The autumn edition of our garden centre supplement, brought to you in partnership between Toys n Playthings and Gifts Today, is out now.
Peter Burks, CEO of The Garden Centre Association kicks off this issue with his column looking at, what else, the weather. “Every year now we seem to be describing our weather as “strange” or “unique” and we don’t get a “normal” season let alone a normal year,” he writes. “The good news for our industry is that the work that has gone on in developing our centres, both physically and in the ranges of products available, has enabled us to be pretty resilient to most of these weather changes.”
Our cover story from the Science Museum Group, dives into the growing success of how York’s National Railway Museum’s historic railway posters, jigsaw puzzles and paint sets are heading to new homes and enthusiasts.
Three retail interviews take in the depth and breadth of the garden centre market, with expert insight from RHS Category Buyer Toys, Georgia Grout; Savills Experience Supervisor Sam Dewhirst; and Dunbar Garden Centres Gift Buyer Annie Strand, each with interesting takes on their evolving segment.
Our Toy Testers deliver a particularly fun adventure using Character Options’ Heroes of Goo Jitzu Mystery Surprise Eggs, with nine-year-old best buddies Oscar, Toby and Joe calling them the GOATs (greatest of all time)!
All that, plus plenty of product and insight from some of the top toy companies supplying garden centres. We will return in the spring with the latest industry news and plenty of fresh products.
