Swatch stores across London, large parts of the country and areas in Europe have had to remain closed this morning (Saturday, May 16) due to ‘safety’ concerns as huge crowds gathered outside shops ahead of the expected launch of a new limited edition watch.
Thousands of people, including some camping out for days, formed queues for the highly anticipated release of Swatch’s new Royal Pop collection on Saturday morning (May 16). The collaboration between Swatch and Audemars Piguet was only available in-store, with a limit of one watch per person per day. The £335 watch is already being pre-sold on websites such as eBay for quadruple the price.
But the size of the crowds meant stores did not open as expected with loud speaker announcements made outside some locations. A video shared on X appears to show a large crowd forcing their way past security outside the Swatch Battersea Power Station store just before 8am today.
People camping on Friday (May 15) outside the Swatch store in Carnaby Street in the hope of buying a Royal Pop watch -Credit:Jose Sarmento Matos/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Another post showed queues outside the Westfield London Swatch store. In the clip shared an announcement can be heard to those waiting: “Unfortunately the Swatch store will remain closed for the entire day. This is 100 per cent confirmed. Could you please leave by the nearest exit. Thank you.”
Swatch has confirmed all London stores will remain closed on Saturday. An announcement posted on the Swatch UK Instagram page at 11am reads: “In light of safety considerations for both our customers and staff, all our London stories will be closed for the day. Thank you for your understanding.”
This was followed up with another post at 11.10am announcing all stores in Liverpool, Birmingham, Sheffield and Glasgow won’t open today. Swatch has not announced when the Royal Pop collection will now be available to buy.
Police in Liverpool were called as Swatch on Paradise Street was forced keep its doors closed this morning as hundreds waited outside the doors, as reported by the Liverpool Echo. At around 9.10am, a member of Swatch staff told the crowd in Liverpool: “We’re not opening the shop today. We’re not going to be selling anything. We said this two hours ago.”
View of riot police guarding the closed Swatch store at Westfield Parly 2 shopping centre in Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt, Paris -Credit:Henrique Campos / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images
Photos also show huge crowds gathering outside the St. Davids Shopping centre in Cardiff, Wales ahead of the opening of the Swatch store with police in attendance.
More photos shows riot police had to be called in Paris to control crowds outside the Swatch store at Westfield Parly 2 shopping centre in the Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt suburb.
Were you in a queue in London hoping to buy one of the limited edition watches in Swatch’s new Royal Pop collection? If so email christopher.ballinger@reachplc.com with your experience.
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