A popular pop-up Harry Potter merchandise shop in Gorse Hill could become a permanent addition to Swindon.
Gorse Hill Tea Rooms owner Stephen Whatley and his wife Elizabeth jumped at the chance to set up the temporary store after the café’s landlord mentioned that an empty space was available for a few months.
They filled 124 Cricklade Road with officially licensed clothes, gifts, sweets, and other products from the magical franchise which were snapped up by eager fans after the shop opened over the weekend.
With more stock on the way – including wands and jewellery – and demand remaining high, long-term plans for the business are now being considered.
Stephen said: “My wife is a big Harry Potter fan, but we have to travel to London or Oxford to get the products we like because, locally, there’s only a small range in Primark and Home Bargains.
“We have had the idea for this for quite a while, so when our landlord asked if we knew anyone who would want a pop-up shop, we mentioned it to him.
“At first, we put a limited amount of Harry Potter stock in there with some Christmas gifts, just to put some feelers out and see how much interest there was.
“The response has been amazing, we’re blown away, and it’s given us a lot of confidence. Our biggest seller is the chocolate frogs.
“People are travelling from around Swindon and as far as Chippenham just for the stuff we have here and asking for more.
“It would be great to make this a permanent fixture in the town, it could be a great attraction for the town, people from the surrounding villages, and the rest of the county.
“We will be looking for a new space after Christmas and hope to turn it into a walk-through attraction full of Harry Potter Lego displays with a shop at the end.”
The Lego displays have already been pieced together and a currently crowded around the Whatleys’ living room.
As well as giving customers a good place to stock up on Christmas presents, the shop has also provided a welcome source of extra revenue following the Gorse Hill Tea Rooms’ move away from eat-in service to deliveries and event catering.
The pop-up shop next to Wong Kee Fish Bar will be open for the next six weeks.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel