Gifts Today June July 2020 by Lema Publishing

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Gifts Today Month: July 2020 Issue: 6 Volume: 31

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Gifts Today July 2020

p 12

Contents p 26

Regulars 5 6 8 10

Message from the editor News Exhibition news The Giftware Association A special interview with CEO Sarah Ward

Cover story 12 Ashleigh & Burwood The British company’s famous Fragrance Lamps don’t just scent our homes, they also purify the air, removing up to 99% of bacteria. What’s more, new laboratory tests reveal the Lamps also kill up to 97% of Coronavirus

Retail

Gifts Today team

24 Williams of Audlem

Editor

While some of the UK high street’s biggest names

Sally Norton sally@lemapublishing.co.uk

shut for the first time in their histories, the 168-year-old Crewe shop has kept its doors open throughout the whole Covid-19 crisis

Advertisement Manager

Mark Horsnell markh@lemapublishing.co.uk

32 Bira CEO Andrew Goodacre of The British Independent

Layout/Design

Retailers’ Association talks Covid-19 and the future

Rick Vickers rick@lemapublishing.co.uk

of independent retail

p16

Managing Director

Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Production Director

40 Retailers’ Panel Members of our Panel talk Covid-19, lockdown and the ups and downs of the ‘new normal’ in our four-

p 46 p 30

page special

Special Features

Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

14 New products

Chairman

You can’t go to the summer shows, so we bring

Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

them to you! Lots of lovely product across a range of categories

36 Games & Puzzles We take a look at the category that proved to be essential during lockdown

46 InStyle Time for a bit of bling - jewellery and fashion

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51 Trade Talk We talk to a host of suppliers in our

p 48

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p12

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Message from the Editor www.giftstoday.media

Instagram: @giftstodaymedia

an you remember where you were on 23 March when PM Boris Johnson announced the strict lockdown and told us to ‘stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives?’ And to think that back in February anyone old enough to remember 2001 thought that the terrible events of 9/11 would be the biggest event in their lifetime. We ran a Gifts Today survey in those first weeks, gathering opinion from all sides of the industry on how we could deal with the Covid-19 crisis. What became immediately clear was how resilient our brilliant industry is - and has continued to be. It’s been fascinating putting this issue together, talking to retailers who have boosted their online presence and got their businesses safely open again after lockdown; and suppliers who have really gone the extra mile to support their customers; and exhibition organisers who have had to cancel shows and yet have rallied with a virtual offering. And then there’s our cover stars Ashleigh & Burwood who have had research done that proves their fabulous Fragrance Lamps can actually clear Covid-19 from the air. A truly fascinating read. Head to page 12 to learn more. Living life in lockdown revealed to me, at least, how important gifts and cards are in keeping in touch with loved ones and showing them we care. And, of course, as we stayed in our homes for weeks on end, the simple joy of a scented candle, gourmet treat or home accessory really came into focus. This issue has been a great opportunity for some wonderful giftware companies to show you items they know your customers will love, and to share their news after these extraordinary few months. And we’ve got masses of retailer comment too. Check out our piece with Judy Evans of Williams of Audlem on page 24, one of the few gift shops to stay open during lockdown because her business also

‘

houses a newsagent and hardware business. We also speak to lots of other retailers across the UK to see how they have coped, and initiatives they have taken - our four-page special starts on page 40. There are some great stories – and ideas – to share. We’ve been busy here at Gifts Today HQ, too. We’ve got a fabulous new website, so do make sure you sign up online for our regular newsflashes – that way all the latest news will drop into your inbox. Head to www.giftstoday.media to see for yourself. Click on the ‘About’ tab to sign up for the newsflash service. Mark Horsnell and I are so pleased to be back, and it’s been great catching up with so many of you. Do drop either of us a line if you’ve got news to share. We’d love to hear from you. I hope you enjoy this issue. We’re already hard at work on our September issue – while the shows might not be running, we’ll be bringing you page after page of lovely new product. Get in touch if you’d like to be involved.

Hello, and welcome to our #BackInBusiness July issue. And what a few months it’s been.

‘

The views of the contributors expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the publisher. Comments, letters and criticism are welcome.

p40

News

Special Covid-19 award in Best Small Shops competition

The Independent Retailers’ Confederation (IRC), a group of multi-sector trade organisations representing over 100,000 indie retailers throughout the UK, has announced a special category in its search to find Britain’s Best Small Shop of 2020. The annual Best Small Shops Competition relaunched post lockdown on 4 July, and judges are seeking entries from independents demonstrating specific innovation to combat the impact of Covid-19 in a new award category sponsored by booost, the loyalty, gifting and promotions app. To learn more or to enter, visit: bestsmallshops.uk

Take the SaveTheHighStreet.org health check From March to July 2020, SaveTheHighStreet.org, with input from dozens of independents and industry experts, has been evaluating hundreds of business strategies for the Coronavirus-era high street. You can take their survey to receive a free health check report and scores, plus six top recommendations for your business. ‘The survey has already drawn responses from more than 1300 high street retailers and giftware shops are prominent among them,’ Michael Weedon, Head of the High Street Advisory Board at SaveTheHighStreet.org, told Gifts Today. ‘The survey is open into July and we are providing each business that takes part with a personalised report from it for free.’ Visit the website to access the link for your free report. savethehighstreet.org

University Games buys Lagoon University Games and Asmodee Group have announced that University Games has purchased Lagoon from Asmodee. This acquisition is the 14th for University Games and its third in the UK. Lagoon was founded in 1988 and has been a part of the UK book, game, gift and puzzle market since its very beginning. The company has 175 different lines and specialises in supplying gift shops, bookstores and garden centres. The company announced earlier this month that Jessica Foreshew has joined as National Account Manager, having worked at Lagoon since 2017.

New faces at Mad Beauty The company, known for their design-led cosmetics for both the gift and professional sectors, are building on their 2020 strategy for international growth with a new Operations Director and Head of Commercial. Wendy Kent joins as Operations Director, bringing with her a vast experience in international supply chain. She has lived and worked in four countries over the last 30 years and has led international teams. The company also name Jonathan Tomkin as new Head of Commercial. Jonathan brings huge experience across a broad range of consumer goods companies, with digital, export and the North American markets in particular. madbeauty.com 6 Gifts Today

Gift cards overtook physical gifts in lockdown Gift cards emerged as the most popular form of gifting during Covid-19, according to latest research from the Gift Card & Voucher Association (GCVA) and GlobalData. The research into 2000 UK shoppers found that, of those that purchased gifts for loved ones during lockdown, 14% bought a gift card for somebody else, outselling physical gifts at just 12%. ‘Some of the UK’s most popular gifting occasions, such as Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, fell during lockdown,’ says Gail Cohen, director general of the GCVA. ‘To adhere to social distancing, consumers needed gifting solutions that minimise contact, could be sent instantly, and enjoyed at a later date. For this, as well as recognising our key workers and even keeping the nation fed, gift cards have been the perfect solution.’

Widdop & Co ‘look on the bright side’ The long established company has launched a five-pronged autumn/winter campaign called ‘Look On The Brightside,’ set to run from 27 August to 20 October Launching over 700 new items, Widdop offers five channels to engage with customers. 1.

Digital content, including digital catalogues, videos and awards programme. Digital events including webinars showcasing products and offering exert advice. Roadshow. The team will be on the road with their 450 sq ft mobile showroom between 28 September and 11 October. Showroom event. The Manchester showroom will be open between 1-30 September. Product support, POS and promotions.

widdop.co.uk/brightsideshow

Wax Lyrical continues hand sanitiser production In a bid to address the national shortage of sanitiser, Wax Lyrical adapted its Cumbria-based facility back in March, transforming its business in a matter of weeks and producing a million units of sanitiser within the first month of production. Wax Lyrical Head of Laboratory & Innovation Dr Will Locke, worked alongside personal care manufacturing specialist Jeremy Thomas to create a new sanitiser formula and the liquid lines in the factory, which are usually used to manufacture reed diffuser fragrances, have been converted to pump the alcohol for the sanitisers. Today, Wax Lyrical is continuing to produce sanitiser in response to the UK demand with the range available to buy online and in a number of retailers, and the team is urging businesses to stock up in preparation for staff returning to work. wax-lyrical.com

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Exhibition News NJ products

London Stationery Show cancelled Organisers, Ocean Media Group, have confirmed the show will not be taking place this year. The show was originally moved from April to 11 September at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. ‘We’re very sad to have to cancel the show,’ says Event Director, Alex Butler. ‘The ongoing impact of the pandemic and its effect on businesses is far reaching. We’ve been listening to our exhibitors and visitors and feel it’s important to give the industry time to rebuild, before coming together in better times.’ The next edition of London Stationery Show will now take place on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 April 2021 at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London, when the much-loved and established show will celebrate its belated 10th birthday.

Autumn Fair’s Virtual Forum Hyve confirmed earlier this month that Autumn Fair will not take place this year and are supporting the industry with exclusive seminar content to educate and inform. It’s set to launch in September and details will follow on the show’s website: autumnfair.com. ‘We have listened to the community and whilst the industry supports Autumn Fair, the preferred choice in 2020 is to connect in a virtual

environment,’ says event director Jessica Dawnay. ‘Fuelling retail whilst bringing people together is at the heart of what we do. And with that in mind, we are also looking forward to when the market can meet again in-person. We want to ensure retail comes back stronger than ever. We will have Spring Fair 7-11 February 2021, your next buying opportunity, and Autumn Fair 2021will take place 5-8 September 2021.’

Autumn fair in Frankfurt in 1949

Giving & Living 2021 The UK tourism sector has been one of the sectors hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis. So the leading specialist gift trade show in the South West is aiming to give the region’s businesses a much-needed bounce back for 2021 and beyond. The Giving & Living trade show is set to run 17-19 January at Westpoint, Exeter, and (as ever) showcases the very latest gift ideas and products for buyers to stock their shelves, get set up for the year ahead, and boost their profits Hale Events, who have bought the show from Hyve after running it for them for many years, say the event has been carefully redesigned to take on board the ‘new normal’ – including putting safety measures in place as well as running it over a shorter period to help reduce costs for exhibitors. givingliving.co.uk

8 Gifts Today

Messe Frankfurt celebrates 780th anniversary – by getting back to business On 11 July 1240, Emperor Frederick II granted trade fair rights to Frankfurt am Main, marking the birth of Messe Frankfurt. And, as soon as Messe Frankfurt celebrates its 780-year anniversary, it will be getting straight back to business: following a global lockdown lasting multiple months, Messe Frankfurt is once again holding trade fairs. Smaller events are already underway on the Frankfurt exhibition grounds, and trade fairs will be joining them soon: Nordstil will be leading the way in Hamburg in September, followed by the Frankfurt Book Fair in October. Replacement dates have also been planned in 2020 for many of the group's postponed events worldwide. Wolfgang Marzin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Messe Frankfurt says: ‘We are delighted that our events will once again be serving as platforms for personal interaction. The past 780 years have demonstrated time and again just how important trade fairs are for promoting economic recovery in times of crisis, and our customers have been making it clear to us that face-to-face encounters and dialogue are irreplaceable.’

Home & Gift Virtual 2020 While the live show may have been cancelled due to Covid-19, Clarion launched a three-day digital event in a big to help retail businesses thrive during these challenging times. Taking place from 20-22 July, there was a chance to see digital product launches from the likes of Apples to Pears, Belly Button Designs and Miss Milly. There were also lots of sessions from industry experts, covering trends, social media, marketing and consumer behaviour. They included Jess Clarkson from Marks & Spencer, trends forecaster Fran Sheldon and business coach Rachel Perry. Next year’s Home & Gift Buyer’s Festival will run 18-21 July in Harrogate. homeandgift.co.uk

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GT CONTRIBUTOR: The Giftware Association – Sarah Ward

‘There are opportunities out there for businesses to take’ As non-essential shops open their doors to customers again, Gifts Today caught up with the The Giftware Association’s CEO Sarah Ward to discover what the team has been doing to support the industry since the Covid-19 crisis began and how she sees the future of the GA and the giftware industry Sarah, how has the GA weathered the Covid-19 pandemic so far?

‘

Sarah Ward

It was hard to see so many businesses fall through the cracks, but we hope they have been picked up with some of the funding schemes that have been available

‘

10 Gifts Today

Very well! At the start, the GA team took on more of a sounding board role and listened to our members’ concerns, so we were very reactive. We shared the latest government information, advice and access to funding as well as our own service providers’ details to help our members’ businesses survive. After a couple of weeks, we started to host webinars with key information and Government releases; and we launched our charity campaign #GiftThemThanks and kick started Gift of the Year with our Gifts of Hope competition.

