Swatch cancels UK store openings over safety fears after long queues for new watch

Swatch closed its stores in cities across the UK after hundreds of people lined up outside branches to buy a new limited-edition watch.

The Swiss company said it would not open its branches in London because of safety concerns for customers and staff.

The firm had planned to launch its Royal Pop pocket watch, a collaboration with Audemars Piguet, with eight models priced from £335. The watches later appeared on resale sites for as much as £16,000.

Swatch described the collection as a disruptive collaboration between two icons of Swiss watchmaking. The watches draw inspiration from the Pop Art movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

In Liverpool, some shoppers had camped for two days outside the Paradise Street store in the Liverpool One area. Merseyside Police received a report that a group of men were acting aggressively and making threats outside the shop around 07:00 BST on Saturday.

Queues also formed outside Swatch stores in other countries, including New York, where some enthusiasts had camped for a week and reports said a few people became unwell while waiting. The company canceled its launch event at Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates after a large turnout.