The 2020 show will not take place – the focus switches to 2021.

Distoy organiser David Potter has contacted Toy World to confirm that the show has been cancelled for this year.

He told us: “With a heavy heart, I’m afraid I’m left with no alternative but to call off Distoy 2020. I will be sending out a formal notice today. I canvassed every registered exhibitor to help me make an informed decision and, although all the replies are not yet in, it’s a landslide vote for cancelling the show rather than postponing it.

That was the resounding vote from the exhibitors, but in addition, an enormous number of the visitors told me that the travel restrictions already in place prohibit them from travelling for the foreseeable future – and a show without visitors is no use to anyone.

The vast majority made the point that a postponement may only prolong the agony, in the sense that none of us knows when it might be safe to try and put the show on. For many, an August/September alternative simply wouldn’t work, given their commitment to other events.

Now we will focus on making Distoy 2021 the biggest and best yet. It goes without saying that I’m devastated that it has come to this, but clearly it’s the right and proper thing to do under these unprecedented circumstances. At least I haven’t made a knee jerk decision – it was only made after consultation with every registered 2020 exhibitor.”