What did you see as your role during this crisis? Really as what we do on day-to-day basis, but just amped up. We moved from being reactive to proactive and giving our members the resources they needed. We also offered help and benefits to non-members too, supporting the whole of our industry.

What opportunities did you put in place for members? It just so happened that we were planning a Facebook Community for the giftware industry and its launch date fell on when many businesses were furloughing and working from home. This community has allowed us to keep in touch with the community organically as well as giving the community a safe, supportive place to ask questions. We are now up to over 500 members. We also set up a nine-week webinar program with supplier member Widdop

focused on looking to the ‘other side’, which many businesses were not really talking about. We covered topics such as health and safety, getting online and social media. Our #GiftThemThanks charity campaign also allowed us to celebrate key workers in the crisis as well as shout about all the businesses involves.

How difficult was it for you to move from face-to-face events to connecting on digital platforms? It was a learning curve. We had talked a lot about doing webinars, so we all learnt Zoom, video editing as well as setting up webinars. There were teething issues and we are still learning but now praise the platform for its ease of meetings and setting up new calls with new businesses. It has allowed us to reach out to a new audience but also be a bit more connected to new partners and we have forged a few new partnerships during this time which technology has allowed us.

How do you feel GA members have coped during this crisis? We have obviously seen some struggles and, like a lot of businesses in the UK, have relied on the furlough scheme and government funding. At the start it was hard to see so many businesses fall through the cracks, but we hope they have been picked up with some of the funding schemes that have been available. We have also seen members thrive, though, and our Gifts of Hope proved this with celebrating businesses that have created products and gifts that have given back to society.

Do you think the ‘new normal’ could prove to be a window of opportunity for some gift retailers? Definitely. We will see companies who are agile move towards more virtual offerings and online events. The companies that don’t adapt will be the ones that struggle the most. At the moment there are opportunities out there for businesses to take - it will just involve a bit more creative thinking.

How do you feel the giftware industry will fare in the coming months? I think a massive blow to the giftware sector is the lack of trade shows, but we have seen trade shows adapt with virtual offerings, like BCTF and Harrogate Home & Gift. We have also seen shows adapt to offer more for their exhibitors like the webinars series that both Hyve and Clarion have put out there. It will be tough over the coming months and we hope the help, support and funding has helped them survive.

What are the biggest things you’ve learnt as an Association during this time? I think the adoption of technology and its uses have been fundamental for us to stay relevant to our members. The Giftware Association is a legacy business so adopting technology has been key to keep in touch with our members. We have learnt to be more agile and to react quickly to changing situations and also to stay one step ahead of where the industry is going to be able to offer the best support. We aim to keep our webinar series running and to do more targeted masterclasses. ga-uk.org

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GT COVER STORY: Ashleigh & Burwood

Purify the air you breathe with Ashleigh & Burwood The British company’s famous Fragrance Lamps don’t just scent our homes, they also purify the air, removing up to 99% of bacteria. What’s more, new laboratory tests reveal the Lamps also kill up to 97% of airborne Coronavirus. We catch up with MD Andrew Nettleton to discover the science behind it and how Fragrance Lamps can help your customers now more than ever Andrew, how does an Ashleigh & Burwood Fragrance Lamp work? Our Fragrance Lamps are essentially a container (generally either glass or ceramic) that is filled with the Lamp Fragrance, and a cotton wick with attached catalytic burner (‘stone’) is inserted into the mouth of the container. The stone is coated in platinum, which is a catalyst. When the Lamp is primed, you simply light the top of the stone, and leave a flame for a couple of minutes, which brings the stone up to operating temperature. After this, blow out the flame, and the Lamp is working. The ‘magic’ of the catalysis in conjunction with oxygen and the Lamp Fragrance keep the stone hot, and constantly drawing fragrance up through the wick and releasing it into the air. It’s actually quite a complex system when you delve into the technology behind it! To end the fragrance release, you place a small metal snuffer cap back over the stone, which cuts the oxygen supply. We know the Ashleigh & Burwood Fragrance Lamps perfume the air – how do they clean and purify the air, too? There is more than one action that takes 12 Gifts Today

place that contributes to the cleansing effect. Due to the clever design of the stone, some of the alcohol base of the Lamp Fragrance is able to pass through the catalytic system without being combusted, and this is broken into ultra fine particles and diffused rapidly through the air. The ultra fine particles of the alcohol base Lamp Fragrance diffuse and when those tiny particles come into contact with infectious agents such as virus or bacteria, they neutralise them. Finally, there is the natural convection caused by the heat, and

consequent airflow down onto the stone. The surface operating temperature of the stone can be around 350C (around half the heat of a candle flame), which destroys virus and bacteria that come into contact with it. Have you had it conﬁrmed that using Fragrance Lamps is a great way to kill Coronavirus? Yes. The testing was conducted on coronavirus on surfaces, and crucially also airborne. The active virus on surfaces after just five minutes exposure to the Lamp was reduced by 30%, and by 60% after 30 minutes. However, the most impressive results came from testing against the airborne virus, where an average of 97% of the airborne virus was destroyed on tests between 15 and 30 minutes length.

New for AW20: Glass Fragrance Lamp designs have been added to The Heritage Collection

How did this idea come about? The original Lamp technology dates back over 120 years, to when a French pharmacist discovered the catalytic combustion process, and the Lamps came to be widely used to help disinfect and purify the air in hospitals, thus cutting down on infection transmission. We have taken the original technology, tweaked and refined it over the course of the last 10 years or so, to create what we believe is the best system out there. When the Covid-19 pandemic started taking hold, we immediately wondered whether our product could be useful, and began researching a microbiological laboratory that could do the type of testing that was needed. At the end of January this year, we commissioned a specialist US laboratory to begin testing our Lamps specifically for their efficacy against coronavirus. In June we received the verified results in the final test report. Now as of 8 July, the WHO and media organisations around the globe are reporting that there is growing evidence that the virus does spread through airborne transmission, so we hope that our product can assist in the fight against the virus. What do Fragrance Lamps do that, say, candles or diffusers don’t when it comes to purifying the air? Compared with other home fragrance products, the key thing that a Fragrance Lamp does when perfuming a room is not just to release fragrance into the air, but also at the same time to actively destroy malodour particles. Products such as sprays, candles and diffusers simply attempt to mask background odours, but when the fragrance fades the undesirable odour will still be present. A Fragrance Lamp however can actively remove the malodour. Another key aspect is the ability to distribute fragrance faster and further than any of the other product formats. The catalytic combustion burner is almost like a tiny little engine actively and rapidly diffusing fragrance into the air, with the added effect of the convection current helping the fragrance to spread much more quickly through the air. What is the ingredient in the Lamp Fragrance that actively kills Coronavirus? In some ways it isn’t surprising – it’s actually one of the ingredients that is used in the hand sanitisers that we have come to know so well this year. Both ethanol and isopropyl alcohol are used in hand sanitisers, and it is the latter that we have chosen to use in our Lamp Fragrances.

Get in touch!

Call: 01932 267060 Email: info@ashleigh-burwood.co.uk Visit: ashleigh-burwood.co.uk

Is this similar to how hand sanitisers work? Yes - the viruses are surrounded by a lipid membrane, and the antimicrobial effect of the alcohol vapour is attributed to its ability to dissolve the lipid membranes and denature the proteins of microbes of the virus. The virus cell literally falls apart when exposed to alcohol vapour. Does it matter what fragrance I choose? In terms of the antiviral properties of the Lamp, no it doesn’t. All our Lamp Fragrances are made from 90% isopropyl alcohol, and the addition of the fragrance is largely for the olfactory aesthetic. However certain ingredients in fragrances, such as some essential oils, can also have enhanced effects. How big an area does an Ashleigh & Burwood Fragrance Lamp cover when it comes to killing Coronavirus? The extent of the spread of the fragrance depends on the length of time that the Lamp is in use, plus additional factors such as airflow. We recommend for an average size room to burn the Lamp for 25-30 minutes (and it is important not to over-use the Lamp, because the fragrance release is extremely powerful, not to mention using up the fragrance rather too quickly). Early in July scientists and the WHO confirmed that the virus can be spread by airborne particles that carry over longer distances than had been originally thought (the two metres suggested for sneeze droplets). If we compare the Fragrance Lamp antivirus action to for example the HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters that can be installed in air conditioning units (that filter out viruses and other particles), the key difference here is that for the air to be treated by the HEPA filter, it must be sucked into the AC unit and through the filter. Additionally, and quite crucially, a HEPA filter, should it capture a virus particle, does not kill it – the virus will remain alive inside the filter. The Fragrance Lamp technology however is different in that it does not require all the air that is to be treated to pass through one point – instead it’s circulated rapidly out around the room, aided by the natural convection flow and heat energy from the catalytic system; and secondly, the alcohol vapour actively kills the virus particle.

although an average of 97% is extremely high. The vapour from the Lamp needs to come into contact with the virus particles in order for the virus to be killed, and as such burning the Fragrance Lamp for the maximum recommended length, with minimal airflow, would be ideal. Using a fragrance is helpful, as by simply using your nose you can ascertain whether the fragrance has reached a certain part of the room. In terms of how regularly to burn the Lamp, the virus does not replicate by itself – it needs to infect a human (or animal) host in order to replicate. Thus, if there has been no new possible source of virus particles since the previous use, either airborne or on surfaces, then burning the Lamp again for the antiviral effect would not be necessary. However, of course burning a Lamp just for the joy of the fragrance is what has been at the heart of the product’s success over the last many years and the protection that the Lamp can offer is an added benefit.

‘An average of 97% of the airborne Coronavirus was destroyed on tests between 15 and 30 minutes long’

How long and how regularly should you burn them for to ensure all Coronavirus in the air is killed? The first thing to state is that in the laboratory testing the Lamp did not kill all the virus, Gifts Today 13

New products Reasons to be Cheerfull Widdop & Co

The Cheerfull collection is a bright, bold and colourful celebration of friends and family. This affordable range includes mugs, photo frames, socks, personalisable gifts for key workers, hand sanitisers and designed facemasks. And 7% of each Cheerfull purchase will be donated to NHS Charities Together. Their Cheese & Wine Gifts by Hestia collection is a fantastic selection of functional housewares with beautiful designs and quality materials, perfect for the wine and cheese lover. Solid wooden cheeseboards, serving platters and cheese knifes, bottle openers and stoppers with a range of designed handles. The range is also available with a convenient stand solution to make the most of your in-store space. Widdop also have great stock levels on best-selling games collection Harvey Makin’s Bored Games. The range consists of miniature, tabletop versions of classics such as pool and table football; pocket-sized golf and basketball; booze pong and bottle top darts; traditional wooden games sets and more. The games all feature exciting and eyecatching packaging to make perfect gifts.

Visit: widdop.co.uk

Reusable Face Protectors Global Journey

On the back of the success of their hand sanitisers, Global Journey are delighted to be able to bring to market another practical and very much on-trend product. In stock since the beginning of the month, the Global Journey Face Protectors for adults and kids have been selling out in days, with customers reporting sales of 100 pieces per day. With 48 designs - 24 kids and 24 adults on a small, slimline floor display - these face masks are an ideal product to site next to the check out/ till area alongside the hand sanitisers. • • • • • • • •

Breathable baby soft polyester, with added spandex Anti-microbial finish Shaped to hug One size fits all Washable at 60 degrees Re-usable Fashionable designs Retailing for only £3.99

‘We took delivery on Thursday and by Friday morning had sold over 100 face masks and we placed a reorder straight away,’ says Darren Clift, Paradise Park, Tates Garden Centre. ‘Over three days we sold 529.’

Visit: global-journey.com 14 Gifts Today

We have over 3,000 references in stock with low minimum order values and the Autumn Winter & Christmas collections arriving on time and available to order now. Three good reasons to join us : http://www.bloomingville.com/for-retailers/become-a-retailer/

Simon Pykett Country Manager spy@bloomingville.com Mobile: 0044 (0) 7967 209156 www.bloomingville.com

New products Perfect products Lesser & Pavey Tick Tock Take the time to check out Vintage Cog Clocks by the leading giftware company. The clocks feature dual mechanics, one to power the clock and one to power the rotational cogs inside the clock. These eye-catching timepieces are available in multiple different sizes and colours. Each one is attractively gift boxed and they make a perfect gift for the traditional or contemporary home. Lesser & Pavey have remained open throughout lockdown to ensure customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; requirements are met.

