Apple's enticement to the opening of their shop had been well publicised: a "lucky bag" costing £249 which contains over £700 of goods. Judging by the line of people at 8:45 on Saturday morning, that seemed to do the trick. 300 lucky bags were for sale, but I estimate that several hundred more were queueing up, although as some consolation the first 3000 people in the shop receive a free t-shirt.
There was plenty of build-up as the hour approached; staff arriving were whooping and hollering in the sort of American self-congratulatory way which grates on many Brits, but fair play to the queuers who are obviously first class Apple fans to have braved the increasingly wintery weather for all those hours.
I didn't actually go in the store as I didn't fancy waiting until everyone in the queue had gone in, which would have probably taken hours. At the end of the day it's another Oxford Circus area shop whose presence and location is there primarily, in my view at least, is to give kudos and status to the brand. More interestingly though for those who live or frequent London is that it represents part of the renewal of Regent Street. The rather tacky touristy shops near Piccadilly Circus are closing imminently, their long-term leases at an end, and the land/property owners have plans for the future. What exactly, I don't know, although I expect we will probably see less tack and more wall-to-wall brands. I could be wrong, but we'll see in time.
Central London is an interesting experience pre-10am. There's a certain unreal air about it all. The shops haven't yet opened, and so there's no particular reason to be there. People are around of course, but in an odd purposeless way, that you don't feel when there the streets are lined with retail, entertainment and tourism draws. It's interesting, and certainly pleasant compared to the crowds which are present during the rest of the day.
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