Iconic UK toy store opens in Singapore

Seven-year-old Cayden Tan's parents rushed him to a toy shop straight after school on Thursday.

The urgency was because Hamleys, believed to be the oldest toy store in the world, was opening its doors at Plaza Singapura that afternoon.

Cayden was so excited about visiting the first Hamleys store in Singapore that he thought about it during his lessons in the morning.

"I had to try harder to concentrate in school. I was waiting anxiously for 15 minutes after school for mum and dad to drive me to Hamleys."

He had no time to change and went there in his school PE T-shirt and shorts.

Cayden's mother, Madam Rachel Yeo, 37, had won her family a trip to the media preview of Hamleys on Thursday, from 3pm to 6pm.

Madam Yeo posted about Cayden's love for Hamleys in a Facebook contest by Plaza Singapura, saying that the UK-based toy giant is his "must visit" shop whenever they are in London.

MANY VISITS

They have visited Hamleys on London's Regent Street twice and also paid visits to Hamleys in London's Heathrow Airport and Hamleys in St Pancras train station.

Originally known as Noah's Ark, Hamleys was founded by William Hamley, who opened his toy shop at Holborn, London, in 1760.

It now has 54 stores in 17 countries - 11 shops in the UK and Ireland and 43 in cities such as Moscow, Dubai, Istanbul and Kuala Lumpur.

Now, Cayden can choose from more than 10,000 toys in the two-storey high, 12,000 sq ft store in Singapore.

The items include puzzles, magic props, arts and craft and the iconic Hamleys teddy bears.

Said Madam Yeo: "Cayden has enough toys to open a toy store.

"He gets a lot of toys during his birthday and Christmas. I let him open one of his toys whenever he does well in school."