Aroma Lamps More than a lamp, these new Aroma L=amps bring fragrance and light into any living space in the home. The Desire range is all about wellbeing with these multi-coloured lamps that are touch sensitive, projecting light that can be used with wax melts and aroma oils. Each one comes individually gift boxed. Some are have remote control and can play music by Bluetooth. The fragrance oil and wax melts to use in conjunction with the lamps are also available. Three ceramic humidifiers are included in this range that change colours and are presented in individual colourful gift box. A multitude of fragranced candles and diffusers are offered, with quality fragrances, decorative glass containers and gift boxed accordingly to reflect fragrance and style.

Cute Plant Pot Hangers These cute creatures hang on planters and plant pots. They are sold individually and are about 5â&#x20AC;? in height and include a hand painted hedgehog, squirrel, pig, tortoise, cow, frog, dog and cat. Now in stock for the summer season.

Call: 07831 632537 Email: sales@leonardo.co.uk Visit: leonardo.co.uk

16 Gifts Today

97,-327 %8 %2+7 With over 150 cushion designs available to order we have something to suit all tastes including a large range of beautiful and exclusive hand painted artwork prints.

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~ 16 New collections launched for AW2020 which are now available for pre-order ~ Our AW2020 range videos are live on our website to give more of a feel for the products ~ We are taking appointments to visit our showroom in Derbyshire ~ Our agents are available to visit you ~ We can provide our photography for your use ~ Our friendly team are just a call or click away

New products Classic gifts Joe Davies

Thoughtful Words Going from strength to strength and with new additions to the range, the Thoughtful Words Collection from Joe Davies is the perfect gift to let loved ones know you care. The range of plaques and mugs can be supplied on a spinner for very high sales per square foot. Beautifully presented and with great sentiment messages, the range is right on trend. All available using Joe Davies’ trademark ‘‘little & often’ order system, with free carriage on all orders over £100.

Pot Pals Joe Davies have had great success with their Pot Pals range of planters, with the collection set to be a summer favourite. The cute animal planters are available in small quantities and various sizes and are a strong performer within a wider trend for countryside themes. The next delivery is due during July and much is already pre-sold. All available with free delivery using the company’s trade mark ‘little & often’ order system.

Village Pottery The Village Pottery range of planters, tea lights and money boxes have been have been a firm favourite with customers since their launch. The collection of glazed houses, camper vans and owls go together to make a stunning and interesting retail display with that added ‘X’ factor. The range is beautifully painted, hand finished and available using the Joe Davies ‘little & often’ order system with free delivery.

Provence Cool Grey Collection Right on trend the Provence Cool Grey Collection from Joe Davies is performing strongly. A good-sized range consisting of photo frames, coasters, mini drawer sets and sentiment word hearts, the collection makes a super display and repeats well. Representing great value, retail prices start at just £2.99 and all the major key retail price points are covered. Order across Joe Davies’ entire collection with free delivery on all orders over £100.

Call: 0161 975 6300 Email: sales@ joedavies.co.uk Visit: joedavies.co.uk

18 Gifts Today

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New products

TLC from PMC!

Personalised Memento Co (PMC) Personalised Face Coverings Stay safe with PMC’s new personalised face coverings. The coverings feature black elastic ear loops and are double layered with 100% cotton inner. There a number of new designs to choose from and personalisation means they’re ideal for customer-facing roles or evan to put your own positive message or quote. Each one is personalised and available as part of their huge range of giftware covering all occasions. Every gift is personalised and drop shipped direct to the customer, meaning you don’t hold stock. Visit PMC’s website to register for your trade account today.

Personalised 3D Make-It-Yourself Decorations PMC have launched an exciting new collection of wooden decorations, 100% manufactured at their premises in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire. The gifts offer a modern twist on a traditional theme, each one personalised with a name and a special message. What’s more, the gifts come complete with make-it-yourself instructions to make these gifts come to life. Their new additions have been designed and manufactured exclusively in-house, using their cutting edge technology. The range of three-dimensional decorations includes a decorative rocking horse, advent calendars, hanging baubles and ornaments. PMC’s industry leading production and drop shipping service is able to adapt effortlessly to seasonal peak demand. This reliable service ensures that orders are fulfilled quickly and accurately, leading to an outstanding customer experience. Visit PMC’s trade website to discover how personalised gifts can work for your business.

Email: sales@personalisedmemento.co.uk Visit: personalisedmemento.co.uk

To the Manor born Manor House Home Fragrance

The company have found this year, more than ever before, just how popular their Pot Pourri collection really is. They’ve recently had many positive remarks about what a stunning product they offer - and, while they knew this, it was great to have the boost. They have found the specific fragrance and colour combinations they use has helped, though traditional scents still sell the best - Rose, Lavender, Lily and Bluebell. Manor House are always so proud to offer a full ‘handmade in England’ experience to their clients and they will never change this way of working despite the additional costs involved. Manor House was created with this ethos and will always remain.

Call: 01359 250720 Visit: manorhousehomefragrance.co.uk 20 Gifts Today

How to maximise profits & safe capacity in your restaurant • Keep customers safe • Restore customer confidence • Trade to capacity

Trade confidently and safely with our

quality separation

screens

Made in UK

For more information call or e-mail John Appleson Tel: 07836 616649 john@applesonagencies.co.uk or Appleson Agencies & TS-Supplies are appointed sales agents for Separation Screens UK, a division of Curtis Furniture Ltd. Now in their 23rd year of delivering quality and value to some of the most discerning hospitality businesses in the UK

Tom Sykes Tel: 07740 704394 tomsykes@ts-supplies.co.uk

New products New, new, new Richard Lang & Son

Langs have a message for clients – ‘we are with you’. With most shops back open for business, welcoming the customers back has never been so important and Langs have been busy working away in the background to ensure they can support you. They have good stock holding so are continuing to deliver their current ranges and classic lines. Additionally, they are pleased to launch 16 new collections for AW20 so you can also shop fresh new looks. Some favourites are Family Tree, Woodland Trail and Botanical. Langs first launched Family Tree for AW19 and it was so popular they decided to launch a new collection. The new products build on the ever-popular theme of family sentiments, which is all the more important in the current climate. In tones of white and grey with natural wood finishes, the new products complement the previous launch so you can easily merchandise them together. Botanical is a small homeware range featuring hand painted ferns and foliage sprinkled with thankful and kind sayings, which is something we are all more aware of this year. The pieces are all on natural finishes and make a lovely gift or home purchase. Hand painted animal collections are always a big hit for Langs so they’ve launched a new Woodland Trail range featuring their stunning and exclusive scenic woodland animal artwork to create a beautiful rustic home decor look which is perfect for creating the cosy country home feel. Their new collections are available for pre-order now. You can view the ranges in their showroom, shop online where you will also be able to watch their AW20 range collection videos and of course, you can make an appointment with one of their agents or call the team in the office.

Call: 01332 340927 Visit: richardlang.co.uk Social: @lang_and _son

Safe dining TS-Supplies

If you’re looking for separation screens for your in-store cafe or restaurant, check out Separation Screens UK, now in their 23rd year of delivering quality and value to some of the most discerning hospitality businesses in the UK. Made in the UK, Separation Screens help keep customers safe and restore diners’ confidence – essential as businesses start to open post Covid-19 lockdown. TS-Supplies and Appleson Agencies are appointed sales agents for these quality screens. Call Tom Sykes on 07740 704394 or email tomsykes@ts-supplies.co.uk Call John Appleson on 07836 616649 or email john@applesonagencies.co.uk 22 Gifts Today

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Made In England Christmas Collection

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We’re also manufacturing sanitiser products in a range of sizes to support businesses to return to business. Helping to keep our communities safe.

British Made

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100% Fragrance

RETAIL INTERVIEW: Williams of Audlem

‘We were just so grateful to be open’ While some of the UK high street’s biggest names closed their doors for the first time in their histories, 168-year-old Williams of Audlem have kept theirs open throughout the whole Covid-19 crisis Williams of Audlem in Crewe stayed open throughout the closure of non-essential shops because they have other elements to their business, including a newsagent and hardware offering. Owner Judy Evans shares her unique take on gift retailing in these tough times.

HELP!

Getting the SBRR dsend to grant was a Go it gave us the our business, as t we could conﬁdence tha ting into carry on opera the unknown 24 Gifts Today

Judy, how was trading for you through lockdown? In the first few weeks it was extremely busy every morning, then much quieter in the afternoons. The phone rang almost constantly with customer queries and requests. It became difficult to get a consistent supply of household stock, to respond to the numerous new orders for newspaper deliveries. That said, we were just so grateful to be open. There has been little in the way of significant change for us at present; whereas some new customers appear to have already gone back to their old shopping habits, other customers are back from their isolation and/or shielding. We hope the travel restrictions being lifted means tourists will continue to grow in number. How did sales of giftware go for you during this time? Giftware sales were extremely slow in the early period of lock-down. Customers were reluctant

to spend time browsing and there was a lot of uncertainty as to whether they were ‘allowed’ to purchase gifts at all. By Father’s Day, things had markedly improved. We took a gamble on a large order of men’s bamboo socks from Miss Sparrow, and Father’s Day gadget gifts from new supplier CGB Giftware - which really paid off as demand was strong compared to a lacklustre Mother’s Day. Did you have sufficient stock of gift and greetings? We had to offer a huge increase in greeting card sales. Abacus card agent, Danny Gratton was our absolute real hero - he came out to us at short notice one Sunday morning. Laura Sherratt Designs, Paper Salad, Tatty & Co. and Brain Box Candy also responded promptly. Windhorse Ceramics supplied us with a fabulous range of very topical, rainbow tableware, and Shropshire based CJ Wildlife were instrumental in helping us keep up with the new army of twitchers! We did make several re-orders and new orders during this time, including scarves from Pure Fashions, and eco-soaps from the Friendly Soap Company. We also placed top up orders with Rosefields and Lua Ltd, How helpful did you find Government guidelines and support? Communication from the Government for

‘In the first few weeks it was extremely busy every morning, then much quieter in the afternoons’

difficult to contact. Going forward, retailers should look at being more responsible and conscientious in their treatment of suppliers treating them more as partners and friends, than sometimes slaves and enemies! those staying open has been poor - there was initially a great deal of confusion leading to a lot of misconceptions amongst our staff, customers and the general public. Things haven’t really improved as guidelines have continued to change for operating retail without clear communication that changes have been made. This has put the onus on businesses to keep themselves informed by constant checking of the Gov.UK web site. Getting the SBRR grant was a Godsend to our business, as it gave us the confidence that we could carry on operating into the unknown. We feel totally humbled to have been so fortunate, but it seems almost to have been potluck. Government-based financial assistance doesn’t seem to have been applied either evenly, or logically across any industry. Whilst I do not want to enter a political debate I am appalled at how many sectors, especially in the gift retail business, have been left without any proper financial support at all. Even reopening the doors has cost many companies a great deal of money in terms of complying with the new guidelines – where’s the money coming from for that? Cheap loans may have been available for some but they still need to be paid back - just at a time when we might well be heading for another recession, and after many have just about crawled out of the last one. How did you find it dealing with staff and staffing levels? Looking after the welfare of our staff has been our main priority. We issued them with PPE and quickly issued a statement that we would not be furloughing anyone, or cutting their hours. We also sent out a copy of the government guidelines on safe practice in retail shops, as opinions in the media were leading to confusion. Did you make a priority of paying your suppliers during lockdown? Yes, and they were all very pleased, given that many retailers were either not in a position to pay, or may have been closed and therefore

In addition it’s good old-fashioned budgeting practice to only buy what your business can afford - so why be mean and delay payments? If the pandemic has taught us anything it is that we’re stronger together, and we should look to form all manner of ‘partnerships’ with every aspect of our business. I am in total agreement with the ‘kinder retailing’ that Mary Portas has alluded to at recent trade fairs.

‘What is strange for us is that as the risks of Covid-19 have reduced over the weeks, safety procedures have increased’ How about social media? Facebook has been really important for communicating information, and promoting our goods and services. The Giftware Association Community Facebook page has been a hugely useful resource to us; conveying information, advice, inspiration and a real sense of community during this dark time. I also found some new suppliers on there too! With hindsight we may well have benefited from having an online shopping presence, and we’re certainly exploring the concept of the Facebook page shop.

