Shoppers head to toy shops ahead of lockdown

LEGO sets, and all manner of other toys, have been flying off the shelves in the UK since the government announced new lockdown measures.

As of tomorrow, the whole of England will be locked down along similar lines to what was in place earlier in the year – while schools will remain open this time, ‘non-essential’ retail outlets will close again. Toy retailers have experienced a surge in shoppers since the new restrictions, intended to curb the number of coronavirus infections, were announced.

Getting a snapshot of what has been going in the UK’s toy retail landscape, Toy World heard that The Entertainer has had an exceptionally successful few days, not just in physical stores but also online, while independent store chain Toy Barnhaus owner Stephen Barnes said: “We spent Sunday putting a battle plan into action, looking at what we can do from our shops on ring and reserve and home delivery. Meanwhile, our shops went mad; sales were more than we took on the Sunday of Black Friday weekend last year, and trade so far today [Monday] has been very strong, so we are focusing on maximising what we can until close of trade on Wednesday.”

Once shops do close their doors today, consumers will have to do Christmas shopping online until the lockdown ends. It is due to remain in force until December 2, although the government has indicated it will be extended if deemed necessary.

To continue to support the work of Brick Fanatics, please buy your LEGO sets from LEGO.com and Amazon using our affiliate links.