Disappointing experience at a flagship LEGO Store
I brought my nephew to London from Scotland for a few Harry Potter-themed days. He’s a massive LEGO fan and even dreams of working for the company when he’s older, so visiting the LEGO Store was supposed to be one of the highlights of his trip. He’d been saving his money especially for this visit, and was really excited to finally spend it.
The store itself is nice, with some fantastic LEGO models on display, although it was considerably smaller than I’d anticipated. I was also surprised by how limited the Harry Potter range available to purchase was, particularly compared with the rip-off merchants at Hamleys just down the road!
One of the Harry Potter sets on display caught his eye, but unfortunately there were none on the shelves. I asked a friendly member of staff if they might have more in the stockroom, but was simply told it looked like they were out of stock. Disappointing, but these things happen.
He moved on and eventually found a Marvel set he liked, also on display. Same story. Not one available to buy!
For a flagship LEGO Store, it’s incredibly frustrating to have products prominently displayed that customers can’t actually purchase. In the end, I had to order the Marvel set from Amazon, where it was £10 cheaper anyway.
To add to the disappointment, the mosaic builder was also broken, meaning another experience we would have liked to try was unavailable. For a store that’s supposed to be as much about the experience as the shopping, that’s another letdown.
The build-your-own minifigure experience was a nice touch, although rather chaotic, and thankfully meant he didn’t leave completely empty-handed.
One final frustration came at the till, where we discovered they didn’t accept cash. My nephew had brought his own saved-up money to spend, but I ended up having to pay on my card instead. Children save their pocket money for things they really want, and you’d think a toy shop, of all places, would appreciate that. Surely there should be a way for children to spend their own money without needing an adult’s bank card?
I do want to give credit to the staff, who were friendly and pleasant throughout our visit. None of these issues were their fault, and this review isn’t a reflection on them.
Overall, what should have been one of the highlights of my nephew’s London trip turned into a series of disappointments. The displays are impressive, but nice models alone don’t make a great flagship store experience.
Two stars, mainly for the displays and friendly staff. Unfortunately, the rest of the experience fell well short of expectations.
TH
Taufiq Hakimi
5 days ago
A must-visit destination for LEGO lovers visiting London
Having grown up playing with LEGO, visiting the LEGO Store in Leicester Square was a must for me during my London trip. The store offers a wide selection of LEGO sets, including many of the latest releases. One thing I particularly liked was the section featuring British themed sets, which is great for tourists looking for a unique souvenir to bring home from the UK :)
You can also find impressive LEGO builds featuring iconic British characters and figures, including James Bond, the King's Guard and Harry Potter. Another interesting feature is the complimentary LEGO-themed passport, which you can ask the staff about on the upper floor. You can use that passport to collect special stamps at participating LEGO Stores around the world~
The store is worth visiting even if you're not planning to buy anything, as there's plenty to explore and admiree.
Overall, a fun and memorable stop for LEGO enthusiasts of all ages. Definitely worth adding to your London itinerary, especially if you love LEGO since childhood :3