#ThrowbackThursday: Harrogate hit by Harry Potter mania

Fourteen years ago Harrogate, along with the rest of the world, was hit by Harry Potter mania.
Mike Salt was delighted with his new book from Waterstones.Mike Salt was delighted with his new book from Waterstones.
Mike Salt was delighted with his new book from Waterstones.

It was the second to last weekend in June when JK Rowling released her fifth book, The Order of the Phoenix, and fans all around the world queued outside bookshops to get their hands on a copy.

In Harrogate, a crowd of nearly 50 people had gathered outside Hammicks bookshop on James Street, in time for the grand opening at one minute past midnight.

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Manager of Hammicks, Janet Wilford, told the Harrogate Advertiser at the time: “We couldn’t even let them see the book.

Avid readers, Fern (11) with Jo and Jade Crawley (14) also bought their books from Dillons.Avid readers, Fern (11) with Jo and Jade Crawley (14) also bought their books from Dillons.
Avid readers, Fern (11) with Jo and Jade Crawley (14) also bought their books from Dillons.

They were double boxed and the inner box couldn’t be opened until exactly one minute past midnight, but we had to do it or we wouldn’t get them next time.”

The store, since closed, sold nearly 150 books between midnight and 1am, and had about 350 pre-ordered.

Waterstones and WH Smith had also stocked up. Waterstones had sold out by the end of the day, while WH Smith sold over 2,300 copies.

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