Lego still top of the toys
LEGO, Our Generation dolls and a green baby alien are proving to be the biggest sellers in local toy shops this Christmas.
It had been feared that there might be a shortage of toys generally, after it was reported just over a week ago that firms were struggling to import stock in time for Christmas due to hold-ups at Felixstowe and other ports.
Companies in the UK were suffering ‘serious issues’ getting their stock from the port, as well as from Southampton, said the British Toy and Hobby Association.
‘This is troubling for the toy industry who are under pressure to ensure children around the country get to open their exciting new toys on Christmas Day and into the new year,’ it said.
Fortunately, however, it looks like the problems did not badly affect the supply of toys reaching Guernsey.
Aladdin’s Cave operations director Natalie Maides said the shop had maintained a good stock, thanks to its buyers being so pro-active: ‘To be honest, we’ve done really really well this year,’ she said.
‘Lego is always the best. To be fair, we are running low but that’s not because of stock issues it’s because of high demand and I think that’s because of what people are doing, which is staying home a bit more than normal this year.’
Other big sellers were LOL (Little Outrageous Littles) dolls and Our Generation Dolls, she said, and at the time of talking to the Guernsey Press these were still in stock.
It was a similar story at Creasey’s toy shop, where manager Julie Murphy said they had not had an issue with supplies: ‘We’ve been all right,’ she said. ‘Most of our orders have come through a little bit slower than they normally do but at the moment it’s OK from the toy side.’
One item that had been hard to get hold of since lockdown, though, was jigsaws, she said.
As with Aladdin’s Cave, LOL and Our Generation Dolls had proven popular, but Miss Murphy said Lego was the top seller.
Pokemon cards and toys were still doing well, and so were Hot Wheels, she said.
While there has not been a Star Wars film this year, TV series The Mandalorian has led to good toy sales, too, said Miss Murphy, with the alien character The Child, or ‘Baby Yoda’, proving particularly popular.
