Special Feature - Toymaster Review

Another successful Toymaster May Show

The DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel & Spa hosted another successful Toymaster May Show this year from 20th-22nd May. Toy World reports back on the event, where a buzz was in the air amongst visitors.

The 2025 Toymaster May Show hit the ground running at the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate from 20th-22nd May; the halls were full, visitors were smiling, and a buzz was in the air. This year, over 100 suppliers, including 15 first timers, took over the hotel and marquees, ready for three days of networking, ordering and fun.

From the get-go, suppliers were reporting strong order numbers and interest, while Toymaster members and other specialist independent retailers were excited about starting their planning for Q4. It’s an interesting juxtaposition – starting the groundwork for the Christmas period while having a sweet treat in the sun from the ice cream van that was doing a roaring trade outside the marquees.

The Toymaster team pulled out all the stops this year, creating a comfortable and accessible space for its members and suppliers alike. There was a dedicated New Members area, where those retailers interested in joining Toymaster could have a relaxed chat with Commercial director, Paul Reader, who was happy to answer any questions. There was also a dedicated Toymaster Information Management System (TIMS) training area ,where members could update and sharpen their skills on this service which streamlines members’ accounts and invoicing.

Decorations throughout the show this year provided plenty of photo opportunities for attendees; highly detailed Lego statues of Spider-Man, a race car driver and a fireman were on display at different points in the main lobby of the hotel. There was also Rainbow Designs’ statue of Mr. Tickle, from the nostalgic Mr. Men and Little Miss series, who welcomed visitors at the entrance to the upper marquee alongside a life-size Playmobil firefighter. However, the industry-wide favourite was Craft Buddy’s Crystal Art Buddies large rendition of Paul Reader, dressed as Superman with the Toymaster ‘T’ across his chest.

After a successful first day, it was time for Disco Night, and the crowd did not disappoint, turning up with fun costumes, top-notch dancing and infectious energy. Rubies and Smiffys graciously donated sequined hats which were worn around the room, and there was a delicious three-course meal over which everyone was chatting about the start to show and swapping stories.

A series of Golden Teddies were presented on behalf of the BTHA to select recipients, with Steve Kerrison of Kerrison Toys and Gary Squires of Kayes of Cardiff taking to the stage to receive their awards. Steve was commended for dedicating his life to supporting retail associations and developing his own successful family business, while Gary was applauded for his expansive career where he has worked in toys for over 59 years across the wholesale sector.

A Toymaster Special Recognition Award was also presented to the Lego Group for its strong support of the indie retail sector and for recognising the independents as a vital part of the overall toy retail eco-system.

The highlight of the night, however, was the act of the evening: Brutus Gold's Love Train. With the likes of Disco Richard leading the conga line and songs like ‘Rock the Boat’ by The Hues Corporation starting a human row boat on the dance floor, it was a performance not to be missed. Toy World even took home the gold and silver in the dance competition, with entrants from Craft Buddy, Reydon Sports and Paper Projects taking part as well.

The second day of the show also got off to a great start. The positive energy didn't dip throughout the day, with lots of meetings taking place around the hotel. Dora the Explorer even paid a visit this year, walking around the show to greet visitors and take pictures.

This year saw an increase in the number of independent non-members visiting, whom everyone welcomed enthusiastically. “We’ve had a record number of independents come to the show,” said Paul Reader. “They felt more comfortable, and we’re now at a stage where they are happy to join us at the show and get the perks. It’s also a great opportunity for us to talk to them about the real benefits of being a part of Toymaster.” Toymaster also continues to strengthen its mutual co-operation with the AIS buying group; not only was Head of Toys & Children’s Gifts Rosie Marshall in attendance, so were leading AIS members such as SMF Toytown, Daniels of Windsor and Morleys. Toymaster members are equally welcome at the AIS Show, which will be held at Cranmore Park in September.

Throughout the day, Toy World spoke to a range of retailers from across the UK and Ireland to discover how the show was treating them, what their outlook was for the rest of 2025 and if they had begun preparing for the Christmas period. 16 indies shared their thoughts, which can be found on page 28.

