The winners of the Toy Retailer of the Year Awards will be announced at the annual Toy Industry Awards evening at Olympia London on Tuesday 21st January 2020.

The British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) has announced the finalists for the Toy Retailer of the Year Awards 2019. The shortlist is:

Independent Toy Retailer of the Year (single store):

• Enchanted Wood Toys, Farnham
• Thomas Moore Toymaster, Exeter
• Wigwam Toys, Brighton

Independent Toy Retailer of the Year (Multi Store):

• Ken Black Toys
• Midco Toymaster
• Toy Barnhaus

Department Store Toy Retailer of the Year:

• Morleys Stores
• Selfridges & Co
• W J Daniel & Co

Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year:

• Sainsburys Argos
• Smyths
• The Entertainer

Online Excellence Award:

• Sainsburys Argos
• Shop Direct
• Smyths

The winners of the Toy Retailer of the Year Awards, including Overall Toy Retailer of the Year, will be announced along with other special BTHA awards at the annual Toy Industry Awards evening held at Olympia, London on Tuesday 21st January 2020. The event, which takes place on the first evening of Toy Fair, is organised by the BTHA with the Toy Retailers Association (TRA), who will also present the Toy and Supplier Awards for 2019 on the same evening.

Kirsty has held marketing positions within the toy industry for 13 years. 

Bandai UK has announced that Kirsty Mackenzie has been appointed as its new head of marketing following her promotion from marketing manager. Kirsty joined the Bandai UK team in 2018, having previously held marketing positions within the toy industry for 13 years.

“Kirsty’s promotion is testament to her commitment and the impact she has made during a fundamental period of evolution for the company”, said Nic Aldridge, managing director, Bandai UK. “Kirsty has vast experience in strategizing and implementing marketing campaigns and will be instrumental in heading up the department to drive growth and market share for all Bandai UK brands. These include huge initiatives for the likes of our extended Dragon Ball line, celebrations and comeback plans for retro ranges Tamagotchi and Harumika, and continued activity for recent successes such as Bananas, National Geographic and Sea Monkeys.”

“It’s an exciting time to be part of the company,” added Kirsty. “As we head in to 2020, our portfolio continues to grow with an assortment of own IPs and strong, global licences, all of which I’m looking forward to developing and supporting with strategic marketing and tactical campaigns.”

Mike Ashley has warned that, despite rent relief, many locations remain “unsustainable”.

The owner used the company’s latest results, for the six months to 27 September, to address current challenges faced by House of Fraser, including what he described as “serious under-investment” in stores and appropriate support services.

Mike Ashley, who bought the department store chain a year ago, commented:  “We are doing as much as we can to realistically save as many jobs and stores as possible. We are continuing to review the longer-term portfolio and would expect the number of retained stores to continue to reduce in the next 12 months”.

However, he also stated that a £605m bill from Belgium’s tax authority would not lead to “material liabilities” and said the group hoped to find a resolution soon.

Sports Direct shareholders met on Monday and voted to change the retailer’s corporate name to Frasers Group, as part of plans to move upmarket, and shift the company focus from sporting goods. The group also owns designer fashion brand Flannels, video game shop chain Game Digital, clothing retailer Jack Wills, cycle retailer Evans Cycles and online furniture shop Sofa.com.

When House of Fraser went into administration, it had 59 stores, two warehouses and employed almost 16,000 staff. It has been reported that seven of those stores have been closed to date.

The retailer is said to be working with KPMG to explore options.

According to Sky News, Beales, one of Britain’s oldest department store chains, has drafted in advisers to explore refinancing options. The retailer has tasked KPMG with leading a strategic review which could lead to the closure of a small number of stores.

Sources said on Monday evening that Beales is seeking to negotiate rent reductions with some of the owners of its 22 stores, while it is also thought to be keen on exploring debt-raising options that would enable it to accelerate its restructuring process. An outright sale of the business, while plausible, is not thought to be the preferred option.

The retailer employs around 1,300 people directly, with a further 300 staff working in branded concessions across its store estate.

According to insiders, Beales’ stores in market towns are thought to be performing well, while a number of new formats previously introduced by its management team have also produced encouraging results.

Beales is majority-owned by a vehicle led by Tony Brown, an experienced retail professional who has held senior posts at 99p Stores, Peacocks and BHS. Tony Brown led a management buyout of the business last year, and is understood to be seeking a conclusion to the refinancing process by early in the new year.

Beales was a public company until its shares were delisted in 2015. It has since been owned by several different private investors. In 2016, it secured creditors’ backing for a Company Voluntary Arrangement, paving the way for substantial rent reductions at 11 of its 29 stores.

A statement about the strategic review is expected to be made today.

