The games firm that’s seen it all before...

FOUNDED in 1795, games company Jaques of London has survived its fair share of recessions, conflicts, pandemics and global unrest – its games were even used to smuggle fake German passports to POWs in the Second World War.

It’s also thriving through the current crisis. Jigsaw sales alone are up 1,000 per cent and everything from throwing game quoits to tiddlywinks is flying off the (virtual) shelves.

‘Week after week we’re setting record after record,’ says Joe Jaques, commercial director and eighth generation member of the founding family. ‘We knew the high street was dying years ago so we shifted to 100 per cent e-commerce.

‘As lockdown has accelerated the move to online shopping, we’ve been very well positioned.’

He adds: ‘Our message is all about family time and the “anti-screen r evoluti on” and by complete coincidence that’s really resonated as families are suddenly together a lot more. We’ve done very well during this period and that’s partly strategic and partly accidental.’

With 70 per cent of its sales via Amazon Marketplace, Jaques has seen business soar as UK shoppers turned to the multinational giant.

Turnover is up 224 per cent on last year, with Joe attributing between 30 and 40 per cent of this due to lockdown.

‘As a family-owned business it’s all about succession and de-risking the business by diversification,’ he says. ‘We have indoor toys and outdoor toys, games for adults and games for children.’

Educational games such as the classic Shut The Box have rocketed during lockdown.

‘We’re hiring extra staff to cope with the demand and it’s been the most humbling thing to see the loyalty and commitment to the business of my team,’ says Joe.

‘Even as lockdown restrictions are eased, the high street is unlikely to recover back to what it was and I expect we’re going to continue to see huge growth.’