People who camped outside Swatch stores ahead of a new watch launch were forced to walk away empty-handed after mobs attempted to push through the entrances. The Swiss firm announced it would not open its branches in London and other cities due to safety considerations for both customers and staff. Affected locations include Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield.
Overnight Queues for Limited Edition Watch
Enthusiasts queued overnight to purchase the brand's new 'Royal Pop' pocket watch, a collaboration with luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet, priced from £335. The watch has already been resold online for up to £16,000. Thousands gathered across London stores, including at Battersea Power Station, Westfield Shepherds Bush, and Oxford Street.
Chaos Erupts as Crowds Turn Mob-Like
However, crowds soon became 'mob-like', prompting police to assist security as Swatch ultimately decided not to open their doors. Tyler, 20, arrived at Battersea Power Station at 7pm the previous night. He had traveled from Canterbury and waited for hours in the queue before being ordered outside. 'It got late and they told us we couldn't stay in the building, so everyone went to camp on the deck chairs outside,' he said. 'Once it got to midnight, people became a bit more mob-like and it just went into absolute chaos. Everyone started standing up and moving towards the entrances.'
Security reopened the doors at 7am, but instead of forming an orderly queue, footage shows people sprinting toward the small section of queue allowed to wait inside overnight. Tyler described the scene: 'People were tripping over rushing in, there was no control over the situation. Lots of people were rushing in from different entrances. It got settled again but it only took one guy to start pushing and shouting towards the doors, and lots of other people started. That was when police arrived.'
Police Intervention and Store Closures
Footage captured police dogs at Battersea Power Station, barking at people to push the crowd back from the doors. At Westfield, police also instructed the crowd to move back as the store would not be opening, with the queue stretching around escalators all the way to the food court. After hearing the announcement that no one would receive a watch, Tyler said he 'wasn't surprised but gutted' because it was obvious from the start the crowd was too dangerous to open the shop. 'But I feel bad for the guy at the front who apparently camped out for four or five days,' he added.
A spokesperson from Battersea Power Station stated: 'Like all Swatch stores across the UK, we experienced unprecedented demand for the launch of the Audemars Piguet x Swatch collection. To ensure the safety of our visitors, the decision was made to close the Battersea Power Station store in line with other closures across the country. The safety of our visitors remains our utmost priority, and we are reviewing security procedures with Swatch.' Metro contacted Swatch and the Metropolitan Police for comment.