The new digital marketing agency www.ilovedigital.co.uk reflects Lazar’s own passion for toys and the industry.

Having learnt a lot about business and the toy industry over the last eight years, Lazar Vukovic has now set up his own digital marketing agency – www.ilovedigital.co.uk – which is a full service agency offering everything from web design, app development, content creation, social media management, SEO, marketing campaigns and more.

Lazar’s journey in the toy industry began with his independent store Toy Town. He opened the store in November 2011 in Corby, Northants, next to the former Woolworths store.

Lazar said: “Being introduced to the toy industry was amazing, and a breath of fresh air from the other sectors I’d been previously involved in. Everybody I met was polite, pleasant and very down to earth, and all willing to help. It was at this point I knew that the toy industry environment was where I wanted to stay.”

After feeling the impact from a difficult trading period, Lazar pursued a career with Winning Moves in 2015. His role was to build up the business in Russia, Greece, Serbia and Croatia, to name a few. Top Trumps and Monopoly quickly began to catch the eyes of these toy markets and Lazar said this role alone has given him great connections from the industry, and friends all over the world.

His new digital marketing agency reflects his own passion for toys and the industry, offering the right services needed to build a business.

Lazar added: “I’ve learnt a thing or two about business and how to launch and grow a brand, product and business, so I wish to share my skills with companies I’m passionate about, helping them deliver creative and strategic marketing while they stay focused on growing their business.”

Toy World spoke to Farzana Rahman, founder of the Desi Doll Company, which makes entertaining and educational toys and games for Muslim children.

“When I founded the business there wasn’t really anyone creating fun Islamic educational toys, which is the main reason I felt compelled to start the Desi Doll Company. Ten years later, we’re pleased to have inspired others to enter this market – but The Desi Doll Company remains the clear leader. It’s recognised as the largest independent manufacturer and supplier of Islamic toys worldwide. Our range of over 30 toys includes talking plush, talking wooden puzzles, talking books and much more, catering for ages 0-12 years.

Our latest launch My Little Muslim Friends aims to promote respect and understanding amongst Muslim children and their peers – I feel this is important because we live in a multi-cultural society, especially here within the UK, and we can clearly see the benefits these dolls will offer, helping to build friendships and increase knowledge from the youngest of ages. We hope My Little Muslim Friends offer diversity, challenge negative stereotypes about Muslims, encourage children to form friendships irrespective of beliefs and – above all else – show that all children just like to have fun.

2019 was a busy year for us as we launched new products and entered new markets, and 2020 is shaping up to be no different. We’ll soon be launching new sound books to the range as well as some other very clever (and top secret) ideas for our ever-growing consumer base to appreciate. Marketing continues to be our focus, as we spread the word through social media and global campaigns.

We are taking orders now for Ramadan 2020, so if you’d like to try Islamic Toys in your store, now is the time to talk to us. Please email farzana@desidollcompany.com for our catalogue and price list.”

Read the full interview with Farzana in the Toy World December issue here.

The ‘Power of One’ Transparency Award champions ethical behaviour from retail suppliers.

Spring Fair is launching the ‘Power of One’ Transparency Award for its 2020 event.

Spring & Autumn Fair’s #PowerOfOne campaign supports and encourage retailers and their suppliers to make changes that will protect the planet and inspire sustainable behaviours.

Show organiser Hyve Group is now extending the initiative to supply chain ethics with the Power of One Transparency Award, supported by Sedex, one of the world’s leading ethical trade service providers working to improve working conditions in global supply chains.

Entries are being accepted from Spring Fair exhibitors through the show’s website here. As well as responding to a series of questions, entrants are encouraged to upload evidence that showcases their efforts to ensure their supply chain upholds the highest standards of responsibility.

Julie Driscoll, Hyve Group regional manager for Spring Fair, said: “Retail brands are under pressure from governments, consumers, NGOs, and other stakeholders to divulge more information about their supply chains, and the reputational cost of failing to meet these demands can be high. Concurrently, consumers are rewarding retail businesses that are championing socially responsible behaviours and taking action to elevate their ethical behaviours in all the communities they impact.”

She continued: “Spring Fair has a long history of encouraging activism in the retail industry. Our Power of One campaign continues to support and encourage retailers and their suppliers to make changes that will protect the planet and inspire sustainable behaviours. Now, we want to highlight the issue of supply chain transparency and encourage awareness and improvement throughout the industry.”

Entries will be judged by a panel of industry experts and the winner will be announced on the Inspiring Retail Stage, with the date and time of the presentation to be announced.

Supporting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, the Power of One campaign seeks to demonstrate how a combination of small, individual changes can create a more sustainable future for all.

The Power of One campaign has been adopted across Hyve Group’s portfolio of fashion and retail shows.