Huge queues have been spotted outside a city centre fancy dress shop as shoppers prepare for Halloween. Lili Bizarre, a fancy dress and balloon emporium on Tarleton Street, is no stranger to lengthy queues at this time of year, with hundreds of customers expected to visit in the run up to October 31.
One of the last fancy dress stores in the city
The shop is one of the last remaining fancy dress stores in the city, and its owner has previously warned shoppers not to leave their Halloween preparations until the last minute, as queues can quickly build up. Last year, queues of hundreds of people stretched from the shop's entrance along Church Street and all the way to Primark during Halloween week.
The store is now primarily run by owner Lilian 'Lili' Wakefield's children, Gary and Lorna, who have become familiar faces to shoppers.
Advice to shop early
Speaking to the ECHO previously, Lorna urged customers to visit early to avoid disappointment. She said: "We advise people to get in as soon as possible. People normally start looking for outfits the last two weeks [of October] but it's usually too late by then - the queues have started.
"At around 4pm, we assess the queue and tell people they probably won't be served after this point. We tell them to go home."
Team takes intense period in its stride
Despite the exhausting run up to Halloween, Lorna said the team has learned to take the intense period in its stride. Reflecting on November 1, she said the team is "knackered" after weeks of relentless demand.
"The lead up and through Halloween is chocker. It's horrible but we get through it. We're hands on with authority but we're still very nice as people know we are.
"We like to laugh about how busy it gets afterwards, but only when we get through it. We tell people every year to get down early but they never listen."
