Swatch forced to close UK stores after huge queues for new watch spark safety crisis
Swatch has temporarily closed several UK stores due to safety concerns following overwhelming crowds for the launch of a new pocket watch. The closures affected locations in major cities including Manchester, Cardiff, and London. Police were called to manage the large gatherings, and Swatch has urged customers to avoid rushing to stores.
- ▪Swatch closed its Greater Manchester store for a second day due to safety issues.
- ▪Police were called to multiple shopping centers as crowds gathered for the new watch release.
- ▪A 25-year-old man was arrested in Cardiff amid the chaos surrounding the store openings.
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NewsUKHome NewsSwatch forced to close UK stores after huge queues for new watch spark safety crisisSwatch forced to close a number of stores for a second day following launch of new pocket watchJordan Reynolds Sunday 17 May 2026 19:48 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2978270","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/swatch-pocket-watch-pop-queues-manchester-cardiff-b2978270.html","title":"Swatch forced to close UK stores after huge queues for new watch spark safety crisis "}}open image in…
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