We have been keeping to the two-metre rule since it started and we’ve had our shop door held permanently open, to improve ventilation and enable ‘no touch’ entry. We quickly introduced a self-serve drop box, and rearranged some of the shop fittings to improve flow, and facilitate safe browsing areas. We’ve been lucky and had PPE available for staff throughout since we’ve had access to it through our existing wholesalers. We’ve introduced two hand-sanitising points and done the necessary risk assessments. Plans for the rest of the year? We’re going to knuckle down and concentrate on the build up to Christmas. Going forward, as retailers we need to be hoping for the best - but at the same time we should all preparing for the worst to get us through the next year. The words of Theo Paphitis at the last Autumn Fair are still ringing in my ears - that we all have to be prepared for challenges and changes in retail, and the biggest are those that are not yet known to us.

What about social distancing? What is strange for us is that as the risks of Covid-19 have reduced over the weeks, safety procedures have increased. However, we have to be mindful that customer confidence has become more critical, so its still important that we not only comply with what is being asked of us as a retailer, but give customers the ability to feel safe while shopping in store. Gifts Today 25

New products

20 years of happy changes Bloomingville

The international home interior company Bloomingville toasts two decades with a breath-taking collection for autumn/winter 20. And the good news is, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plenty of stock for UK retailers now, with both AW20 and Christmas collections coming in on time Three exclusive Anniversary editions and a brand-new design line, Ivory, mark two decades with endless styling possibilities and impressive designs. Now shops are open again in the UK, the company are seeing a strong order intake for the new collection. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a significant rise in new account applications, too, particularly from retailers who are finding supply from the existing brands difficult. Get in touch to discover how Bloomingville can work for you. All Bloomingville ranges are designed with the famed Scandinavian aesthetics in mind. Your customers can look forward to something special to cheer with, to dine with or cuddle up with. Here are the key looks available now.

Ivory The Ivory design line offers pleasant styles in timeless colors of nudes, off white, pale yellow and shades of mocha mousse, on point with the season trends. The sculptural appearance is key to the look, making everyone comfortable just by one glimpse of an eye, ready to rope your customers into a universe of soft materials and rounded shapes. Pick your Ivory favourites and include them in your Bloomingville assortment to welcome AW20 with a bright modern twist. Nested in elegance and curvy silhouettes of warm beige and tone on tone coloring, Ivory intends to wow your customers with its creamy hues and silk yaura.

Cozy

Get in touch!

Country manager Simon Pykett employs a full sales team covering all areas. Call: 0044 (0) 7967 209156 Email: spy@bloomingville.com Visit: bloomingville.com 26 Gifts Today

Cozy catches the popular eclectic vibe through its great breadth of gorgeous home decor. Healing tones of warm caramel, antique gold and terracotta make up the Cozy colour scheme, perfect for a relaxed and personal styling. Now is the time to stock up and offer your customers a Cozy feel for colder days.

Nordic In AW20 the Nordic design line emerges anew with a strong focus on handcrafted and art-inspired home decor, designed without compromising on either the clean lines or soothing colour scheme. Enjoy a breathtaking line-up of new furniture pieces, artsy decorations and personal gallery walls for a contemporary expression worthy of an interior fashionista.

New products Style & solutions Wax Lyrical HomeScenter Don’t sacrifice the quality of your home fragrances just to eliminate unwanted odours from your home. HomeScenter by Wax Lyrical blends an Odouraze formula into its quality British-made fragrances. HomeScenter by British home fragrance manufacturer Wax Lyrical has relaunched following the success of this must-have range. Made in the English Lake District, this range includes six different fragrances that are expertly blended with Odouraze, a unique formula of active ingredients that interact with unwanted ‘malodour’ molecules around the home. The six odour-eliminating fragrances of HomeScenter are available in a glass scented candle, which will burn for up to 42 hours, a glass 180ml reed diffuser and a gift set including a miniature of both the scented candle and reed diffuser.

Hone Scenter

RHS collab continues to bloom The successful partnership between the RHS and British home fragrance manufacturer, Wax Lyrical, continues for its twelfth year with a fresh new collection for spring/summer. Back in 2008, the Cumbria-based brand took on the brief to create complex floral fragrances and bright product designs that garden enthusiasts would love. Since then, the Fragrant Garden range has continued to grow in popularity and as result the partnership has renewed once again for 2020. Illustrations from the world-renowned Lindley Library, London, have influenced the most recent home fragrance collections and in the new Fragrant Garden product lineup, floral prints accompany each of the eight fragrances: Sweet Pea, Cotton, Lavender, Freesia, Rose, Honeysuckle, Hydrangea and this year’s new fragrance, Peony.

Wrendale Designs fragrance line The much-loved illustrations of Wrendale Designs, created by artist Hannah Dale, have been given a new place in the home with a line of home fragrances, created in partnership with Wax Lyrical. Wrendale Designs already produces products from gift cards to an extensive variety of home accessories and gifts, and today the range is a popular collectable collection. Now, Wrendale Designs has collaborated with British home fragrance brand Wax Lyrical to introduce a 15-piece fragrance line, with a Christmas extension to follow later in the year. The Wrendale Designs home fragrance line features classically British animal illustrations, adorning ceramic scented candle jars and reed diffusers – a true celebration of British brands. The ceramic vessels in the range have been designed to be reused and have taken inspiration from keepsakes found in the home.

RHS

The Wax Lyrical autumn/winter catalogue is now live with some stunning new ranges available. If you have any concerns in ordering your Christmas stock, rest assured that Wax Lyrical has fantastic festive collections in stock and available to order today. Including best-selling Colony and Made in England winter fragrances and a brand new Wrendale Designs Christmas collection.

Wrendale 28 Gifts Today

Call: 01229 461111 Email: customerservice@wax-lyrical.com Visit: wax-lyrical.com

Bright style Rex London Wild Wonders Rex London's new bright and bold range is sure to be a hit with young children and parents alike. The new eye-catching print features colourful jungle animal characters and is now available on some of their best-loved products, including their eco-friendly jumbo storage bags, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lunch bags and cute snack boxes. New to the collection are lightweight microfibre towels, perfect for the beach or for picnics.

Nine Lives

Hydro-herb

Following the success of their Best in Show collection among dog lovers, the award-winning giftware company is also launching a stylish new range this season for customers who love their feline friends. The Nine Lives print features an array of lovable and quirky cat characters. The new collection includes popular lifestyle accessories, like Rex Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reusable shopping bags, eco-friendly charlotte bags, stainless steel water bottles, glasses cases and more.

These stylish kits allow you to grow your own herbs without the need for soil. The containers are made from recycled wine bottles and each kit comes with enough seeds for two mini crops!

Call: 0208 746 1700 Email: info@rexlondon.com Visit: rexlondontrade.com

Grow your own! Visit: hydro-herb.co.uk

Gifts Today 29

New products White Christmas

New scent-sations St Eval

Folk Collection Inspired by the magical beauty and folklore of Cornwall, discover rich, warming oak, fresh, crisp moss and honeyed amber. Complement the home with rustic coloured pillars and scented tins adorned with an intricate folk-inspired design.

Black Candlesticks The perfect addition to your table, or mantelpiece, these are available in three different sizes: small, medium and large. Paired perfectly with a range of handfinished dinner candles available in a palette of ten vintage and modern colours.

Back to the Wild

White Christmas

Wild Things Gifts

Inspired by snowy landscapes and the magic of Christmas, these elegant white pots with brushed gold detail are the perfect addition to the home this winter. Available in three comforting festive scents; spicy Inspiritus, zesty, warming Orange & Cinnamon and earthy, herbal Winter Thyme.

The beginning of lockdown seems like a magical time now. The roads were empty, the weather was clear every day, and the team at Wild Things felt fortunate to be down in the South West. Everyone in the team was furloughed but morale was high, mainly because they are a creative lot, with interests ranging from pyrography to woodcarving, sewing to illustration and jewellery making. UK orders fell off Vicky and Jules a cliff but, after a while, customers with web shops started to order. Wild Things are fortunate enough to export (mainly to the USA and Europe) so their homeworkers were able to carry on producing with only a skeleton staff at HQ. Vicky was kept very busy picking and packing the increasing UK orders, and every evening relaxed by walking around Exeter. No one could miss all the rainbows in the windows and the efforts of Captain Tom. It was obvious that Wild Things should make a contribution. So the new ‘Thank You’ rainbow suncatcher was born, with a proportion of the proceeds going to charity.

Winter Woodland Discover festive cheer with rich, warming fragrances in soft grey pots complete with a dazzling gold inner rim. Available in three comforting festive scents; spicy Inspiritus, zesty, warming Orange & Cinnamon and earthy, herbal Winter Thyme.

Coastal Collection Drawing inspiration from the rugged North Cornwall coast, this collection will transport you to your favourite Cornish beach. Displayed in beautiful ombre blue pots, discover three revitalising fragrances reflective of the healing and therapeutic properties of the sea: Samphire & Sage, Sea Mist and Sea Salt.

Secret Garden This collection is home to three inviting fragrances sure to whisk you away to a summer garden brimming with soothing, fresh scents: herbal Bay & Rosemary, uplifting Grapefruit & Lime and new Cucumber & Black Pepper.

Visit: st-eval.com Folk

Now orders are picking up again and, with the flexible furlough scheme, the whole team is back, albeit only one day a week or so each. Wild Things hold large component stocks as virtually everything they sell is designed and made by themselves here in the UK, so stock levels are not a problem. Over the past year they have dramatically improved the Wild Things website making it even easier for their customers to control their accounts. It’s now possible to place orders, see previous orders, check outstanding invoices and make payments all at the click of a button. They will be publishing a supplement showcasing these in September.

Visit: wildthingsgifts.com

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Black candlesticks

Ask about Special Offers Christmas · Autumn · Everyday 2020

CHAIRWORKS

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Nutcrackers Decoration

Rocking Horse

Ulvar

Bird on Poinsettia

Merry Little Christmas

Eucalyptus

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Ornaments All Over

Ambiente has a sparkling new 2020 Christmas Collection with many new concepts and products. One hundred new napkin designs with complementary table items including Matches, Table runners, Tissues, ever popular Napkin Holders, Porcelain Mugs, Candles and brand new Glass Candle Sticks. Please contact Richard Weitzkorn to receive our new catalogue or a link to our web shop. 07956 424482 richard@ambproducts.co.uk

Tel: 0208 247 3700 CHAIRWORKS LTD Email: info@chairworks.info Tel: 0208 247 3700 Email: info@chairworks.info www.chairworkswholesale.info www.chairworkswholesale.info

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GT CONTRIBUTOR: Bira

‘It’s a time for innovation’ CEO Andrew Greenacre from the British Independent Retailers Association shares how the Association sought to help indie retailers throughout the Covid-19 crisis, and looks ahead to the potential opportunities for indie retail in the future

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Andrew Greenacre

We may all be entering uncertain and challenging times but what I do know is that independent retailers are going to have to be agile and creative to survive’

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32 Gifts Today

‘Queue fatigue’, ‘furloughed staff’, ‘social distancing’. All phrases which weren’t even in my conscience as Big Ben’s bells chimed the arrival of 2020. However, fast forward seven months and these phrases have become the nation’s buzzwords. Following the outbreak of Covid-19, our lives have changed irrevocably; life as we knew it shut down. Offices, building sites, schools, shops, all closed ‘for the foreseeable future’ - that terrifyingly uncertain window of time. The roads became eerily quiet, spending ceased, social interaction was prohibited. Here at Bira we were inundated with calls from members – and the wider independent retail community – desperate for guidance on how they could survive such an unprecedented situation. When the shutters came down on our shops, the income of so many dried up, while many of the outgoings (rent, utilities, suppliers) continued. We immediately launched an unrivalled Coronavirus Support Package, inviting non-members to join us for a nominal £1/£5/£10 donation to the Rainy Day Trust, so they could access the network of support and some of the essential services we offer during this challenging time. Meanwhile, the Government stepped in and offered never-seenbefore finance packages reflecting the magnitude of the circumstances, attempting to plug the gap between a business’s incomings and outgoings. Bira helped retailers navigate the raft of measures, from Governmentbacked bank loans and local

authority grants, to advice on furloughing staff to preserve their jobs for the future. We challenged the Government over matters where the best interests of the independent retailer were not always represented. This included highlighting the challenges in availability of bank loans and anomalies in the council grant scheme. Some retailers missed out on accessing help and, where we could, we directed them towards alternative avenues of support. Our focus is always to support independent businesses, securing the future of the high street. We are now taking the tenuous steps to help try and rebuild the British high street. We have been guiding retailers on how they can reopen safely and in compliance with the Government’s guidelines. For some sectors, such as fashion retail, where customers may not be able to ‘try before they buy’, the obstacles are particularly challenging. Even before the lockdown, the issues facing the high street were many. We can see some of the future trends, such as a preference for cashless payments, have been accelerated in this time. Many of you will have reopened along with other non-essential retailers on June 15, and I know many of you have used the time of lockdown not just to clean and prepare your shops to welcome customers again but to adjust your business model. This is essential; we may all be entering uncertain and challenging times but what I do know is that independent retailers

are going to have to be agile and creative to survive. Of course, one of the benefits of being independent is the ability to change quickly to suit the retail climate; unlike the bigger corporations that are bound by the red tape of head office decisions. If you haven’t started to trade online then now is the time to explore those opportunities. Some customers will have discovered internet shopping during lockdown and never go back. Prior to lockdown, some 20% of shopping was done online increasing to 80% in recent months. It is imperative we all explore multi-channel selling to optimise success. One of the tools Bira is offering members is through a partnership with EKM, a specialist in ecommerce, to help those who want trade online, do so successfully. Looking ahead, those in giftware may opt to use apps such as Zoom to showcase new products or host Q&As with customers – it is a time for innovation. One of the indisputable plus sides of lockdown is that people have rediscovered some of life’s simple pleasures such shopping locally, regularly – we can only hope this will become our new normal. And while we hope that ‘queue fatigue’, ‘social distancing’ and ‘furloughed staff’ will become phrases of the past, we need to ensure ‘independent retail’ is a phrase of the future. If you would like to find out more about our association then please contact our membership team on 0800 028 0245 or visit bira.co.uk

New products Pretty paper â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and more!

