Although times are hard for independent retailers of all kinds, the UK has a great tradition of small, independent toy shops and many of these continue to flourish.
Here is just a small selection of the independent toy shops this country has to offer. Do you know of a toy shop that should be listed here? Why not add it to our directory?
As well as the terrific small, independent toy shops that the UK's High Streets have to offer, there are also some larger, household-name stores that deserve a mention.
Many of the shops you will find below - particularly The Entertainer Toy Shop, Toys R Us, and the Tesco Toy Shop - focus on stocking the full range of today's most popular toys at remarkably low prices.
Some of these toy shops though (perhaps most notably the Early Learning Centre and The Great Little Trading Company) have done a great job at carving out their own niche market and becoming experts in a particular age-group or a particular type of toy.
Created to sell simple, well-made, traditional toys.
This company has been hand-making party bags since 2005.
Specialist shop selling kids bikes and other ride-ons.
A specialist toy shop selling over 400 different puppets and accessories.
Glow sticks, flags and many more festival toys.