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Topping the stocking list
From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Tuesday 10th Dec 2002.
With only a fortnight to go until Christmas, shelf loads of toys are being snapped up in Swindon. And if you are after the new children's favourite Beyblades then you are in for a hard time. ALEX EMERY and GEOFF BENNETT report.
Parents will have to hunt high and low if they want to get their hands on the latest craze this Christmas Beyblades.
Because the modernised version of the age-old classic, the spinning top, are on every child's wishlist this year.
Beyblades are small plastic spinning and fighting tops that are launched with a cord into a circular stadium.
Competitors simultaneously spin their Beyblades, which are manufactured by Hasbro, into the stadium and the owner of the first top to fall loses.
Thousands of parents have already snapped up this year's must-haves in an effort to maintain harmony over the festive holidays. And there are hardly any left at shops in the town.
It is a far cry from last year, when most Christmas trees were guaranteed to have a Harry Potter gift wrapped beneath its branches.
But children are fickle and while the boy wizard is still doing well thanks to the success of the recent film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, he has lost a little bit of his magic.
Swindon's Mecca for children's delights, Toys R Us, in Oxford Road, has reported a Beyblades frenzy over the last few weeks.
Store manager, Darren Davies, 29, said: "The speed at which they leave the shelves is incredible.
"A total 600 Beyblades were delivered one morning and within hours they had been bought.
"It is a craze that stems from the cartoons on Sky Digital and is obviously then taken onto the playground. Kids can buy them with their own pocket money too as they are quite cheap."
There are 15 characters to collect, each costing £5.99 at Toys R Us.
The Beyblade arena will set you back £6.99.
Asda Wal-Mart, in Haydon Wick, has reported booming business in the build up to Christmas.
General merchandise manager, Chris Smith, said that the store stocked 3,500 lines of toys, but shoppers would not see any Beyblades on Asda shelves.
"They are so hard to get hold of," he said. "The manufacturers can't keep up with the demand and as a result Asda doesn't sell them."
It was the same story at Debenhams in the town centre, where the stock of Beyblades had disappeared from the shelves with more speed than Santa's reindeer.
Store manager, George Copplestone, said: "We did have them but they sold out and unfortunately we can't get hold of any more. I think lots of shops are suffering from the national shortage."
Mr Copplestone added that the store's big sellers were board games such as Cluedo and Monopoly, with prices ranging from £5 to £20, and a dolls' house priced £40 from the Early Learning Centre.
Woolworths, in Regent Street, shifted 400 Beyblades last week and manager Rob Jack is expecting the trend to continue.
He said: "We seem to sell out quite regularly and currently have two deliveries a week with more Beyblades. We are very busy."
Other top toys at Woolworths include a Thomas the tank Engine giant set at £49.99, a Tonka dump truck and trencher at £29.99, a Rapunzel Barbie that costs £19.97 and micropets, which cost £9.99.
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