Ambiente Europe BV

Ambiente Europe is a Dutch manufacturer of printed paper napkins and tabletop complementary accessories. They have their own in-house design team and all paper products are manufactured in their factory using FSC-certified tissue on flexographic presses. They can produce designs with up to nine colours, three sizes of napkins and other products, and they offer a very speedy Private label service for your own designs. Each year Ambiente produces two collections that feature a wide variety of designs including flowers/ monotone and 60 plain colours in the Elegance embossed range. There are many matching table items such as paper runners, trays, candles, matches, napkin holders, matches and fine porcelain mugs. The autumn 2020 collection features over 100 fabulous new napkin designs and they are also featuring some exciting new products - glass candelabras, a new shape of porcelain tea mug and a matching carton of loose-leaf tea in 11 designs. Ambiente Europe offer a seven-day delivery service and quality and customer care is their top priority.

Call: 0203 669 1061 Email richard@ambproducts.co.uk Visit: ambproducts.co.uk

Blue & white Mandarin Arts Ltd

China is well-known for its traditional blue and white porcelain and in September Mandarin Arts will be introducing blue and white porcelain umbrella stands and stools (or small tables) to add to their existing collection in blue, green, yellow and red bearing designs of birds, peacocks, fish, butterflies and flowers. The central design of the blue and white pieces is one of peonies or dog roses with birds. The four friezes at the top and bottom contain a Chinese symbol for longevity and stylised bats that also signify a long life. The stools are very popular for conservatories and can also be used as bedside tables or occasional small tables in other rooms - they could also be used outside on a lawn in the summer.

Call: 01873 812255 Email: info@mandarinarts.co.uk Visit: mandarinarts.co.uk

Bespoke designs

JH Designpoint

Great British design on English bone china. Baubles, vases, mugs and lots more. JH Designpoint specialise in designs for heritage, museums and high-end retail. JH Designpoint has been supplying museums and heritage shops in the UK and abroad ever since the 1980s. Jane Austen, wildlife, dinosaurs, botanical, architecture, history, fashion and Charles Rennie Mackintosh are among their best sellers. Baubles can be supplied in high quality transparent boxes made from recycled material and fully recyclable. Any colour ribbon supplied.

Call: 0141 339 4927 Email: enquiries@jhdesignpoint.net Visit: jhdesignpoint.net Gifts Today 33

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Games & Puzzles

‘Thank You’ NHS Posh Paws

To show their support for the fantastic work and ongoing commitment shown by the NHS throughout these difficult times, Posh Paws have partnered with the NHS Charities Together and will launch a beautiful new range of colourful and high quality teddy bears called the ‘Thank You Bears’ in September. The Thank You Bear range includes white, brown and multicoloured assorted 6.5” bears in a CDU and large 11” versions of the three beautifully coloured bears, with both sizes featuring a sound chip in them for people to press and hear the bears clap and cheer. Posh Paws will be donating a percentage of the profits of each Thank You Bear sale to the NHS Charities Together, with the logo featured on the packaging. The Bears’ hang-tag also features a ‘To and From’ message so that customers can personalise the gift to show thanks to friends, family and loved ones.

Supporting

Call: 01268 567317 Visit: poshpawsinternational.co.uk

Playtime I for all! Games and puzzles did good business in lockdown – amongst kids of all ages

Festive fun Gibsons Games

Gibsons are releasing a range of new Christmas puzzles this august. From contemporary jigsaw puzzles to family games, these new products are sure to make fantastic gifts for the whole family. This year they are back with the ultimate 24-door jigsaw puzzle advent calendar. Inside this magical box are 22 festive-shaped jigsaw puzzles featuring Christmas traditions from around the world. Hidden behind the remaining doors is puzzle glue and ribbon that can be used to turn the jigsaw puzzles into beautiful hanging decorations. The artwork has been created by the amazingly talented Claire McElfatrick. Their fun little jigsaw puzzle bauble has also been reimagined. Engross yourself in Christmas sparkle and shine as you put together 200 pieces of bauble magic! The jigsaw inside this festive trinket will provide hours of entertainment and look magnificent on any tinsel-laden Christmas tree. Quirk! is Gibsons’ new laugh-out-loud family card game. Embrace your silly side with sounds and actions while causing a whole lot of mischief for your family and friends. Get your best impressions at the ready to gather characters and claim your quirky title by collecting the most ‘Quirks’. Quirk is ideal for both children and adults and is an amazingly silly game that that promotes interactive play. With 26 characters, each game includes two decks of cards so you can mix and match your favourites to make every game different.

Call: 020 8661 8866 Email: sales@gibsonsgames.co.uk Visit: gibsonsgames.co.uk

36 Gifts Today

The NHS

t’s no surprise that many lucky children unboxed lots of new toys, games and puzzles during those long lockdown weeks. Parents across the country could breathe a sigh of relief as their little ones were occupied for a while. Meanwhile kits with an educational or crafting theme also helped with that homeschooling, while outdoor toys turned back gardens into playgrounds. More surprising, perhaps, was that sales of jigsaws also boomed. It seems the older generation rediscovered the simple pleasure of a puzzle. As part of our #BackInBusiness issue, it’s time to check out products to tempt visitors back in-store.

Across the UK and Ireland Slocum House represents as UK and Ireland distributor a number of premium quality lifestyle brands. Presently we are looking for wellconnected commercial agents to represent Cozy Living of Copenhagen, who most importantly have a passion for product and the industry. We want to work with you, if you are committed, positive and performance driven. Cozy Living is an established brand in the UK market, having been founded in 2012. All items and designs are unique and exclusive to the market globally, delivering the best in Skandi interiors with an international soft touch. As an agent you will be supported by ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

An excellent backroom team A dedicated showroom and office in the south east of England Best in class digital and social media support Traditional marketing and press support Trade show support Existing accounts to develop and repeat business Highly competitive commission rate

We are also committed to diversity in the workplace and supporting a healthy working environment. For further information or to apply for this position please email or call Richard Rust Director richard.rust@slocumhouse.co.uk 07825 322228 Closing Date: 01/08/2020

www.jhdesignpoint.net enquiries@jhdesignpoint.net tel: 44(0)141 339 4927

Games & Puzzles

The gift of play The recent acquisition of Lagoon Group by University Games is good news for gift buyers looking for games and puzzles, says Richard Wells, MD of University Games UK. We caught up with him to learn more Richard, why was The Lagoon Group of such appeal? There is a great synergy between University Games and the Lagoon Group and this acquisition will open avenues for both businesses across both the toy and gift sectors. Lagoon has a great reputation and a fantastic range of games and puzzles that I have been a fan of for many years. How do you feel the Lagoon portfolio complement your offering? The Lagoon brand is very well known and has a great reputation in the gift sector especially. It has a number of well-established and successful lines including some brilliant trivia games and best-selling tabletop games and puzzles, all of which are distinctly different but complement our current product range very well. Their distribution into gift stores, garden centres, bookshops and tourist outlets also complement the areas where we are strong as a business. What do you hope to learn from the Lagoon team? The Lagoon product design and sales teams are integral in working alongside our current product development team and sales force to ensure we maintain not only the quality of products but also the Lagoon brand integrity going forward. And how will you use the University Games business to take Lagoon to the next level? We have an extremely strong and successful sales team supporting our independent retailers across the whole of the UK. This is not something that has been part of the Lagoon sales strategy in the past and is something I’m certain will be a huge benefit for this specific product range. The businesses also have some common and complementary licences that are certain to strengthen both brands including The World of David Walliams, Professor Rubik, Einstein² and Question of Sport. How did the acquisition come about? The process began at the very beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown and it is testament to the entire University Games team that it has allowed the management team the time to focus on acquisition and complete within just 14 weeks. Within just two weeks, we now have all the Lagoon stock in our warehouse and a fully briefed sales team already selling to both University Games and Lagoon customers. Obviously, the main difference is that the meetings were conducted over the phone and via Zoom rather than face to face but the professionalism of all the people involved made this a smooth ride on the whole.

38 Gifts Today

Traditional toys House of Marbles

House of Marbles, a leading supplier of traditional toys and games, offer everything from galactic goodies, novel bath toys, addictive puzzles, quirky novelties and so much more. If you’re looking for gifts that are packed with entertainment and extremely educational too, then you’ll love their Inquisitive Minds collection. New for 2020, this interactive range of STEM activities to help with learning and development contains a Mould and Paint Human Skeleton and selection of archaeological kits. Set to become a firm favourite is their Dig Discovery Gem Stones set where you can dig out a real gem stone from the block and special tool included. It will make a wonderful gift for anyone who wants to experience the thrill of discovery. They also offer a whole array of traditional wooden toys and games in nostalgic packaging. A great non-plastic alternative, there are plenty of classics including a beautiful wooden train and Bagatelle board.

Call: 01626 835358 Visit: houseofmarbles.com/tradeuk

750+ products! University Games and Lagoon

Leading games and puzzles specialists, University Games and Lagoon, now offer a combined portfolio of over 750 products, ensuring that there is a great gift available for every member of the family. We take a look at some of the bestâ&#x20AC;Ś Question of Sport The iconic British television sports quiz presented by Sue Barker, Question of Sport, commemorates its 50th Anniversary this year and to celebrate Lagoon have launched a fun-packed Question of Sport range. Now available are three fun games from key rounds of the show, Mystery Guest, Home or Away and Sprint Finish as well as three packs of Sports Trivia, each containing 100 unusual, fascinating facts. The ultimate gift for sports fans is the brilliantly entertaining Question of Sport board game that will see players having to answer sporting trivia questions whilst completing other physical or mental challenges to show off their sporting expertise in order to become champion.

3D puzzles Puzzles have been hugely popular and a saviour for many across the past few months and the 3D puzzle range from University Games has been no exception. The highly successful 3D Football Stadiums and Game of Thrones series have now been joined by a National Geographic 3D puzzle series including Big Ben, Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace. Also, now available is the highly awaited Harry Potter 3D Puzzle series featuring Hogwarts Castle, iconic buildings from Diagon Alley and the Hogwarts Express.

Games in a Tin Lagoon also has a fantastic range of Games in a Tin available, all at a great price point, making them a perfect gift for birthdays, Christmas or even as a Secret Santa present. New for 2020 includes Guess That Tune, Name 3 Game, Christmas Spoons and What did you Say?

Tabletop collections Lagoon also has a fantastic range of different tabletop collections, all in CDUs that make great stocking fillers, party bag gifts and dinner party table games. The range even includes three Christmas themed tabletop CDUs that are perfect for the festive season.

