Savile costume is sell-out for Harlequin store
Harlequin fancy dress
shop owner, Justin Atwell
by Andy Gray
A fancy dress shop has had a surprise sell-out... of Jimmy Savile
costumes!
The trademark apparel of Jimmy Savile has flown off the shelves
at Maidstone’s biggest costume shop as revellers make themselves up
like the disgraced former BBC presenter and DJ.
Justin Attwell, 41, who runs Harlequin Fancy Dress Shop in
Brewer Street, said he’s been inundated with customers hoping to
get their hands on a replica Savile tracksuit and vest.
When told the shop no longer stocks the item, people have
been snapping up novelty wigs, glasses, cigars and jewellery in
ironic homage to the former star who it’s claimed could be one of
Britain’s worst sex offenders.
Mr Attwell said: “As soon as the Savile controversy hit we
pretty much sold out of everything we had relating to him.
“We were pleased because we didn’t want to stock it anymore, but
since then we’ve had up to 10 people a day asking for his
costume."
Detectives are following 400 lines of inquiry as part of an
investigation into sex abuse claims against Savile, who died last
year.
Harlequin’s Savile-based stock, which consisted of four £15 kits
containing a wig, glasses, medallion and cigar and two £40
tracksuit costumes, sold out as soon as the claims were made public
earlier this month.
Before the
scandal broke, Mr Attwell said he couldn’t shift the outfits which
were endorsed by the disgraced former Top of the Pops and Jim’ll
Fix It presenter.
He said: “We were going to make them half price but they were
gone before we had the chance.”
Despite no longer stocking the costumes, Mr Attwell said he’s
been berated by members of the public for “profiting” from the
revelations.
One anonymous email called him “disgusting” for selling the
Savile gear, while a Facebook posting said: “I can’t believe you’re
selling Savile costumes.
“I hope he rots in hell.”
Mr Attwell, who has run Harlequin for 15 years, said it’s men
“aged 25 to 60” who are shopping for all-things Savile.
He said: “It’s very rare blokes buy blonde wigs so it’s obvious
what they’re doing.
“But we’re very busy and don’t have time to ask why they’re
doing it.”
Smiffy’s, a nationwide fancy dress company which supplies
Harlequin, confirmed it no longer stocks Jimmy Savile costumes.
31/10/12
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