Page 28 - Toy & Hobby Retailer Magazine June-July 2020

INTERNATIONAL TOY FAIRS
LONDON 2020
Across the pond
Toy World’s John Baulch reports from the London Toy Fair.
BETWEEN 21st - 24th January, thousands
of UK toy companies and retail buyers, as well as a smattering of bloggers, influencers and celebrities packed into London Olympia to see the latest toys, games and gadgets that kids - and kidults - will be clamouring to get their hands on this year.
Following a pattern which most global toy fairs have adhered to this year, the show arguably felt slightly quieter, especially on the last day. But when I pressed exhibitors as to which buyers hadn’t turned up, about the only name that anyone put forward
was ill-fated department store Debenhams, which fell into administration shortly after the show ended, having already announced
that it would be closing its toy department.
A few others mentioned smaller teams from
a couple of major accounts or of the majors spending less time at the show, which in some cases was noticeable, as was the absence of huge tribes from certain licensing companies – times are certainly changing in that
respect. Independent toy retail buying group Toymaster suggested that around 75 of its members were present, a very small decline against last year’s number – but again, in their words, “the main ones were here.” So assuming you measure a show by the quality of buyers seen rather than the quantity
(and let’s be honest, there are simply fewer accounts around than there were years ago)
28 TOY & HOBBY RETAILER MAY / JUNE / JULY 2020