The Who Shop is just the ticket to fulfill your fantasy needs

You will not find it in any of the London guide books such as Rick Steves London Guide, Secret London or Frommer’s London. It is a bit out of the way in Upton Park which is located in East London. But for those who are rabid fans for the British Sci-Fi adventure series that has captivated people around the globe for 13 season it is a mecca of sorts.

I am of course talking about The Who Shop and Museum that is located at 39-41 Barking Road London E6 1PY. To get there you take the District or Hammersmith and City underground lines to the Upton Park Station. Exiting the station you carefully cross Green Street (B167) where you turn right taking it down to Barking Road (there is a bronze statue of four soccer champions across the street). Turn left and the shop and museum are just down the street at the bus stop.

When you enter you will find yourself in a whole different world from anything you have experienced before. The shop specializes in all things Dr. Who as well as other immensely popular British shows such as Torchwood, Sarah Jane Adventures, K9 and Sherlock to name a few.

The shop came into existence on December 1, 1984 in a warehouse in Wapping through the tireless efforts of Alexandra who met her husband Kevan the first day she opened the store and museum. They have been married going on for 31 years. Alexandria travels around the world to various Comic-Cons in search of props that have actually been used in the various shows.

The shop features items such as artwork, collectibles, autographs, bags, wallets, laptop cases, licensed props, DVDs and Blue Rays, gadgets, greeting cards, jewelry, cuff links, key chains, pins, magnets, models, mugs, party ware, puzzles, games, stationary, toys, trading cards, stickers, watches, clocks and notebooks. All with the distinguished markings of the various popular shows.

Then there is the museum. Since part of the entrance fee is a charitable contribution you need to pay cash. Luckily, there is an ATM machine outside the Tesco market across the street (be careful crossing back and forth). The cost for the tour is £3 for adults and £2 for children 16 and younger. You are given a key in which to unlock the Tardis (that has seen actual screen time during the series) and you step inside another world entirely. Your personal guide will gladly answer any questions that you may have concerning the 120 different props, costumes and artifacts from the world of British film and TV.

Featured items include the console from the 1989 Doctor Who Stage Play “The Ultimate Adventure”, props and costumes such as an original Timelord, Marco Polo and The Hand Of Fear! For fans of the new series there are the Empty Child’s Gas mask, the original Vincent Van Gogh costume (worn by Tony Curran in the Season 5 episode “Vincent and the Doctor”, the 11th Doctor’s Soothsayer costume worn by Matt Smith in the Series 6 story “The Wedding of River Song” as well as Rory’s Roman costume. Other items featured are costumes from “The Fifth Element”, prosthtics from “Buffy and Angel” along with the first “Kryten” costume from “Red Dwarf”. There is a collection of original scrips, floor plans and production documents as well as a photo wall that pays homage to all the stars who have visited the museum. The museum opens at 10 a.m. with last entry at 4:30 p.m. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

So if you are looking for something fun and unique to do during your next trip to London this is definitely one to put on the bucket list. Whether you are a fan of the series or other shows (surprisingly there may still be a few of you out there somewhere) it is a wonderful short side trip into a world of fantasy and science fiction.

For more information you can visit their website at www.thewhoshop.com or phone them at +44 (0)20 8471 2356.