[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Waterstone's Piccadilly

[GulPlum]

At 13:36 17/06/03 , Trisha Masen wrote:

>I thought I read on TLC that Waterstone's Piccadilly had decided *not* to 
>be open at midnight Friday because it might endanger the little ones who 
>would be there.  (I think, specifically, it was that it's not in the best 
>area at night for kids - adults, yes, because there are bars - kids, 
>no.)  So, you might want to check.  They'll be open 8 a.m. Saturday.

It seems you got your wires crossed there. The announcement on TLC was 
about Waterstone's in *Camden* (which is just north of King's Cross, as it 
happens). The Camden shop is in the middle of the local nightlife area and 
it's because of all the (potentially drunk) pub-goers, clubbers, etc., that 
the shop got worried.

Personally, I think it's a cop-out - how many *kids* are likely to be out 
at midnight? The kind of kids likely to be into books aren't the kind who 
find being up (never mind out on the streets) at midnight normal.

Waterstone's Piccadilly is going to be the major centre for the book's 
launch (it's a very, very, big shop) and I've seen reports that both 
Waterstone's and Bloomsbury are spending a small fortune on the party 
there. Although I'm a little surprised that there seems to be no indication 
that JKR herself will be present, in which case it all becomes a bit silly. 
(Not that I don't find the whole hoop-la, injunctions, etc, etc completely 
off the scale in terms of silliness already...).