by Lewis Tyler So says Toymaster, which has identified key toy opportunities in towns in the UK…
THERE IS room for more toy shops on the UK High Street – that’s according to Toymaster’s operations director Ian Edmunds (pictured). Speaking ahead of the Toymaster May show in Harrogate, Edmunds told ToyNews: “Rents have fallen and in a lot of towns there are gaps. So there are opportunities out there, as long as it’s well thought out. “It’s all about costs, there has to
be a re-alignment of what it costs to trade on the High Street. Your biggest bill after your staff is always going to be your rent – councils
aren’t going to move on rates so it’s got to be rents.” Toymaster can help members make sure they aren’t paying over the odds on leases, using its network to calculate the rates to pay in different towns.
“If they want to use us as an information point to see what other members are paying, where we’ve got that information, we will provide it,” added Edmunds. “What we’ve also got is a lot of information historically on what turnover has come from those towns, so we can point people in the right direction.” Toymaster now has 180 members and 300 stores in the UK and Ireland and Edmunds sees room for expansion, if toy shop owners can be shrewd with the figures. Turn to page 39 to read our full Toymaster preview coverage, with comments from indies and industry execs.
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Mega Bloks unveils new
Princess line MEGA BLOKS has created a new range for girls aged one and up. The Mega Bloks Lil’ Princess line is due in July and will include play-sets, characters with sparkling tiaras and wings, blocks and pets. Each Lil’ Princess has her own individual theme. Once the character is placed on top of her pony, or any Mega Bloks prong, her sparkling tiara magically appears. Other features include removable sparkling wings. Larger play-sets include the Sparkling Tower, the Magic Carriage, the 3-Storey Enchanted Princess Castle and the Twinkle Castle.