We receive all sorts of questions about Paddington and these are the ones we get asked most often. We hope you'll find the answer to what you're looking for here but if not then then please just get in touch.
I am looking to buy a particular Paddington product. Where can I find this?
If you are anywhere near London then the best place to start is the Paddington Shop on Paddington Station where they sell the complete Paddington range, as well as a number of exclusive items that are not available anywhere else. Although they are able to ship items they don't offer an on-line mail order service. If you wish to get in touch with them to enquire about a particular item please use the contact form.
Please note that the main shop will be closed from 28th March 2016 due to the redevelopment of Paddington Station. A small temporary outlet will sell a limited selection of items until a new, larger Paddington shop opens in mid-June 2016.
I am holding a fundraising event. Please can Paddington sponsor me or send me something for my charity?
We receive literally hundreds of request like this every year and, much as we would like to help everyone who contacts us, it simply wouldn't be possible. Instead Paddington has chosen to support to one particular cause in the UK which is Action Medical Research, for which Paddington has been the mascot for forty years. All spare products and items we have are donated to Action Medical Research and so we regret that we are unable to send items elsewhere.
Please can Paddington support my cause?
We regret that Paddington is unable to give his support to political or other causes. To find out why, please follow this link.
Can I hire a Paddington costume for an event?
In the UK the licence for Paddington costume appearances is held by Rainbow Productions. You can contact them through their website.
I'm looking for a particular old or discontinued Paddington product. Where can I buy this?
The best place to start your search is at The Paddington Collective where they specialise in pre-loved Paddington bears and other items. If you can't find what you're looking for there you might also want to try eBay because older Paddington items come up for sale all the time. In particular you should be able to find the bears, china and figurines and books.
How much is my Paddington Bear worth?
This is a difficult question to answer because it can depend on a lot of different things such as when your bear was made, the manufacturer and the condition of the bear and its clothes. The most valuable will be the earlier bears made by Gabrielle Designs and in really good condition, a Paddington made in the early 1970s can be worth as much as £150. If you think you have an older bear of value we would suggest you seek the advice of a local antique toy specialist. You could also try getting in touch with The Paddington Collective who specialise in selling pre-loved Paddington bears.
My Paddington needs some new clothes. Can I buy these anywhere?
You can buy new hats, coats and boots that will fit the original standard sized Gabrielle Designs Paddington Bears from Rainbow Designs in the UK. To be taken to their on-line shop, please click here. If you are looking for original (i.e. second hand) items then it is worth checking with The Paddington Collective as they occasionally have these items.
How can I clean my old Paddington Bear?
The bear itself can be washed, although we wouldn't recommend putting him in a washing machine. Instead, sponge the fur gently with some lukewarm water. If you wish, you can also use some mild soap flakes and then rinse off afterwards. Once dry, brush the fur. However, under no circumstances should you wash the clothes as they will shrink if allowed to become wet. Instead we suggest taking these to a reputable dry cleaner for advice. Alternatively, you can by new clothes for your bear (please see answer to the previous question).
I need a need a new label for my bear. Where can I buy one?
Unfortunately it isn't possible to buy new replacement labels for the bears. However, you could try The Paddington Collective as they occasionally have old labels for sale.
What are the correct colours for Paddington's clothes?
In the very first book, Paddington was found on the station wearing nothing but a "rather dirty coloured" hat. Mrs. Brown then bought him a blue duffle coat. The boots came later when Gabrielle Designs made the first bears in 1972. They put them into a pair to help them stand up and from that moment on, Paddington started to wear Wellington boots!
In the first television series, Paddington wore a black hat and blue coat and, occasionally, red Wellington boots but in the film and the current picture books Paddington has a red hat and blue coat. When he wears them the boots are, more often than not, red.
In the USA the very first bears, made by Eden Toys were sold wearing a yellow hat and pale blue coat whereas in the UK, the early Gabrielle bears wore a whole range of different colour combinations. In more recent years, the favoured (and most popular) colour choices for the soft toys have been red hat, blue coat and red boots or blue hat, red coat and black boots.
So, there are really no truly "correct" colours for Paddington's clothes but nowadays he would almost always be seen in a red hat and blue coat.
When is Paddington's birthday and how old is he?
When Paddington first went to live with the Browns he wasn't sure how old he was, so they decided to start again at one. They also agreed that bears "just like the queen" have two birthdays every year and they decided that Paddington should celebrate his on Christmas Day and June 25th. However, although Paddington always celebrates his birthdays, in the books he never actually gets any older so there really isn't an answer to the second part of this question! The very first book was published on October 13th 1958 meaning that 2018 will mark the 60th anniversary.
