Bruno, of John Adams, was presented with the prestigious award during the Toymaster May Show Party Night, which also saw him take to the stage as front man of the toy industry’s ‘official’ band, Toy Division.  

Bruno Gallone (left), with Toymaster chairman Chris Blatcher, receives his Special Recognition Award from Toymaster.

The first day of the annual Toymaster May Show wrapped up last night with an evening of food, music, dancing and drinks, as suppliers and retailers alike celebrated a successful day of trading.

John Adam’s Bruno Gallone took home a Special Recognition Award during the evening. These awards are given only to those who have made a real difference over the years, forging strong relationships with Toymaster as well as its members, and putting people at the centre of everything they do.

Toymaster managing director Yogi Parmar, who presented the award, praised Bruno – whom he called “the man, the legend” while on stage – for his warm approach, caring ways and Italian charm, adding: “Bruno has always been a great supporter of both indies and of Toymaster, and always finds the time to help. Bruno, thank you for being you and for all your hard work.”

Bruno then took the crowd by storm with his band Toy Division, which is made up of some very familiar toy trade faces: independent retailer Jon Starling (Starlings Toymaster) on bass guitar, Matt Martin (agent) on drums, John Mallabar (Orchard Toys) on guitar and vocals, Matthew Parlett (John Adams) on guitar, and Paul Reader (Toymaster) on backup vocals (and interpretive dance).

With the drinks flowing, visitors flocked to the dance floor to boogie the night away as Toy Division covered iconic tracks from throughout the years, while others gathered at the bar to swap stories from the day and catch up with their fellow retailers and suppliers.

Toy Division took to the stage as pudding – a Toymaster Dome – was cleared away

Day two of the 3-day buying event starts today at The Majestic Hotel in Harrogate. Over 100 suppliers are showcasing their ranges at the event, which is open to Toymaster members as well as non-members. Day one was widely considered a success, with each area of the hotel in which the show takes place –  the Carriage Suite, Harrogate Suite, Regency Suite, Drawing Room, Reading Room, Billiard Room, Upper Marquee and Lower Marquee – enjoying a convivial atmosphere and plenty of fruitful meetings. Subtle tweaks to the stand designs and seating arrangements have elevated this year’s event with an added feel of professionalism, while screens dotted around The Majestic highlight the importance of Toymaster’s many suppliers to the success of its members.

Speaking to Toy World, Toymaster managing director Yogi Parmar said: “In previous years, the emphasis of the shows has been very much on our members. This year, we wanted to pivot that slightly to pay homage to our suppliers, without whom there would be no May Show. The changes we’ve made to this event, like the changes we’ve made at our Northamptonshire HQ, have taken things up a level and we’re delighted with how the show is going so far.”

Toy World’s John Baulch, Rachael Simpson-Jones, Caroline Tonks and Gabriela Garcia will be making the rounds again today, so please do say hello if you see us. And don’t forget, the Toymaster Awards Dinner takes place tonight – see you there!