Special Feature
2022
Bursting with excitement Toy Fair makes its long-awaited return from January 25th-27th at Olympia London, with a new floorplan welcoming back a raft of familiar faces and first-time exhibitors alike. Toy World finds out what there is to look forward to, while Majen Immink, director of Fairs & Special Events at the British Toy & Hobby Association tells us how the show organiser is approaching the event this year in light of recent events and continued uncertainty.
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The old saying ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ certainly seems to be ringing true: there’s definitely a sense of anticipation and relief that the UK toy industry’s premier event is back,” says Majen. “Of course, the excitement at every Toy Fair is delivered by our exhibitors. As in previous years, there will be more than 260 companies showcasing their ranges, from the biggest brands in the business including Character Options, Moose Toys and Jazwares, right through to start-up companies exhibiting for the very first time such as Ezy Rollers, Mecismo and Deltaco. Everyone involved can’t wait to get back together and we look forward to visitors getting hands-on with the products that will be the big-sellers and trend-setters for 2022. It will be great to see all the familiar faces and the new ones too.” Since the 2020 show, Olympia has been undergoing redevelopment works as a result of a £1b investment plan that aims to transform the iconic 135-year-old venue into a ‘cultural hub’ with an extended high-end events space, communal areas and co-working spaces, as well as new leisure facilities, on-site accommodation and food offerings. Work is ongoing, thanks in
no small part to the pandemic, meaning the 2022 iteration will have a substantially different floorplan for the first time in many years, with much of the show moved to the National Hall and National Gallery from the Lower and Upper West Halls. Majen tells Toy World that the exhibitor reaction to the move has been very positive, that the plans for the redevelopment work look fantastic, and that she ‘can’t wait’ to see the finished site once it’s complete. She adds: “I must say thank you to all those exhibitors whose stands are affected and have had to be moved from the Lower West and Upper West Halls, which are unavailable to us at the moment. The National Hall and National Gallery are side by side with the Grand Hall and Grand Gallery, meaning the rejig will actually open the show up really nicely. I think the reaction we’ve had also reflects everyone’s excitement at returning to the show following the disappointment of last year. The new floorplan has allowed us to add a second entrance to the show in the National Hall too, which is particularly useful to help prevent bottlenecking and over-crowding.” Reflecting the current situation surrounding Covid, other sensible decisions have also been
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taken to reduce crowding and ensure everyone can enjoy a safe event. To this end, regular Toy Fair features, such as Toy Fair TV, the Influencer Day and Demo Zone, will be on hiatus for 2022. The BTHA is stringently following government guidelines and has introduced a set of ‘Covidcombating protocols’ including enhanced cleaning operations, multiple hand sanitisation points – located at various touch points around the show- and the adoption of mandatory Covid status checks for all participants. Olympia also now boasts an improved ventilation system. On top of these measures, Majen explains, the BTHA is continuing to track local and national guidance, including any mandated changes in restrictions such as compulsory mask wearing. Updates will be issued over the coming weeks as soon as they are available. The most popular aspects of Toy Fair remain, of course. The winners of the Toy Retailer of the Year Awards will be revealed during the fair, as will the Toy Fair Hero Toys 2022, a line-up of the top must-see toys the BTHA believes will fuel the toy business and generate headlines in 2022 and beyond. The trolley dash is back too, with KidsOut will once again the show’s official charity