Subbuteo Main Game Continuing on a sporting theme, the new Subbuteo Main Game and Official England Subbuteo Main Game are now available. The iconic table football game has been entertaining football fans for generations and the new product launch will be supported in Q4 by a substantial media campaign including TV and social media advertising.

Call: 020 7254 0100 Visit: university-games.co.uk and thelagoongroup.com

Gifts Today 39

Gifts Today

RETAILERS’ PANEL In our four-page #BackInBusiness special, members of our Panel – key gift shop owners around the UK – tell us how they coped during lockdown, how they went about reopening and what they’re buying right now

Clare and Hannah Bishop Cornucopia Worcester How did you find government support? We found it helpful to furlough staff as it was essential that we should support them as they are a great team. We were also grateful for the grant from Worcestershire Council that meant that we could pay for the stock from our suppliers. How did you cope when nonessential shops were told to close? It gave us the impetus to open a Trouva boutique online to sell our products. It all ran quite smoothly and as the shop was closed, we could focus on the transition in distributing our products to customers all over the country and abroad including America and Australia. Chunky knit throws, marble

coasters, sculptures and home furnishings went well. As the majority of people were confined to their homes, we found that homeware items sold especially well, plus Gisela Graham Easter decorations and Emma Bridgewater during the holiday period.

It also gave us the confidence and incentive to open our own website and online shop which we have launched in the last couple of weeks with a competition to win some lovely Caroline Gardner products kindly donated to us during lockdown. Did you work on building social media/online presence during lockdown? We kept up to date with our social media platforms during lockdown, showing customers products that we were loading onto the website daily and keeping customers entertained with our displays and gorgeous pictures of our products. How have you found the reopening process? Everything seemed alien to us but we have learnt to get used to it as everybody is in the same boat. We just have to do what we can to make our staff and customers feel as safe as possible in the store. What’s your initial impression of the ‘new normal’? With us only able to have four customers in the shop at any one time, it has been quieter day to 40 Gifts Today

day. The fact that we’re now selling online helps to counter this and we are hopeful that as lockdown is eased, we will see a change. How are stock levels? Some stock levels are fairly low, as some of the factories haven’t reopened yet for us to reorder from. But for other brands we have got plenty of stock. We are looking to replenish Emma Bridgewater and Garden Trading as they seem to be selling particularly well, as well as some of our candle companies.

Chris Beards Mantons Isle of Man How did you cope when non-essential shops were told to close? We decided to close before the government announcement to keep everyone safe. Closing meant we had hardly any Easter card or gift sales and missed out on the start of tourist season.

Ellie Laine Bartle Tigerlillys Littleover, Derby How did you cope when non-essential shops were told to close? I was relieved when the decision was taken out of my hands. It was disheartening to be out of business temporarily, but it was just a small and necessary part myself and all other small independent shops had to play to get us through this as safely as possible. How did you find government support? The local council explained how to apply for the small business nonrepayable government grant. The application form online took just a few minutes to complete and was really rather straightforward to access. Did you work on building social media/online presence during the lockdown period? I’m a wary social media user, but its true value was enhanced during lockdown and follower count did rise significantly. I used the time to re-design my website and add an online shopping facility to give customers more options and ways to support us when they’re not able to visit us directly. How have you found the re-opening process? I was really anxious about it, but I was met with so much support. I was busier than I thought I would be and absolutely everyone that has come in since I re-opened has said how glad they are the shop is open again. What’s your impression of the ‘new normal’? I like to promote self-care and stock a lot of items that help with that, such as Pukka Tea and Teapigs teabags, Heathcote & Ivory bath products and Tisserand Aromatherapy ranges. However, the guidelines regarding social distancing are something I can’t wait to see the back of. It gives off quite a clinical and rigid approach that isn’t the shopping environment I want to create.

How did you find government support? We didn’t get as much support as retailers in the UK - the grant was smaller, and we still have to pay business rates this year. We are proud we were able to pay all our team members in full and, once we reopened, pay our suppliers. Did you have an online presence to keep a revenue stream flowing during lockdown? We offered a greeting card delivery service including handwriting cards and sending them directly to the recipient. Because of our reputation for stocking the highest quality cards, people were happy for us to choose a suitable card on their behalf. This also resulted in lots of local media coverage. How have you found the reopening process? Reopening with social distancing took a lot of work including securing PPE and moving displays around to prevent any potential bottlenecks. We are nearly back to normal now but still keeping up with the extra cleaning and so on. The big worry is the possibility of going back into lockdown. How are stock levels at the moment? We have good stock levels but a few of our suppliers have either gone into administration or are short of stock. Because of our reputation and relationship with suppliers, we have been able to get nearly everything we need stock wise. We have new stock arriving daily from our current suppliers but will always look at stocking different companies if they have great products.

Are you looking to replenish stock in coming weeks and months? I feel in a stable position to really go for it. I’m due a Heathcote & Ivory delivery this week as well as a replenish of Rosie Made A Thing coasters. Instead of just a Thank You Teacher card and gift selection this year, I’m now put together a table display of general Thank You cards and gifts. Tink & Reu have handmade me some gorgeous fabric rainbows, and Jennie Sergeant Designs have supplied me with some handmade character rainbow keyrings and lavender bags. Plans for the rest of 2020? I have a newfound confidence in myself, my shop, and the small independent business sector as a whole. We have proven that we can adapt to everchanging circumstances and always come out fighting. We may be small, but we’re also mighty.

Gifts Today 41

RETAILERS’ PANEL Fiona Richards The Little Shop Arnside, Cumbra How did you cope when non-essential shops were told to close? I actually took the decision to close the shop a few days before the government announced we needed to shut. The main reason for closing early was the sheer number of visitors arriving in Cumbria to avoid their own towns - it actually became quite scary.

How did you find government support in the early days? I received the government grant very quickly, so that ensured all my rent and utility bills would be covered. It also paid for the new screens, signs and some redecoration of the shop. Did you have an online presence in place to keep a revenue stream flowing? I don’t have a website, but I did sell through social media channels and eBay and had a steady flow of mailorder and local deliveries. East of India hearts and gifts, soaps and hand creams were top sellers on social media, while Top-model books, art supplies and kids’

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I received the government grant very quickly, so that ensured all my rent and utility bills would be covered

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Gifts Today

activities sold well on eBay. We actually sold out of our Pure Lakes Range twice during lockdown which was a nice surprise. Any other changes you made during this time? I have rearranged the till area and turned the till around in order to fit in a couple of screens. I’ve felt quite positive during this time - I knew that I had budgeted to cover all the business costs, and that all the stock would be sitting there waiting when I reopened. What’s your initial impression of the ‘new normal’? I sometimes have to remind people to use the gel, and it’s not how

I would choose to have my first interaction with customers. How are stock levels looking at the moment? A little low at the moment, but I still have a good range in stock I am already reordering, and have received orders from Dandelion Stationery, The Sugar Shed and Perkins & Morley. I shall be looking to order from Big Potato Games in a couple of weeks, and will probably top up the East of India range shortly.

Jo Williams Joco Gifts Nuneaton How did you cope when non-essential shops were told to close? At first it was difficult as we were all furloughed. After four weeks I decided to return to the shop and start holding Facebook Lives to show people what we do in the shop and offering items for sale. How did you find government support? I had the grant for £25k from the government and also took advantage of the furlough scheme for the six staff employed by the business. I also took out a Bounce Back Loan that’s allowed me to clear all debts and create one affordable repayment going forward. Did you have an online presence to keep a revenue stream flowing? I had a website prior to the lockdown but I have been having some work done on it and there is still along way to go before it is fully finished. Our Facebook page has grown slightly over the lockdown. We’ve offered a click & collect and delivery service for the local area. How has the reopening process been? I completed a full risk assessment to ensure that we followed the guidelines. We have had a spit screen installed, floor stickers and put in a one-way system around the shop. We have a hand sanitiser station at the door and all baskets are cleaned regularly throughout the day and after the customer has used one.

42 Gifts Today

Your initial impression of the ‘new normal’? Being within a shopping centre, we aren’t allowed to queue customers outside the front of our stores and we have to ask them to join a specific zone and wait to be called, again something that puts people off. How are stock levels? I have had a few deliveries of items that customers have requested, plus backorders from Spring Fair have also started to arrive too. I’ve had deliveries from Enesco and Widdop so far since reopening due to special orders and back orders. How do you feel about the rest of 2020? I have to reassess the hours everyone works and there may be some difficult conversations to have in the future, if sales don’t reach previous levels, the reduced hours might be a permanent change.

JOIN OUR RETAILERS’ PANEL!

Tabi Marsh

Fancy having your say about the gift industry? Want to share news about your business? Just drop editor Sally Norton an email at sally@lemapublishing.co.uk and you could see your business featured in the pages of Gifts Today! Look forward to hearing from you.

How did you cope when non-essential shops were told to close?

Papilio at Heritage Thornbury, Bristol

We have a ‘disaster plan’ so put that into place, and contacted all our suppliers with outstanding orders and invoices. How did you find government support? Furloughed all staff and took out a bounce back loan that only appeared the week before we reopened! Did you have an online presence to keep a revenue stream flowing?

Karen Hardwick

We managed to sell most of our Easter chocolate via Facebook and local doorstep delivery. A lovely customer also offered to write and post greeting cards for us, and I continued with social media and developed a web shop, that we launched a few weeks before reopening.

Cranbornes Shaftesbury, Dorset How did you find government support? Government funding has been great; the grant arrived quickly and helped pay all outstanding bills so we could open with a clean slate. I have three members of staff who were all furloughed and still are until July, and two will still be part-furloughed due to childcare.

Any other changes you made during this time? We did a refit in our fashion room and cleared out the massive 40-foot storeroom outside that hasn’t been sorted since the original owners in the 70s.

Did you have an online presence to keep a revenue stream flowing? Only a little bit, and our biggest selling item have been facemasks. Social media has been brilliant and I’ve kept people up to date with what we were doing in the shop during lock down. How have you found the reopening process? I’d had orders delivered to home ready for the reopening. We were lucky that one of our companies are now manufacturing screens so we’ve had them in place ready and people are pretty sensible about distancing. Our first days were crazy but now it’s calmer. Shaftesbury high street has very narrow pavements so our town council decided to make it car-free for the first four weeks of non-essential shops re-opening.

How have you found the reopening process? Customers are happy we are open, but after the first week footfall has dropped. A few customers have refused to use the hand sanitiser and walked out. How are stock levels at the moment? We have been restocking our cards and a few other lines to bolster stock levels to help with running a webshop efficiently. We’ve also been buying in a few extra things like kids’ games and hair accessories, as these are areas that are now in higher demand.

Are you looking to replenish stock in coming weeks and months? I’ve already starting ordering things for Christmas... and the new Jellycats will be in soon. I’ve also got more home things as everyone has been decorating. How do you feel about the rest of 2020? Positive. People really want to support the high street and shop local - we are hoping to expand. Gifts Today 43

New products Arty gifts

Museums & Galleries Museums & Galleries have been working hard at extending their gift offer over the last several years and as the retail world slowly re-emerges from lockdown it’s great to see the variety of new and beautiful gift suggestions emerging from this creative powerhouse. Crystal-domed paperweights reveal lavishly gorgeous designs from Matthew Williamson, the V&A, the British Museum and the Natural History Museum. Each one would add a touch of joyous colour and distinction to any desk, whether it is in office or home. Another big win for home workers would be M&G’s new folding storage boxes. These premium new large-format folding boxes can be stored and transported flat and easily unfold into full shape with a magnetic closure and brass-effect label holder. Two of the boxes feature imagery from BBC Earth; the other two Edward Lear Birds from the V&A and Hokusai’s Wave from the British Museum. Another desktop delight are beautiful organic cotton pencil cases, with soft and stylish printed outers, smart black inner linings and coloured fastenings with zip closures. Most of the range is selected to co-ordinate with other M&G gift products. Notable in this group are a classic Paddington Bear pencil case and Dinosaurs from the NHM. M&G do HB pencil sets as well and ballpoint and this year have added coloured pencil sets - boxes of 12 coloured pencils. To its comprehensive journals collection M&G has added premium ring-bound organisers travel journals and perpetual planner diaries. New licences appearing in M&G’s journals range this year for the first time include the Tate Gallery, MinaLima Classics, Roald Dahl, and Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea. All the other M&G licences have been refreshed with new designs. To wrap these gifts up, M&G have a comprehensive array of roll wraps, sheet wraps (single, doublesided and foiled options), gift bags, and tissue.

