editor’s letter

LinkedIn: Nursery Today

So, here we are in the month of May – a month full of Bank Holiday weekends! I don’t think I personally I have ever experienced a time where we have had three Bank Holidays in one month.

Of course, one of these was to celebrate the Coronation of our new King. My own High Street where I live held its own Street Party and I have to say, it was incredibly well organised and I’m not sure that I have ever seen so many people before attending an event or our High Street so busy (not even at Christmas when locals gather for the turning on of the Christmas lights).

I’m sure for those shops who took this as an opportunity to secure additional footfall and sales, probably fared pretty well. For example, Pramland took the decision to close their doors on the Saturday and John Barker states in his article “I opted to close the Saturday of the Coronation but still open on the Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday as we normally would. I must admit, it was a difficult decision to make but I think I made the right one. Yes, we closed on our busiest trading day but the Sunday and Monday more than made up for it.” I would be interested to hear from you all about how you have found trade during this month. Why not drop me an email at penny@lemapublishing and tell me your own experiences?

This month we carry a host of features which takes a look at Tech products, Breast Pumps & Accessories, Changing Bags plus Strollers and we also shine the spotlight on Plush products.

You will also find our Cover Story over on page 10 where Maxi-Cosi introduce their newly launched 360 Pro Family: a unique range of comfortable, ergonomic car seat solutions that can both rotate and slide towards parents, thanks to Maxi-Cosi’s revolutionary SlideTech technology. By making it easier than ever to secure children safely and comfortably in the car, 360 Pro Family sets a new standard in car seat innovation. While on the subject of car seats – let’s not forget that Nuna also made an impact with their newly launched PIPA urbn which also raised the bar in the car seat sector. Their PIPA urbn is the only baseless infant car seat with a built-in ISOFIX system that is seamlessly integrated into the car seat, enabling it to install in seconds into taxis and cars and weighs in at an ultralight 3.3 kg. The PIPA urbn is super-portable and features a one-handed vehicle and pushchair release for effortless transfers, making it a most genius way of travelling around town with baby.

Searching for Tech? Turn to page 14.

This month we also had the pleasure to catch up with the team at Babyland Cheltenham. As an independent retailer since the 60’s, this family run business has certainly seen changes in the nursery landscape over the years. As they state within the article “The landscape for nursery retail has changed and expanded greatly over the years, hundreds of brands have popped up and everyone is trying their best to bring new designs to the table. Customers have never had so much choice when it comes to travel systems, with bigger and better aesthetics, ease of use, and storage saving.” Simply turn to page 12 to read more.

Talking of retail, Jolly Tots Managing Director Lorretta Owen also takes the time to give her thoughts on the stroller market on our Retailer Opinion page (also a subject touched on by John Barker). You can read her views over on page 37.

Finally, can I also bring to everyone’s attention that The Baby Products Association will be running their first face-to-face AGM for several years after covid disruptions, last year’s meeting had no option but to go virtual due to train strikes. This is due to be a great networking event for 2023 and with some informative speakers. The AGM is set to be held in Central London on Tuesday 20th June. As an example, one ‘hot topic’ on the agenda will be car seats. The law with regards to children’s car seats is complex and has become even more so since Brexit. Luke Burns, General Manager, CYBEX is a car seat expert and will make a presentation to help you navigate through this and provide a better understanding of the requirements in Europe and how these differ in Great Britain. This will be followed by a Q&A session to ensure you have all the facts you need. For further information, or to become a member of The Baby Products Association, visit www.b-p-a.org or email Christine Scippo to find out how you can secure your space at this event on info@k-communications.co.uk

You’ll find a host of strollers available to order now by simply turning to page 38.