Jakks Pacific, Character Options, LEGO and Smyths Toys among the winners celebrated this year.
The UK toy industry’s elite gathered last night in the IMAX theatre of London’s Science Museum to celebrate this year’s London Toy Industry Awards.
The event – held in South Kensington and organised by the British Toy & Hobby Association with the Toy Retailers Association – followed the launch day of the 62nd annual Toy Fair, currently under way at the London Olympia.
Jakks Pacific, Character Options, LEGO and Smyths Toys were just some of the names to be called to the stage to collect awards, handed out by BTHA chairman Phil Ratcliffe and TRA chairman Alan Simpson.
Ratcliffe revealed the evening’s winners of the 2014 Toy Retailer of the Year Awards, while Simpson announced the victors of the 2014 Toy and Supplier of the Year Awards.
This year’s Toy Retailer of the Year winners, are:
Independent Toy Retailer of the Year – Toys ‘N’ Tuck
Specialist Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year (up to five stores) – Ken Black Toy & Nursery
Specialist Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year (up to 30 years) – Toy Barnhaus
Specialist Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year (over 30 stores) – Smyths Toys
General Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year – Morleys Stores
Online Retailer of the Year – The Entertainer
Overall Toy Retailer of the Year – Smyths Toys
This year’s Toy and Supplier of the Year winners, are:
Craze of the Year – Loombands, Character Options and H Grossman
Construction Range of the Year – The LEGO Movie, LEGO
Action Figure Range of the Year – Ninja Turtles Movie Figures, Flair Leisure Products
Gaming Toy of the Year – Minecraft Figures by Jazzwares, Character Options
Doll of the Year – Disney Frozen Sparkle Dolls, Mattel
Interactive Toy of the Year – Little Live Pets by Moose Enterprise, Character Options
Collectable Toy of the Year – Shopkins, Flair Leisure Products
Craft Toy of the Year – Sew Cool Sewing Studio, Spinmaster
Pre-School Range of the Year – Toot-Toot, VTech
Innovative Toy of the Year – My Friend Cayla, Vivid
Toy License of the Year – Frozen, Disney
Special Recognition Award – Rubie’s Masquerade
Supplier of the Year – Character Options
Toy of the Year – Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa, Jakks Pacific
The evening also see five Golden Teddy awards handed over to Mark Beaman of Epoch Making Toys, Jeff Taylor of Arena Azure, Josephine Royce of Rodwins Toys and Christine Baxter and Tracey Butcher of the BTHA.
Furthermore, a BTHA Outstanding Contribution Award was presented to Marvin Berglas of Marvin’s Magic.
Phil Ratcliffe, chairman of the BTHA, said: “On behalf of the BTHA, I would like to congratulate all the winners of this year’s Toy Retailer Awards.
“The judges deliberated long and hard to finalise the retailer shortlists because of the very high standard of entries received. Congratulations must also go to our worthy runners-up who, it should still be remembered, were the best in their categories, and our sincere thanks to everyone for their participation.”
Alan Simpson, chairman of the TRA, added: “For a panel of competing retailers, judging the products, companies and campaigns which make the difference between success and mere survival for our industry is always fun.
“This is especially so when things are going reasonably well for us all. Our winners are the best, and other nominees the pace-setting part of the mix. All are worthy of our thanks and congratulations for professionalism and imagination.
“It is particularly significant in the 50th year of the Toy Awards to celebrate all that has been achieved through innovation and creativity…and not least by the licence holder of our first ever winner from 1965. Corgi, now owned by Hornby was the first ever winner of this prestigious award with their original Aston Martin DB5 replica of James Bond’s magnificent car from Goldfinger.”
