Bunting is an essential ingredient at any street or garden party, but there are now fears of a shortage ahead of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, amid a rush for party supplies.
Patriot shoppers bought streamers, party hats and cake stands in huge quantities ahead of the holiday weekend. However, the huge increase in sales had caught some retailers off guard, causing some products to sell out.
Retail market OnBuy said jubilee accessories such as a 20ft ream of union flag bunting which cost £4 had sold out, while button badges, Union Jack tablecloths and costume accessories sold in large numbers.
An estimated 39 million adults will do something to celebrate the Jubilee, and 4.1 million families will attend a street party. Tamreen Hasan, party goods category manager at OnBuy, said her sales showed Britons were frantically preparing for the festive season next weekend.
“The rate at which people are buying Jubilee weekend essentials is truly staggering, it’s like nothing we’ve ever seen,” she said.
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“The public went crazy about the jubilee. If sales maintain their current pace, we could very well see a shortage of certain items as the celebrations approach, with bunting at the top of the list.
The good news is that if you can’t find a bunting in stores, you can always make your own. Aisha Cluitt, content marketing manager at Hobbycraft, says you can sew, knit or make paper and twine streamers, with free how-to guides on her website.
You can also make it a mid-term art project for your kids, Cluitt suggested. “Paper streamer projects are very simple and can be completed with card stock, string and a hole punch.
