Hundreds of people queued for hours outside a shop this morning as excitement builds ahead of Wednesday’s rare solar eclipse.
People began arriving outside Free Spirit Psychic Shop at Plassey Retail Village, near Wrexham, from 7am on Tuesday, despite the shop not opening until 10am, hoping to secure one of the final pairs of viewing glasses before the celestial event.
Owner Warren Starling said he had stocked around 700 pairs of certified solar eclipse glasses over the past week and a half, with demand far exceeding anything he had anticipated.
“We got here around 8am and there was already a massive queue,” he said.
“People had been queueing since 7am. We didn’t open until 10, so some of them waited three hours.
“I’ve never seen anything like it before. It was absolutely bonkers.”
The latest delivery of 200 pairs sold out quickly, capping off what Warren described as the busiest day since he began stocking the glasses.
Rather than increase the price as demand grew, Warren said he wanted to make sure as many people as possible could experience the eclipse safely.
“I really hate it when people take advantage of something and charge people more money,” he said.
“I could have made a lot more money today, but I purposely kept them at £5 because I wanted people to be able to get them.”
He said seeing so many people excited about the eclipse had created a special atmosphere at the shop.
“It was amazing,” he said. “There were hundreds of people. It just kept coming.”
Although delighted by the response, Warren admitted he also felt nervous when supplies ran out.
“I don’t like letting people down,” he said.
“I really appreciate everyone who came along and waited, and I’m sorry to anyone who was disappointed. We did say it was limited stock, but I never imagined it would be this big.”
But some were not so lucky, as Rhos resident Jodie Hughes said: “I’d looked online but everywhere had sold out or the delivery wasn’t arriving until after the eclipse. When I heard these were in stock, I came straight here, but no luck unfortunately.”
Warren, who has owned Free Spirit Psychic Shop for two-and-a-half years, believes the eclipse is more than just an astronomical event.
“It’s a very spiritual time,” he said.
“It’s about changing energies, new beginnings and manifesting what you want for the next chapter of your life.”
He said Wednesday evening offers more than just the eclipse itself, with the Perseid meteor shower expected to continue after dark and clear skies potentially offering views of the Milky Way.
“It’s going to be a beautiful experience,” he said.
To make sure he doesn’t miss it, the shop will be closed on Wednesday while he heads to the coast to watch the eclipse.
“I’m really excited. I saw the total eclipse in 1999 at Lizard Point in Cornwall, and tomorrow is going to be another unforgettable experience,” he said.
Across North Wales, around 90% of the Sun is expected to be obscured during Wednesday evening’s eclipse.
Experts stress that people should only look directly at the Sun using certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses or another approved viewing method as ordinary sunglasses offer no protection.
For those unable to get hold of eclipse glasses, indirect viewing methods such as a pinhole projector provide a safe alternative.
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