Toys R Us has confirmed it plans to close one of its stores in Kent as part of proposals to shut at least 26 nationally, putting 800 jobs at risk.

The toy retailer said its location at Great Lodge Retail Park in Tunbridge Wells is earmarked to cease trading in spring next year.

Its store in Chatham is expected to remain open. Its Lakeside store in Thurrock is also unaffected.

The company said there would be “no disruption” to shopping over the Christmas and New Year period.

The Tunbridge Wells store will continue to trade as normal and will continue to honour gift cards and take-time-to-pay agreements with customers.

There will be no changes to returns policies.

Staff found out about the closure in a synchronised announcement across the company’s 106 UK stores this morning – creating uncertainty about their future just before Christmas.

It detailed how Toys R Us, which employs 3,200 people, plans to restructure using a process known as a company voluntary arrangement with its creditors.

“The business has been lossmaking in recent years and so we need to take strong and decisive action to accelerate the transformation...” - Steve Knights, Toys R Us

This would “reduce the UK company’s rental obligations and allow the business to move to a new, viable business model”.

It hopes creditors will approve the plans over the next 17 days.

Steve Knights, managing director of Toys R Us UK, said the closures affected warehouse-style stores it opened in the 1980s and 1990s which “are too big and expensive to run in the current retail environment”.

He said: “The business has been lossmaking in recent years and so we need to take strong and decisive action to accelerate the transformation.”

Toys R Us’ parent company filed for bankruptcy protection in the US and Canada in September in a bid to restructure debts of £3.7 billion.

Mr Knights added: “We recognise this process will affect many of our team members and their families, so we are committed to keeping all of our staff informed throughout this process.

“Our teams will continue to play a key role in turning our business around.”