In 137 miles turn left. No one really wants to see that on their Sat Nav but can't be helped. October - means Harrogate International Nursery Fair for people in the baby goods industry. A chance to catch up with old friends and maybe make some new ones. We're a small independent retailer but at events like this we get to be the buyer and maybe even get taken out to lunch. Here are some personal highlights :- 1) Avionaut - a great company making some exceptionally good quality and very reasonably priced extended rear facing car seats. Not every manufacturer is prepared to stand on one of their car seats to prove how durable and well-constructed it is but these guys do. We hope to be stocking these car seats soon at our Wallingford showroom. 2) Thule - and a chance to see their excellent new modular car seat system. It won't be out until 2023 but Thule have a reputation for quality and industrial strength durability and I am sure that these car seats will be no exception. 3) Uppababy - really nice to chat with Richard from Uppababy and see the excellent new Ridge All-Terrain pushchair. The vented disc brakes would not be out of place on a racing car. - an absolute beast of a pushchair. 4) Cosatto - these guys win the prize for the most eye-catching and well presented exhibition stand at the whole show. The Cosatto pushchair and car seat fabrics have alway been a bit 'out there' and this combined with their excellent stand graphics looked absolutely stunning. 5) New Nuna Urbn - an isofix Infant carrier that doesn't need a base. A genuinely innovative idea which should do well in towns and cities where parents may not use the car very often or may not even own one. The little Nuna Urbn ( yes this is how it is spelt ) can be fitted with either a seatbelt or click onto your isofix points so great for buses, taxis, and hire cars. Nuna had a whole host of new and updated products on their stand. Look out for the new Nuna Triv coming soon. 6) TfK - these guys all the way from Germany bring the maddest pushchairs to the show. Last year they even brought a multi surface road with them so that you could try out theri extraordinary off road pushchairs - off road. If you are having triplets - check them out.
I'm pleased that Harrogate is back on after a couple of years of Covid-19 and it was good to see the town buzzing again.
If you are in the area it is a very cool town.
Jon - Pushchairs and Car Seats.