A giant Chocolate Frog appeared in Piccadilly Circus on the morning of 28 October, a week before the Harry Potter Shop Oxford Street opens on Wednesday 4 November, as new experiences and exclusives for the flagship were revealed.
The larger-than-life frog was made by Pierre Bohanna, the original prop maker on the Harry Potter films. The stunt plays on the Chocolate Frogs’ habit of jumping away before they can be eaten, with the frog appearing to have ‘escaped’ from the Oxford Street shop before hopping back. Piccadilly Circus also features in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, when Harry, Ron and Hermione find themselves among the bright lights and crowds of central London.
The new Harry Potter Shop Oxford Street, first announced in March, has already confirmed features including the Ukrainian Ironbelly Dragon, The Leaky Cauldron, a full-sized Knight Bus and Oxford Street-exclusive products, as part of a Diagon Alley-inspired flagship.
Among the newly revealed additions is a Hogwarts Bear Ceremony, a first-of-its-kind experience in which fans choose the qualities that best represent their bear before a specially designed ceremony reveals its Hogwarts house. Each bear comes with a house robe, scarf and tie, and is presented in an exclusive collector’s box with a personalised certificate. Accessories including house mascot plushes, a Sorting Hat, Harry glasses and a Hogwarts trunk will also be available, with details of how to book a slot to follow on the shop’s website and social channels.
A Gringotts Adventure invites customers to buy a specially created Gringotts cheque book and receive a collectable Galleon, before following a trail around the shop to find stamping locations and complete activities. The trail continues at Harry Potter Shop King’s Cross, where fans can collect a Sickle and add another stamp to their cheque book.
The flagship will also introduce Oxford Street exclusives, including 500 MinaLima prints, a Diagon Alley wand and a Leaky Cauldron collection.
“With the opening of Harry Potter Shop Oxford Street just days away, we wanted to bring a little unexpected magic to the streets of London. Chocolate Frogs have always had a mind of their own, so it feels fitting that one has ‘escaped’ before we’ve even had the chance to open our doors.
Karl Durrant, Senior Vice President, Retail, Warner Bros. Global Experiences
The Oxford Street shop has been created to give fans new ways to step into the wizarding world, from extraordinary environments to experiences created especially for this location. We can’t wait for visitors to discover what’s waiting inside from 4 November – assuming we can get everything back where it belongs before then.”
Harry Potter Shop Oxford Street opens on Wednesday 4 November 2026.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
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