom. The filing relates only to the franchising entity, with no indication of changes to the wider Hamleys business.
Hamleys entered the Reliance fold in 2019 when Reliance Brands Ltd. acquired all of Hamleys Global Holdings Ltd. from Hong Kong-based C Banner International Holdings for £67.96 million in an all-cash deal. The acquisition was announced in May 2019 and completed in July 2019. Despite the UK closure, Hamleys continues to operate as the world's oldest toy retailer with significant international presence, now operating across 12 countries with over 175 stores globally.
