Zoe Craig

Bagpuss Shop Pops Up in Bayswater

Only 13 episodes of Bagpuss were ever made way back in 1974, yet the enduring love for the cat who was "baggy, and a bit loose at the seams" continues apace.

This October, nostalgia fans can get their Bagpuss hit at a new pop-up Bagpuss & Co shop at Whiteley's Shopping Centre in Bayswater. (There's nothing like this at the new Westfield in Stratford, you know...)

For a limited time only, you'll be able to visit the old saggy cloth cat and his friends before they return to their owners. Inside Bagpuss & Co, you can see the original Bagpuss used in the show (did you know he was meant to be ginger, but the dyeing company made a mistake?), alongside his friends Gabriel, Madeline, Professor Yaffle and the singing mice.

(There'll even be a secret corner of the shop transformed into the Clangers' planet; complete with Mother, Major, Small, Tiny and Granny. Which is a bit before our time, but we imagine is pretty exciting if you're of that era.)

Creator Peter Firmin will be at the shop on 25 October to meet fans, sign merchandise and share stories. Sandra Kerr, who composed the original music, will be at Whiteley's on the 29 October performing songs from the series.

But this is still a shop, and most people will be interested in getting their hands on the Bagpuss merchandise. Bagpuss & Co will stock cuddly toys, greetings cards, DVDs and CDs, and even microwaveable Bagpuss slippers (something we didn't know we needed...) Happily, some of the proceeds of this nostalgia-fest will go to Asthma UK.

Best of all, the exterior of the shop will be a perfect replica of Emily's famous Bagpuss store. The windows will be decorated with a plethora of lost and broken treasures, waiting for the return of their owners coming to collect them.

We’re off to search for some suitable, broken trinket to lay at the feet of this magical cat. Do you think he can fix cracked iPhone screens?

The Bagpuss Store will be at Whiteleys Shopping Centre in Bayswater, London, W2 4YN, from 25 to 30 October. Visit www.whiteleys.com to find out more. Fans are advised to arrive early to avoid disappointment.