Call: 01373 462165 Email: sales@mgml.co.uk Visit: museumsgalleries.co.uk

Beautiful baskets and more Chairworks

Chairworks is known for its handmade, woven baskets from around the world, as well as its natural garden products. They are all fairly traded with communities the company has worked with for more than 20 years. Indoors and out, they offer a huge variety of woven products. There are garden and kitchen accessories including woven hazel hurdles, hazel fencing, furniture, garden playhouses plus laundry baskets, log baskets, picnic baskets and storage baskets. There’s a great variety of shapes that you can see in the company brochure – head to their website to discover more. The materials used are hazel, rattan, sea grass, water hyacinth, banana leaf, abaca, rush, raffia and grass.

Call: 0208 247 3700 Email: info@chairworks.info Visit: chairworkswholesale.info

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SIMPLY GORGEOUS

JEWELLERY AND ACCESSORIES

Buy online at missmilly.co.uk or call: 01905 622 509

Inspired by the magical beauty and folklore of Cornwall, discover three evocative fragrances to awaken imaginations and stir creative souls: fresh Moss, honeyed Amber and wild Oak. FOLK COLLECTION Moss | Amber | Oak

Each candle is hand poured with our unique blends for a premium quality. Made using sustainable production on our farm in Cornwall. 01841 540850 info@st-eval.com www.st-eval.com

instyle style

Spotted! It may have been a long quiet three months during lockdown at Alexander Thurlow, but it has given them time to sit down and design some new ideas for their very popular ‘Love Nature, Love Flowers’ range. With everyone having to spend so much more time at home and enjoying their gardens, going walking and really appreciating nature around us, this flower jewellery should be a must buy for gift shop owners and garden centres looking to capitalise on the public eager to get out and spend. These are some of the beautiful new designs that they have produced. All come on branded cards and POS is also available.

Call: 020 8766 6466 Visit: alexanderthurlow.com

Autumn/winter at the ready! The team at Miss Milly are very glad the new season’s designs were signed off before lockdown! Here’s what on offer…

We love…

• A traditional colour palette looks set to be popular; dark red, royal and navy blue and grey. There’s also fuchsia pink, startling orange and vivid purple to create a spark and lift moods.

Manufacturing quality products in the UK, they have their own in-house designers who design the bespoke fabric for their Microwavable Wheat Bags, PADi Pillows and a range of textile products. Microwavable Wheat Bags are filled with English wheat and lavender buds. Available in a large selection of designs with lavender or unscented. There are bespoke wooden display units free of charge. Their unique PADi pillows are the ultimate accessory for an iPad, Ebook, phone and book. New to the range from 1 August are Door Stops, Hot Water Bottles with bespoke covers, Eye Masks, cosmetic bags and Face Masks.

• Check out the new, magnetic pendant gift sets. Two different, beautifully gift-boxed sets will be available, each containing three pendants that can be interchanged on the included snake chain.

The Wheat Bag Company

Call: 01747 840499 Email: sales@thewheatbagcompany.co.uk Visit: thewheatbagcompany.co.uk

• The new cufflink range is here with eight different styles and colours. They’re the first accessories for men from Miss Milly. • New additions to the popular magnetic brooch collection with more designs and colours. New designs this season include a gorgeous bee in both traditional golds and multicolour. • Miss Milly has brought back popular seasonal colours mustard and orange in the best-selling Sparkle Scarf range as well as adding striking new designs to the heavyweight, winter viscose scarf range.

Call: 01905 622509 Email: hello@missmilly.co.uk Visit: missmilly.co.uk

Did you know…

Lime Tree Design now offer a Block Print collection? From Julia’s initial drawings to the selection of cottons and eco-friendly dye colours, to the making of countless samples, and the sourcing of stitchers, to the excitement of seeing the finished article, the whole project has been such a wonderful journey. The range includes Hankies, Bandanas, Kimonos, Bags and three-ply Face Masks with ear-friendly ties. No minimum orders.

Call: 01636 894043 Email: kate@limetreedesign.com Visit: limetreecollection.com 72 Gifts Today

46 Gifts Today

O U R FIRST AW20 VIRTU AL C O L L E CT I O N L AU NCH! Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re excited to announce that this year we will be launching our AW20 collection via our beautiful, interactive virtual showroom! This season features our most beautiful designs yet, with bestselling styles in new colourways, filled with gorgeous treats and everyday luxuries made with a sleek finish and a lot of heart. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ATTENDING OUR VIRTUAL SHOW, OUR EXCITING SEASONAL COMPETITIONS AND OFFERS, OR HOW TO BECOME ONE OF OUR LOVELY STOCKISTS PLEASE CONTACT:

T: 012 95 26 34 30 | E: ENQUIRIES@JOMAJEWELLERY.COM T: 012 95 2508 7 9 | E: ENQUIRIES@KATIELOXTON.COM DI S C OV E R O U R WO R L D AT @J O M A J EWEL L ER Y | # J O M A J EWEL L ER Y @K AT I EL OX T O N | # K AT I EL OX T O N

instyle

Q&A with Katie Loxton We caught up with Katie herself to discover how the company operated during lockdown, and strategies for the future.

So on trend

Katie, how was lockdown?

Katie Loxton’s Perfect Pouches continue to be much loved around the globe thanks to their sweet sentiment and versatile design. They’ve now been joined by the new Screen Print Pouches with more golden touches than ever before and the signature gold-tone top zip fastening.

Our teams have truly adapted and embraced the opportunity to pull together. To keep a close eye on morale, we’ve been using regular HR surveys and have been so pleased by the positive responses. Everyone’s embracing the change.

Changes in the way you’re operating? Our stores are now practising social distancing and with government guidelines in place to ensure the safety of both the staff and customers. We’ve also put various measures in place for our warehouse staff.

How are stock levels? Due to this year’s circumstances, we’re left with wonderful stock levels to supply not only our UK retailers, but also the US and the whole of Europe - including France, Italy, Norway and more, and with guaranteed smooth delivery.

Additional support for retailers? Our Customer Service team are happy to walk new retailers through each and every step of the way, from an introduction to our various support programs such as dropshipping, to showing how our Shop Local campaign has been supporting and promoting our stockists through widespread marketing. We’re so pleased to be running several limited time offers throughout the season, plus some exciting promotions.

They’ve welcomed new and improved fragrances perfectly reflecting their core identity and with their Reed Diffusers now featuring slimmer reeds to ensure longer-lasting fragrance. Also joining the family this season is the new Sophia Tassel Crossbody Bag complete with matching purses and pouches. The new design comes in six colourways and features a stylish tassel detail and an interior zipped pocket to keep precious must-haves safe.

How are you driving awareness to your product ranges?

A huge amount of work has gone on behind the scenes, from filming content to 3D tours to lookbook! It’s an incredibly exciting new venture for us and a great opportunity to encourage our retailers to continue engaging with us while still talking to our lovely sales agents. Eventually, we’ll be able to take one-on-one appointments again with social distancing in place in our private showroom.

Call: 01295 250 879 Visit: katieloxton.com

So patriotic! Step out in style with this red, white and blue cane from leading company Classic Canes. As well as making a style statement, the shape of the handle offers excellent support to the hand. Just one of many designs and styles available.

Call: 01460 75686 Visit: classiccanes.co.uk 48 Gifts Today

Make a wish Handmade in the UK, Wishstrings are lovingly created by one of the company’s ‘wish makers’ in their Yorkshire, Cumbria and Scotland studios. The perfect way to show you care. Time to make a wish!

Email: wishstrings@hotmail.co.uk Visit: wishstringswholesale.co.uk

Hand block printed cotton Kimono, part of a collection of accessories including Bandanas, Hankies & Face Masks.

Lime Tree Design

Over 700 models in stock. Please contact us for a trade catalogue:

E: hello@limetreedesign.com T: 01636 894043 Trade site : www.limetreecollection.com

Tel 01460 75686 www.classiccanes.co.uk

Our Wheat Bags are all handmade in Wiltshire, England and are filled with English wheat. All designs are available in unscented or lavender using the fineest English Lavender buds. They can be either heated in the microwave for soothing aches, pains, relaxation and warmth or chilled to treat headaches or injuries.

PADI Pillows

A versatile, hands-free stand perfect for holding any mobile device on your lap, in bed, the kitchen or on public transport. The Padi Pillow is suitable for iPads, tablets, Kindles, phones & books and keeps your device stable at almost any angle.

ke Bespo nds y sta displa able avail

* Helps relieve R.S.I *Ultra lightweight *Ideal travel pillow *Shop and surf with ease *Made in England *Over 50 designs

01747 840 499

www.thewheatbagcompany.co.uk sales@thewheatbagcompany.co.uk

New products Magic Marmalade Marmalade of London

The collaborative botanicals range with Emma Sutton from Mosney Mill both share a love of the English countryside and the endangered British bumblebee. These botanical fragrances are quintessentially English, bursting with floral notes and all beautifully packaged using Mosney Mill’s gorgeous illustrations. There are four different fragrances available – English Sweet Pea, English Rose, English Bluebell and English Lavender – and they’re available in medium tin, glass candle and diffuser. The range comes in a beehive table top POS and, if a customer orders the whole range, Marmalade donate 5% of the gross profit from the trade sales to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.

Visit: marmaladeoflondon.com

Design delights Gisela Graham

Harrogate in July is the launch pad every year for Gisela Graham’s wonderful market-leading Spring/Easter designs. Sadly, Harrogate 2020 isn’t happening, but they haven’t stopped designing! They’ve a great new collection for spring 2021. To be viewed at their London showroom by appointment. Or call your local area sales person for a visit with laptop. The collection comprises great themed ranges all with strong gift appeal: • Buttercups & Bees will delight through next spring and summer • Easter Gold will be decorating homes for the festival, and great for POS display • Spring Watch takes your customers out on the farm in country style • Bright & Breezy has kid appeal with cheerful, primary-coloured impulse gifts and Easter novelties • Upbeat Forget-Me-Nots & Ladybirds uses blue to fight winter Blues, and last through the summer months • The cutest felt creatures of Craft Corner will delight all the year round 50 Gifts Today

Visit: giselagraham.co.uk

Trade talk

Gifts Today loves to hear your views

In our special #BackInBusiness issue, leading suppliers talk Covid-19 lockdown, supporting clients during reopening and plans for the rest of the year Paul Hooker

Commercial director, Joe Davies How was lockdown? Like many, we closed during the lockdown - the first time since WWII. The support and understanding from our team has been outstanding since reopening in May to support garden centre retailers. We still have reduced staffing, but morale is good.

Changes in the way you’re operating? We are following the government’s guidelines. Luckily our showroom is very spacious so we can open to customers with social distancing in place and we have plenty of hand sanitiser stations. Our warehouse has implemented some changes too in the way we pick, pack and send to make sure the team can operate safely.

How are stock levels? Most of our stock had already shipped prior to lockdown and we have recommenced deliveries from the Far East we have plenty of stock to meet demand. Our trademark ‘Little & Often’ order system is really coming into its own, as customers can order small quantities and top up regularly.

How are you driving awareness to ranges? The Joe Davies’ website is a favourite with our customers and very easy to use. We maintain regular contact with our customers through social media and email. Our Field Sales Team is also back on the road seeing as many customers as possible and offering support wherever it’s needed.

Helen Flook

Sales director, Marmalade How was lockdown? It was an opportunity for us to accelerate product development for two new ranges and add some very exciting new fragrances to our current line. We are a British manufacturer where everything is hand made to the highest possible standard. We launched in the USA last year and it’s going from strength to strength. We now have showrooms in Atlanta, Dallas and Minnesota and this summer we are opening two more in LA and Las Vegas. A lot of states in the US only closed for a month so our trade there hasn’t seen much interruption. We are also launching in Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France and Luxembourg in July.

How are stock levels? We source our components within the UK where we can, so we haven’t had any supply problems. We have good stock levels and as always can deliver within 48 hours (working days).

Special help for retailers? We have removed our minimum order value and are helping out by offering free shipping for all orders in the UK mainland. As there are no trade shows, we are extending show offers.

Keren Dicken Sales and marketing director, Personalised Memento Company How was lockdown?

How are stock levels?

Morale has been pretty good in the team and everyone’s stayed safe and healthy. It was a bit of a shock we would all have to change the way we work and adapt to changes in such a short space of time. For some it has meant being on furlough, adapting to different work hours and some staff members have been able to take the opportunity of working from home.

