Now boarding at Gate 9¾: new Harry Potter shop brings magic to Heathrow Airport passengers

The launch of the store coincides with the release of Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them
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Lizzie Edmonds @lizzieedmo17 November 2016

Hagrid rides a flying motorbike, Harry has his broomstick and every Hogwarts pupil goes to school on a magical train. In the real world, Muggles are stuck with planes — but, from today, budding wizards can at least take a bit of magic with them when they fly.

A Harry Potter shop is opening at Heathrow Airport, the second in London after the Platform 9¾ store at King’s Cross.

Bosses say J K Rowling’s wizarding world is now a “quintessentially British brand” and believe tourists will be as keen to buy Gryffindor scarves as they are Union Jack T-shirts or model black cabs.

Its launch was timed to coincide with the release of spin-off film Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, which is out on Friday.

The 600 sq ft store, in departures at Terminal Five, will stock merchandise from the film as well as products from play Harry Potter And The Cursed Child Parts I & II, which until now have been available only at the Palace Theatre.

It will also sell items from the Warner Bros Studio Tour and all the other products from Rowling’s original books and their film adaptations. Passengers can buy Hogwarts robes for £65, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans at £10.50 for a pack of three and the entire Harry Potter book series for £60.

Themed travel products for children, such as colouring books and card games, will also be on sale.

Chris Annetts, retail director of Heathrow, said: “People travelling through Heathrow regularly tell us gift items are important and they wish to pick them up in the terminal before travelling.

“Harry Potter is a huge brand and people seem to have an endless want for it. It is a quintessentially British brand and we are proud to be combining the magic of Harry Potter with the magic of flying.”

“We have gifts in stores with buses and cabs on and we think Harry Potter merchandise will sell as well. It is an iconic British brand.”

Magical setting: store assistant Amy Rousseau at Heathrow’s new Harry Potter shop
Alex Lentati

Jonathan Sands, one of the team behind the shop, said: “This is the first shop to bring all of the wizard world together. It is very exciting. We were offered the opportunity to work with Heathrow and we jumped at it as a way of reaching a new audience.”

Brand expert Jon White, managing director of consultancy Elmwood, said: “The story has captured the hearts and imaginations of so many people, who are now handing it down to the next generation of fans. It would not have stuck around for so long if that wasn’t the case.

It is very lucrative and with the show, the tour, the new movie — it is showing no signs of stopping. It is absolutely a very British thing now.”

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