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| Reporters' log: Harry Potter launch | |||||
0140 local time (0640 BST) Matthew Davis, BBC News website, Union Square, New York Pottermania is alive and well in New York, but queues for the latest instalment of the young wizard's adventures look set to go on for hours to come. In bookstores around the city, copies of the Half-Blood Prince are said to be flying off the shelves faster than a hot-wired broomstick. Shortly after midnight the floor of one leading bookshop was a sea of fans craning for a view of the freshly-opened boxes of books. In an effort to avoid a surge towards the tills, staff at Barnes and Noble had handed out more than 1,000 wristbands with numbered spots in the queue.
1400 local time (0500 BST) Phil Mercer in Sydney, Australia It's five hours since the new Harry Potter adventure went on sale and retailers in Australia are reporting a full-blooded day of business so far. "It's been an unusually hectic day," said Christina Metlikovec, from the Dymocks bookshop in Bondi Junction in Sydney.
0920 local time (0450 BST) Soutik Biswas, BBC News website, Delhi Delhi's poky Midland Book shop opened its doors at 0430 on a cloudy, rainy morning as children, mostly accompanied by bleary-eyed parents, arrived to pick up the first copies of the new Harry Potter book.
2045 local time (0145 BST) Matthew Davis, BBC News website, Union Square, New York Midnight magic is the theme as New York builds up to the big launch, five hours behind the UK.
0945 local time (0045 BST) Phil Mercer in Sydney, Australia "It's better than Christmas morning!" enthused Jan, a mother of two, who braved the winter chill in Sydney to snare one of the first copies of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Around Australia queues snaked around bookshops well before the official launch. At 9.01am the doors to the Dymocks store in Bondi Junction in suburban Sydney opened. "I've been waiting for this for two years. I have big, big expectations!" said Lucy Blackwell, a 17-year-old student. There were loud cheers as the sixth instalment of JK Rowling's fantasy adventure finally went on sale. John Watkins, a minister in the New South Wales State government, was on hand to do the official honours. He said that after the terrorist bombings in London, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince would provide some light relief. "At any time Harry Potter been a fantastic thing for kids and parents," Mr Watkins told the crowd. "But when the dark news around the world is impacting on families, it's great to have a celebration of children's imagination, something that's good and positive." 0035 BST Newsround website's Neil Doughty in Edinburgh At Waterstone's in Edinburgh there was a countdown ahead of the opening and even half an hour after the book went on sale there were still huge queues outside. It really built up within the past hour and there are still a couple of hundred people queuing. Everyone seems really excited about finally getting their hands on the book. There are camera crews everywhere. One lucky nine-year-old girl who had won a competition was chauffeured to the store in a limo and had the honour of opening a special trunk, signalling the book was officially on sale. 0030 BST Newsround website's Steve Goggin in Oxford Street, London The atmosphere leading up to the launch was electric. There was a big countdown from 10 as Waterstone's prepared to open its doors, then there were sound effects of the Hogwart's Express. Streams of people have been coming into the shop and joining the orderly queue. They pick up their book go to the cash desk, where there are loads of staff. After they have paid, each gets their book stamped with the words: "I was one of the first people to buy the book." 2325 BST Newsround website's Steve Goggin in Oxford Street, London The atmosphere outside Waterstone's has gone crazy, fans are completely blocking the pavement outside the shop as they wait to go in. There are people doing the "Mexican wave" up and down the queue and buses and cars are beeping their horns as they go past, which makes everyone scream. There is just so much noise. As well as fans there are also lots of media people, filming and interviewing those in the line. The shop has now closed to normal customers and there is a big red curtain up over the window and a giant book cover over the door. The queue now goes all the way down New Bond Street, which is quite a way from the actual shop. They won't be experiencing quite the atmosphere all the way back there but some have brought their deckchairs and flasks for the wait. Waterstone's expects to stay open until at least 0300 to satisfy demand for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. 2100 BST Newsround website's Neil Doughty in Edinburgh We have been walking around the bookshops of Edinburgh to gauge the appetite for the new Harry Potter in the build up to the launch. So far it is much lower key than in London, with only a few people queuing outside shops. We bumped into some little girls dressed up as Harrys and Hermiones on their way to the castle for the launch. We have also seen the horses being groomed and carriages being prepared for the launch which will take the competition winners to Edinburgh castle. Ottakar's bookstore is holding a party for about 100 children, inviting them into the shop for a few hours before the book goes on sale. 2025 BST Newsround's Steve Goggin and Rebecca Lumb in Oxford Street, London One group of teenage girls has been queuing outside Waterstone's since 0630. The very first person in the queue was at the head of the line for the release of the last book. Waterstone's says there are a lot more people queuing this year than last time. There is lots of entertainment laid on to keep everyone happy, and staff handing out drinks because it has been so hot. There is a really fun atmosphere for the kids. Some of them have even said they are having such a good time they are not in such a hurry to get their hands on the book. There are lots of people dressed up as Harry Potter or Hogwart's witches and wizards. The shop has got barriers up keeping everyone in line - it is still open to normal customers - and the queues are snaking around the streets. There are people walking up and down dressed as characters from the book, including a great Moaning Myrtle moaning about having to queue. |
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