The supply chain has brought about the most challenges with the closure of some suppliers, and delays in stock deliveries. All in all, yes our efforts are now focussed on planning to meet demand for AW20, but as we have seen, some lines have taken on unprecedented demand that we couldn’t predict.

Changes in the way you’re operating? The impact of social distancing has meant we have had to put in place measures recommended by the government, including changes to streamline our processes enabling us to have the space to personalise our gifts safely. We’re pleased to see the retail economy starting to move again and, with a business model centered around drop-shipping, we continue to operate much in the same way as before.

How are you driving awareness to ranges? We’ll be offering virtual tours of our showroom for the first time this year. It’s a sad thought that we won’t be able to meet and engage with our customers as we have done before but, as many of us are finding, the current situation has bought about opportunities to try something new we haven’t done before.

Gifts Today 51

Trade talk #BackInBusiness

Charlotte Gillan

Matthew Shaw

Sales director, Puckator

MD, Classic Canes

How was lockdown?

We have an office and team of staff based in Italy, so we saw the impact the lockdown had there and perhaps that prepared us more than most as to what was to come in the UK. We kept about 25% of our staff working throughout the lockdown and have been in contact with all furloughed staff, to try and keep morale up. From July all our staff will have returned to work, some part time and some full time. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obviously been a difficult time, but we are all doing OK. We are fortunate to have a big online presence, and online sales across our nine European sites have boomed during the lockdown, many of our online retail customers have been exceptionally busy. However, it certainly feels good to have the bricks and mortar shops back in business and early indications are that people are returning to shop, especially in coastal towns and more local areas.

Classic Canes is a family business so we have been running it by ourselves, doing absolutely everything. So for us, exhausting but it has in some ways been fun too! We look forward to having some of the team back to help us now that the furlough system permits part-time working, as it should have done from the start. We stayed trading throughout, which we could do as we are not public-facing. However it is now encouraging seeing the orders starting to come in from customers we have not heard from in months.

How are stock levels? We have so much stock it is coming out of our ears. March/April is when we bring in large amounts of stock and much of this could not be stopped. The warehouse is now rammed to the rafters with stock that we look forward to selling as soon as possible. UPS, DHL and our other carriers have been fantastic despite the huge demands placed on them at this time. Despatches are functioning pretty much as normal. Advice to retailers is to order little and often as you need it. Many suppliers will be more accommodating of smaller orders than they will of requests for large amounts of credit.

52 Gifts Today

How are stock levels? We currently have very good stock levels, and we hope from Q4 onwards, sales will get back to something like normal. We currently have free delivery to all European destinations and reduced minimum order to help to support our retail customers.

Special plans? We intend to have an open showroom for the whole of September. This will be appointment based, allowing just one customer at a time to visit. We are investing heavily in our websites and IT infrastructure to make our whole online shopping experience better for all our customers.

Sarah Watmore Owner, Miss Milly

How was lockdown? Sales are down around 93% and we have had no government support apart from a minimal amount of furlough during June. But we have kept optimistic, focused on direct sales with our new Letterbox Loveliness offer and monitored cash flow like hawks. From my own personal perspective, I was on my own a lot of the time due to only having my daughter every other week and not living with my partner. The toll on my mental health was enormous as I struggled with the business collapse alongside a dawning realisation that I wasn’t going to get any financial support and with nobody there to share my burden. A phone call just doesn’t match a hug! Riding my bike is what kept me just on the right side of sanity.

How does it feel to be back in business? There’s a long, long way to go. Retailers are sitting on a lot of SS20 stock, nervous about cashflow and our customers have reported that whilst the first few days of re-opening were good, trade then fell off again. Wholesale orders have increased a little bit and what is great is that many retailers are looking to freshen up their ranges and we have had some good leads and new customer orders. I’m not expecting our trade to really pick up until September but if it

happens earlier than that, fantastic.

How are stock levels? We received our restock the week after lockdown and AW20 stock is just arriving now ready to launch at the end of July. We haven’t stopped fulfilling orders throughout lockdown and on the whole delivery has been smooth, although some Royal Mail depots were busier than Christmas and their service is still quite erratic.

Special ways you’re helping your customers? We set up a Retailer Roundtable on Zoom so that our customers could share experiences and thoughts, which has been really successful. We secured one of the product launch sessions for Home & Gift Virtual at 10am on 22 July. The pre-recorded video will also be used both by Home & Gift and Miss Milly after the session to further promote the seasonal launch.

Kate Barker

Director, Lime Tree Design How was lockdown?

Nick Morley

Sales manager, Heroes Inc How was lockdown? Probably as good as can be expected really under the circumstances. All staff were initially furloughed but there are a number who are working now so they are back to a sort of normal. We did a Zoom call three times a week from the start so it was good for morale to see and speak to each other and share experiences as well as recommend what to watch on Netflix!

How does it feel to be back in business? It’s great to have the doors open so to speak and that feeling of light at the end of the tunnel. We have just got to be patient for the public to build up confidence to go shopping again. We are back to processing stock orders in 72 hours.

How are stock levels? Heroes Inc is a stock based business so yes we have good stocks of most of our products. All our T-shirts are printed here in Leicester so the turn around is pretty much back to normal of 15 working days to reprint something

After the initial panic and running around securing finance, we found our on-line retail sales were very buoyant, helped by a desire to support small businesses and buy British. It enabled us to really look at the business and do all those nagging things we never had time to do before! We launched a help package for our trade customers, including help to develop e-commerce capability, drop shipping, photography and no minimum orders. We also developed relevant products that were post-box friendly and in demand like our single packed bandanas and now facemasks. No minimum orders and carriage paid over £50. As a result we are busy and feeling reasonably positive.

How are stock levels? Without a doubt the biggest challenge has been supply chain throughout this period. I have had to find alternative manufacturers for certain products and items being made in UK definitely have an advantage. We have invested in stock and storage to make sure we don’t run out in the busy run up to Christmas and to give us a margin just in case supply becomes a problem again.

How are you driving awareness to your product ranges? We have a new catalogue coming out, a new trade-only Instagram account and our trade only website too. We try and talk directly to as many of our customers as possible – after all, we’re all in it together.

Gifts Today 53

Trade talk #BackInBusiness

Simon Pykett

Country manager, Bloomingville How was lockdown?

An experience, but one which saw me and my team quickly change the way we work. Whilst of course all shops had to close, we have many customers who trade either online only or online ‘as well’ and with these we saw a huge spike in orders as their consumers’ screen time increased. For this reason year to date sales at the end of June saw a significant increase against the same period for 2019. This was the same in all countries for Bloomingville so me and my UK team are in an enviable position and consequently morale is high.

Ian Greaves CEO, St Eval

How does it feel to be back in business?

How was lockdown?

Great! We missed our customers and Zoom meetings just aren’t the same. It is now apparent that very few retailers with whom we trade have closed permanently, very few indeed. So, with sales ahead of last year and a customer base almost unchanged, we really are back in business.

Our team have adapted brilliantly. Initially we managed to keep our operations going with a skeleton staff in the factory and our office staff were able to utilise our digital platforms to full effect when working from home. We are following health and safety guidelines with full PPE for onsite staff, zoned and restricted factory areas and staff temperature checks. Morale is good, we have regular team meetings and there are social forums too so everyone stays connected. It’s great to hear that our stockists are open and that there is a buzz of activity again on the highstreet.

How are stock levels? Bloomingville went into the lockdown period with healthy stock levels. They managed their own Danish lockdown rules in a very organised and professional way. Many Bloomingville staff were furloughed but those that were not and who could do so, worked from home. The warehouse continued uninterrupted. This means that when demand increased not only did we have the stock, we could process and deliver orders as before. Throughout Bloomingville remained open for business.

Advice or additional support for retailers? I have one strong message for traditional bricks and mortar stores get online! You can compete with online-only suppliers. Indeed you have an advantage because your store is also a showroom, something on line only companies don’t have. You can even do ‘click and collect’. It also means your consumer base is UK wide and not limited to the town where you are located. Bloomingville make it very easy for customers who sell online. As a Bloomingville customer you have access to the industry’s leading web-shop where you can place orders directly, check stock positions, see what’s new and have access to a huge image bank of pack shots and lifestyle images. Everything you need to set up an online business at your fingertips. My sales team cover the whole of the UK and we can assist you too. We have all you need on the web shop to view the new AW20 and Christmas collections which unlike many of our competitors, is ordered, paid for and coming in on time. We won’t let down our customers or anyone who wishes to become one.

How will you drive awareness to your product ranges? We have now a virtual showroom. Using your laptop you can tour the showroom in Denmark and place orders from the comfort of your own home.

54 Gifts Today

Any changes in the way you’re operating? We are working very efficiently and at full capacity with no restrictions on production or fulfillment. However, we have adapted to new ways of working in small teams and via digital communications throughout the factory to minimise contact and protect our staff.

Stock levels? We’ve been really fortunate that our pre-lockdown stock levels have been high and now our team are all back in the factory we are confident we can continue to meet high demand. We have strong relationships with our logistics networks and don’t envisage any fulfilment delays at this time. Health and safety guidelines are being followed to protect staff and visiting suppliers and couriers.

Additional support for retailers? Our customer services team are available to support our retailers including updates on new collections, provision of samples and credit solutions. We have frozen our current prices to hopefully make it easier for retailers coming out of the lockdown. We’ll be providing an alternative virtual shopping experience for retailers and samples instead.

Piers Croke

Keith Edmondson

Marketing director, Gisela Graham Ltd

Joint MD, Richard Lang & Son

How was lockdown?

How was lockdown? Myself and fellow directors worked through lockdown, which was quite a surreal experience. We actually started to contact some of our independents to discuss the situation in which they found themselves – and this is where our praised ‘helping hand’ concept was launched.

What sort of things have you done to help customers? All sorts of things. We sourced PPE to supply at cost to customers who couldn’t find it. We also sent bunting free of charge to customers to help them decorate their displays and celebrate re opening! We created our Social Media Handbook as not everyone was well versed in how to use Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to enhance their profile; also a Local Media Handbook that had suggestions and ideas on ways to communicate proactively for the big reopen. This then led in to our autumn/ winter launch that was distributed via E-catalogue and our website – I’m delighted to say the response has been fantastic

Any changes in the way you’re operating? We have been rotating staff on and off furlough so everyone is getting some normality of coming to work and having a change of scene. We have been working with our agents and sales office to contact customers and proactively understand our customers’ requirements so we can work together.

Stock levels? We have stock available for immediate delivery and our carrier is offering virtually normal service levels again so we can supply customers as soon as required.

Are we downhearted? Well, trying not to be! A handful of us kept the office open, and we ticked over. But recent weeks we’ve started to pick up some business for our nonseasonal gifts online delivery within 48 hours. And as of mid July we’re three-quarters back to normal, and bracing ourselves for imminent Christmas deliveries from next month.

How does it feel to be back in business? Unsurprisingly, there is caution in the air. But we are getting sales, from our sales team on the road and we’ve just taken orders in our London showroom. You could say there is a hint of cautious optimism around.

Any changes in the way you’re operating? We’re careful. In the office, desks are separated with Perspex screens following government guidance to the letter.

Stock levels? Oh yes, we have good stocks! But we have very efficient warehouse operation and we can generally get orders delivered within 48-72 hours. We have a great range of everyday gifts for immediate delivery. Spring/Easter ranges will be available from January 2021.

How are you driving awareness to product ranges? We have upgraded our website to give customers easier access and a better understanding of our style.

Nicky Dawson Price’s Candles

How was lockdown? Price’s has stayed open throughout the lock down period with strict measures to keep all of the staff and customers safe. Although lockdown was a daunting time for everyone, our staff still enjoyed the social aspect of coming into work every day. We have changed our offices around so each member has their own area; we keep a twometre distance and clean our stations regularly throughout the day. The morale has only increased since we have been able to welcome back any furloughed staff. We have been very busy serving our beloved customers during this uncertain time to get them all stocked up ready for the summer. It has been lovely to also be in contact with new customers as well as existing ones.

How are stock levels? We have taken great pride in delivering throughout the lockdown period to all of our customers with stock smoothly still being delivered from our factory in Italy. If our retailers are not opening just yet, we are holding their order and they will be able to contact us any time for contact free, quick delivery when they’re back on their feet. We are looking forward to autumn time when we regularly release special offers and deals.

Social media? We love to keep our customers updated on our social media platforms. We post our ‘fragrance of the month’ deals, our favourite products and any updates on our website.

Gifts Today 55