From the publisher

I am sure that many of you are as delighted as I am that we have moved to the stage where face-to-face meetings are very much back on the agenda - it’s been great to be able to spend time out and about, catching up with clients and retailers in recent weeks. At the end of April, I took a trip to Derby to catch up with Midco Toys’ Dave Middleton on the opening day of his new Toy Planet Derby store. And very impressive it was too – how reassuring to see a store packed with a queue of customers stretching the whole length of the store and out into the shopping centre itself…in April. You can read about the new store and see some pictures from the opening day on page 42.

And as I write this month’s column, I have literally just returned from spending time at the Toymaster May Show. The specialist independent UK toy channel is a vibrant and extremely supportive community, and with this being the first May show in three years, expectations were high – so it is great to be able to report that the event delivered on every level.

Retailers came from across the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland – especially Ireland in fact. Perhaps unsurprisingly, as most Irish members had not been able to make it over for the London Toy Fair in January, the chance to meet with suppliers and see new lines was even more important for them, and they duly arrived in their droves. As ever, the atmosphere was relaxed and informal, but ultimately, it works from a business perspective. From the first to the last day, orders were being written, particularly on catalogue lines and the special deals on offer. Despite all the macro-economic challenges beyond all of our control, it is encouraging to see that the independent toy sector in the UK continues to hold its own: Toymaster unveiled its latest set of annual results ahead of the show, with revenue increasing by 20% and profits almost doubling over the past year – a massively impressive performance, whichever way you look at it. You can read our full report on what happened in Harrogate on page 130.

In addition to the many retail visitors from the UK and Ireland, there were two special visitors from US indie retail chain Learning Express, as the two retail operations continue to develop a close working relationship. The ‘American Exchange’ programme is due to expand later this summer, when representatives from Toymaster will visit the Learning Express show in the States. Reciprocal support and collaboration like this can only be a good thing – specialist toy retailers on both sides of the pond face many of the same challenges and opportunities; sharing information and forging close co-operation can only help to move both businesses forward.

During the same week as Toymaster, toy suppliers from across the globe made their way to Distoy, the London-based distributor show; like Toymaster, Distoy has built up a loyal community of exhibitors and attendees over the years, and it was wonderful to see so many people from the international toy market at the show. It was also great to start looking at product that won’t be arriving on shelves for another 12 months or more – yes, the cycle is starting all over again.

Indeed, there have been so many positive sets of results reported by toy companies over the past few weeks, it is easy to forget that these excellent performances are being delivered against a very uncertain global economic situation.

However, I remain a firm believer in the ‘If you build it, they will come’ mantra – especially if you know what you are doing. When I see busy toy stores and talk to store owners who are feeling positive and looking to expand their businesses, it reinforces the notion that it is perfectly possible to thrive in the face of adversity…providing you are passionate, committed and, above all, good at what you do.

With the product launch calendar and the arrival of stock far more fluid these days (partly due to ongoing logistics challenges and partly because there is no late summer Argos catalogue around which everything has to revolve), mid-year is a great time for toy retailers to be evaluating and placing orders for the second half. The Toymaster May show provided a great opportunity for suppliers to showcase key new launches for the back end, and this issue has plenty more inspiration for retailers looking to freshen up their offering for the festive season. This month’s product category features are an eclectic mix, literally spanning every age of toy consumer, from babies to Kidults and everything in-between. So, if you are looking for new lines in the Art & Craft, Action Figures & Collectibles, Wheeled Toys and Infant Toys categories, you’re in luck - this month’s edition will give you plenty of options to consider.

We all know there are challenges ahead – but as I have said before, we are collectively better placed to face the challenges if we keep talking and working closely together. We’ll carry on playing our part, bringing you all the latest news from all parts of the toy community – our own unique brand of community service.