Halloween Stores in the UK

I wasn't quite sure where to post this, so it ended up here!

I know sadly Halloween isn't such a big deal in the UK as it is in the States. I was wondering if there are any stores or places where I can purchase Halloween decorations?

What do people here like to do for Halloween?

You'll probably find a few Halloween bits in the supermarkets (Tesco, Co-op, Asda etc.) and places like the small corner shops. Costume/party shops will probably have Halloween costumes and maybe decorations too.

I don't really do much for Halloween anymore, but as a kid we used to do activities like apple bobbing, carving pumpkins, hanging ring doughnuts hanging on string from the ceiling and trying to eat them without using our hands etc. Quite a few kids would Trick or Treak, but my parents wouldn't let me because they thought it was too dangerous (the wandering around on my own at night part).

There is a fancy dress shop here and I am sure they are most places for costumes ect...
Pound Stretcher, Pound Shop and Wilkinson's has lots of fun stuff as well as the grocery stores.
This weekend I will be shopping for spider webs for door frames and I have hanging things for the ceiling and just fun stuff! I would love to get some white Xmas lights (humm might have some in the loft) to hang as well!

If you look you shall find ;-)

Yeah the big Tesco by us has a HUGE Halloween section in it. My husband was able to get fangs (for 9p!!) and fake blood for our Bill & Sookie costume.

Halloween has gotten much bigger here over the last ten years, so finding Halloween crap (and most of it is crap) really isn't a problem.

I'll have to look into all of the stores mentioned, thanks! I think I am going to miss Target and the big Halloween Stores in Ohio, like Halloween Express. I love decorations! I think I may have to try and make some of my own, get creative!

I don't do as much as I did when I was a kid, but I love haunted houses, hay rides, and costume parties. I can understand there being no hay rides maybe in the UK, but is there any of the others. Masquerades? That would be awesome! 

I got some nice Halloween decorations at TK Maxx. 

I'll have to look into all of the stores mentioned, thanks! I think I am going to miss Target and the big Halloween Stores in Ohio, like Halloween Express. I love decorations! I think I may have to try and make some of my own, get creative!

I don't do as much as I did when I was a kid, but I love haunted houses, hay rides, and costume parties. I can understand there being no hay rides maybe in the UK, but is there any of the others. Masquerades? That would be awesome! 

Well, there is plenty of hay here so why not a haunted hay ride?  I did a quick google search to see if there was anything like a ghost tour of the city or if any of the big museum houses were giving haunted tours.  There wasn't much happening.  I think if you want a cool Halloween you've got to throw your own party and make your own fun.  I don't know anyone who is having a Halloween party and my manager at work has asked me about a dozen times already "So, when is Halloween again?"  So, it's more popular than it was 10 years ago, but still not really all that popular on the whole.

I think I am going to miss Target and the big Halloween Stores in Ohio, like Halloween Express. I love decorations!

I just got back from a wedding in the US, I have been been over there at this time of year and I was blown away by the giant stores of halloween stuff and the giant candy selection in places like target. I really wish it was like that over here!

It is getting bigger here year on year (hooray!) I agree with the other, if you can find a tesco extra or an asda superstore then they usually have the best selection. Fancy dress stores usually have a good selection of decorations and costumes too

As for stuff to do if you like theme parks then they do fright nights with live action mazes which are cool. Warwick Castle are also doing some kind of haunted tour but thats quite far out of london. A while ago they also had a haunted house in the trocadero? Not sure if thats a seasonal thing (i was too scared to go in!) so you could try looking that up

Edited to add link - haunted house in the Trocadero, Piccadilly Circus

http://www.pasajedelterror.co.uk/

Derby always has something going on during Halloween, last year there was a 2 week fest of ghost walks & tours -- wait that always happens in Derby because it's the Dead Centre of England   .

But there's a company run by local historian Richard Felix (nice guy I've met him a few times) that offers Ghost Walks in Derby and all over the country and they have paranormal investigations & such. He also owns the old Derby Gaol in City Centre. Here's the website: http://www.derbygaol.com/ingenii.cgi?p=Events&ppinc=events

Also Alton Towers has a scarefest each year and they have a corn maze & haunted house that is in the old Towers ruins...quite worth the price of admission -- we went in 2007 for my birthday.

Well, there is plenty of hay here so why not a haunted hay ride?

I completely agree with you on this one, maybe there's not enough room? but I doubt that as there are so many farms. Maybe it will pick up at some point in the UK!

I just got back from a wedding in the US, I have been been over there at this time of year and I was blown away by the giant stores of halloween stuff and the giant candy selection in places like target. I really wish it was like that over here!

I've been told in the past that Target is owned by a group of French people...so sadly I have a feeling it won't come to the UK.With all the things my hubby goes on about them   I could care less! I just want a Target! lol

When it comes to stores I don't know why I didn't think of Asda, that is basically Wal-Mart!

Thanks for all the suggestions! I will look into all of them!! As for parties, well next year I will just have to throw my own!! Maybe rent out a space and invite loads of people in there area! hehe

One of my friends (Scottish) loves Halloween and he's always trying to get me to bring back stuff from the US because he says that everything here is either crap or too  expensive. 

I've been told in the past that Target is owned by a group of French people...so sadly I have a feeling it won't come to the UK.

Decathlon is a very French company and they're here...?

I've been told in the past that Target is owned by a group of French people...so sadly I have a feeling it won't come to the UK.With all the things my hubby goes on about them   I could care less! I just want a Target! lol

Target is owned by the Dayton-Hudson corporation somewhere in the Mid-West of the US, they also owned (past-tense) the Mervyn's stores in the US as well that shut down a few years back.

Target is owned by the Dayton-Hudson corporation somewhere in the Mid-West of the US,

Minneapolis to be exact.   Just because some people call it "Tar-zhay", it has nothing to do with France or "French people".

If by "all the things my hubby goes on about them", your husband is saying that a French owned company would never come to the UK for one reason or another, he is mistaken. In addition to Squirrellypoo's example, think of all the Peugeots you see driving around.  That's a silly thing to say.
Be careful of spreading prejudices that your husband may have or taking one person's word for an entire population's view on something.

Wilkinsons?

http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/