Smyths Toys at Westwood, is proposing to relocate next year – but it isn’t expected to travel far.
The toy superstore at The Link Retail Park is looking at a “potential relocation” to take place by Spring 2019.
Although Smyths has not revealed where it is heading to it is understood it may be taking on space alongside Matalan at the neighbouring Westwood Retail Park.
In January Thanet council granted permission for the Matalan unit to be split in two, allowing the store to downsize.
Matalan will continue to trade from the reduced space. A sports outlet was thought to be destined for the second unit but sources now say it will be taken by Smyths.
Park owners CD10 Properties Limited said: “The unit no longer meets Matalan’s business model requirements and the application proposals allow Matalan to downsize into a smaller unit (unit 8a) to be created through subdivision.
“A smaller unit (Unit 8b) will be in the ground floor area to be vacated by Matalan and will have a 1,393sqm gross internal ground floor area and a new mezzanine of 503sqm is proposed within this unit.”
A Smyths spokesman said an update would be available late this year “on timing related to the potential relocation of our Thanet store, which we hope to undertake in Spring 2019.”
The Irish chain, which has 80 UK stores, had an uplift in UK profits of 19 per cent from £334 million to £396.49 million by year-end of 2016.