Dress Circle returns to West End for six months as pop-up shop
After the curtain came down on London’s Dress Circle on 15 August 2012, the showbiz shop is making a short but much-anticipated comeback.
Though the shop closed less than a month ago, an announcement on the Dress Circle website reveals that they will shortly open for trade again as a pop-up shop for a six-month period.
The shop, the longest-running showbusiness shop in the world, opened in 1978, but ran into difficulties during the economic downturn. A celebrity gala performance, hosted by Aled Jones, was held in support of Dress Circle but didn’t raise enough money to save the premises in the long-term. As well as the pop-up venture, plans are announced to upgrade and expand the existing website.
Retaining its Monmouth Street location, Dress Circle will recommence sale of all manner of merchandise and memorabilia, cast recordings and the rest. Though the reopening is promised soon, a precise date has yet to be announced.
The shop continues online, although technical difficulties are presently preventing it from trading.
It remains a firm favourite with the stars, and the announcement of closure in July was met with waves of sympathy from West End stalwarts, including Kerry Ellis and the Dominion Theatre, who tweeted their support:
The shop, the longest-running showbusiness shop in the world, opened in 1978, but ran into difficulties during the economic downturn. A celebrity gala performance, hosted by Aled Jones, was held in support of Dress Circle but didn’t raise enough money to save the premises in the long-term. As well as the pop-up venture, plans are announced to upgrade and expand the existing website.
– by Georgie Bradley
