From the publisher

It’s great to be able to start this month’s column with the news that toy stores are once again open in England and Wales. Even better, the toy retailers we spoke to during the days that followed 12th April gave re-opening week a resounding thumbs up. There was never any guarantee that this would prove to be the case: indeed, some retailers were anticipating a modest return to trading, while others seemed genuinely nervous. However, according to those store owners who managed to carve out the time to speak to us, there was no need to be worried: one retailer held the phone away from him so we could hear the hubbub in his store. “Do you hear that…kids, back in the store. What a great sound.” He was clearly thrilled. Another succinctly summed up the week’s proceedings in just three words: “Beyond all expectations.” All the retailers spoke of being busy, and of a positive atmosphere in-store. They told us that customers were not just browsing or window-shopping (or worse, showrooming), but spending decent sums of money on high ticket items – there does appear to be a healthy amount of cash floating around. Parents were also happy to bring kids into stores with them, rather than shopping alone with a list – I always feel it’s better for toy shops when the family shops together. Retailers also mentioned the support they had received from suppliers to help with displays and generally freshening up the store, with Playmobil being singled out for particular praise by several happy retail retailers. And consumers were clearly delighted that toy stores have opened their doors once more– one retailer told us that on opening morning, some customers even turned up with flowers and chocolates to welcome them back. While we weren’t able to speak to every single shop owner, I do hope that other toy retailers experienced a similar response. We had reports of children spending pocket month which they had been saving up for months, as well as Christmas, birthday and Easter money and vouchers, so it’s reassuring to hear that the idea of pent-up demand was real and not just something we wanted to be true. You can read more feedback from specialist toy retailers about their experience of re-opening week in the special, extended Talking Shop section of this issue, which starts on page 33.

We also spoke to the Toymaster head office team, to find out how they had been supporting their members ahead of the big day – physically, in some cases, as you can see from the photo of Paul Reader breaking up cardboard boxes, while assisting Midco Toys’ Dave Middleton ahead of the opening of his new Burton store (which we also offer you an exclusive sneak peek into, on page 74). This month would traditionally see the Toymaster Show take place in Harrogate – unfortunately, despite the significant progress the UK has made in recent months, we’re not yet ready for trade shows and events to return. So, instead, we’ve dedicated part of this month’s edition to focusing on a selection of companies who are launching new ranges aimed at the specialist toy sector over the coming weeks. Our Toymaster ‘Show Off’ feature starts on page 70 – and I genuinely hope that this will be the last time we need to use that particular branding. With a bit of luck and a fair wind, hopefully our future show previews will be able to focus on events that are actually taking place, rather than ones which have had to be postponed. This month also sees us highlighting the Dolls and Girls’ Collectibles category, which continues to perform incredibly well and provide a host of the UK toy market’s best-selling ranges. It was great to catch up with both Mattel and Zapf to find out what these leading players will be doing to drive the category this year, while there are plenty of other companies launching new introductions and extending successful ranges. For retailers looking for inspiration to freshen up their product selections in this area, our extensive look at the category starts on page 40. Finally, this month’s other major feature covers the licensing sector, including a look at some of the key properties that are making waves in the kids’ space, as well as an exhaustive round-up of the new licensed ranges which will be hitting shelves in the coming months. Our guide to all the latest developments in the licensing world starts on page 98. I hope you enjoy this issue and let’s hope that the positive nature of the first week’s post-lockdown trading continues. I’s been a long wait, but it’s great that we can finally move on to the next phase – onwards and upwards.