Wednesday evening was Awards Night, with a series of honours being presented. Philip Kaye received the 25 Years of Membership award for his Toys n Things business, while Amy Saunders, Country manager UK, Just Play, was presented with the Friend of Toymaster Award. Throughout her career, Amy has been an advocate for the indies, and she was commended for recognising the importance of strong relationships with retailers and the Toymaster team.

Two more Golden Teddy Awards were presented to Paul Carpenter of Totally Toys and David Larter of Outsourced Sales Solution (OSS). Paul has worked in the industry for over 30 years, always welcoming his customers and making them feel special. He was described as having the biggest heart and overflowing with kindness. David was congratulated for his tenure in the industry for 25 years, running a sales agency driven by his energy and charisma. He was described by his proposers as being scrupulously honest, with a generous nature and an old school moral compass.

The final award of the evening went to Brainstorm, which won the highly prestigious Toymaster Supplier of the Year. The company was recounted as a key partner with a fantastic team that goes above and beyond to provide excellent service to Toymaster and independent retailers. The Brainstorm family took to the stage to receive their award and seemed overjoyed at the recognition.

Throughout the evening, a talented gospel choir kept the crowd entertained with their incredible vocals. Their emotional rendition of ‘Hallelujah’ even brought tears to the eyes of audience members. The three-course meal was again a success, and the party favours for the evening were adorable Sylvanian Families characters, donated by Epoch Making Toys.

When asked about the Awards Night, Philip Kaye said: “It was a great night. Everything has been so professional. Everybody has commented to me, both staff and guests, on how much they’ve enjoyed the food and the event as a whole. I’ve already been to the Toymaster team and said well done.”

The last day of the show was quieter, with some visitors having already packed up and set off early in the morning. Despite this, it was still a bright and cheery atmosphere, with suppliers using the time to catch up amongst themselves, while remaining retailers were able to round off their visit by finalising festive orders without the crowds of the first two days. On their final laps of the Majestic, team Toy World tracked down a host of suppliers to hear their thoughts on the show, and across the board, this year was deemed a major success.

Rainbow Designs' Business Development manager, Mandy McGough, told us: "We’ve had the best show ever. We smashed last year's figures on the first day and did twice as much on the second day, and we’ve still got more orders coming in. There's about eight new prospects to chase up as well. We did a lot of work before the show to get it all coming together, so it’s been really good to see that pay off – we’re all really happy."

"I think it’s been a very good show," said Lee Crocker, Country manager, Cobi. "It’s possibly one of the best Toymaster shows I’ve been to the last five or six years. It’s notable that we met a lot more non-Toymaster members, which was great to see and adds even more to the show itself. This will become the second toy show in the calendar after London Toy Fair."

Reydon Sports’ Marketing manager, Andy Griffin, added: “The show has been very successful; it’s our third time showing in Harrogate. New orders have been placed, and we’ve met new customers, which is great. On the stand, we’ve got a nice snapshot of everything we do as a company. We’ve got a fair few catalogue lines for Toymaster this year as well. That’s generated a lot of pre-books and nice orders.

“The Toymaster show gives you encouragement and gives you optimism. So many members make an effort to come which is great. As a supplier, that makes you want to put more time and investment into your stand. Overall, it’s become a very important show for us.”

Paul Reader was overjoyed with the turnout at the show this year. He told Toy World: "We gauge the success of a show on two things: are the suppliers happy and are the members happy? And I’m delighted to say that both have been this year. The atmosphere has been fantastic, there was a real buzz about it, and the weather has been great. It’s been absolutely fabulous; we’re very happy and we’re looking forward to the rest of the year."

Once the show officially closed its doors for 2025 and the visitors had departed, there was no time for the Toymaster team to rest on its laurels, as they met with the Majestic staff to discuss the show’s overall outcome and begin working on 2026. “Every year, our planning starts the day after the show, once the breakdown is done,” explained Paul. “We sit down with the hotel and discuss what went well and what we can improve on. This year was probably the smoothest it has ever gone – we must be doing something right and there is a wonderful team behind the scenes really supporting everything. A lot of work goes into this show. As long as we put it together successfully and everyone comes, we’re happy.”

Dates have already been confirmed for next year’s show. The Toymaster May Show will return to the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel & Spa from 19th-21st May 2026. We hope to see you there!