What on earth happened at Ikea in London last night?? Why oh why oh why were people furniture shopping at midnight - has the world gone utterly barmy?? They should have been tucked up in bed with their cocoa instead of causing major disruption and riots at Ikea - for goodness sake Ikea????

I was bamboozled when I heard this on the news this morning - but honestly could not understand, and still don't understand what on earth happened and why??

Do you furniture shop at night-time??

I can't understand it either, Flip. First thing I did when I heard this was look at the calendar to see if we've skipped the rest of February and March and woken up on April Fool's Day.

Maybe they're all reformed ramraiders...

I can honestly say I have never experienced the urge to buy a sof at midnight! :ohmy:

I don't even know what you lot are talking about. I guess the news from the city takes a bit longer to get here:laugh:


Oh wait, I think I see the 1300hrs express coach coming, it may be on that one.

LOL Andrea - you really live out in the sticks don't you! :laugh: :laugh:


I think they had an opening sale and that is why so many people were queuing up at Midnight :wacko:

I think it was because of the ridiculously low price that stuff was bing sold for in aid of the opening promotion, but they clearly miscalculated the demand. The whole thing is beyond mental, I can't even pronounce the name of Ikea furniture, much less want to go out and buy it at midnight!

Edit: Great minds ils! :wink2:

LONDON (Reuters) - One man has been stabbed and several injured after 4,000 people flocked to the midnight opening of a new Ikea furniture superstore in north London, emergency services say.

The Swedish furniture giant was forced to close the store in Edmonton after 30 minutes when it was overwhelmed by shoppers seeking to buy heavily discounted items.

"There were 500 people behind me and they were all trying to get through a three-foot gap," shopper Jolene Cooper told Sky News about her experience outside the store's entrance on Thursday.

"They kept on trying to shut the doors and not let anyone in, so all the people behind were pushing me. I was really scared."

Shortly after midnight there were 1,000 cars queuing to get into the car park with some bargain-hunters abandoning their vehicles on the busy A406 North Circular road to get to the store on foot.

The store had been offering huge discounts, including leather sofas at 35 pounds for customers arriving between midnight and 3 a.m., as part of a planned 24 hours of opening bargains.

Police said the stabbed man had sustained his injury in the area of the store, adding that his injury was not life-threatening.

Five other people were taken to hospital, one suffering from chest pains. London Fire Brigade said they helped Ambulance staff deal with 22 people suffering from heat exhaustion and crush injuries.

IKEA could not immediately be reached for comment.

Last September three men were trampled to death in a rush to claim vouchers when IKEA opened its first store in Saudi Arabia.

Danny Baker did mention something on the radio this morning about taking a machine gun to the lot of them, and personally I think that would have been the kindest and most sensible thing to do.

In fact, I would recommend it for ANYBODY sad enough to shop at Ikea.

I can't even pronounce the name of Ikea furniture,
Funnily enough I know what you mean Voicey. I have always pronounced it Eyekeea - but when I did Changing Rooms with Laurance Llewlyn Bowen - he pronounced it Ickeea [as in Sick].

I see now the problem - it was GREED and AVARICE - 2 of the deadly sins, having said that I would probably suffer from one of them too - PRIDE. Far too proud to queue for a bargain let alone in ICKEEA.

I have never been to an Ikea, as we don't have one down this way (well I don't think we do) so I have no idea what the stuff they sell is like......

I have never been to an Ikea, as we don't have one down this way (well I don't think we do) so I have no idea what the stuff they sell is like......
Get thee to Croydon this minute! It's a slow shoe shuffle round, but no knifings yet, though it can be handbags at dawn if they are down to the last Fnaarhar light fitting..

Get thee to Croydon this minute! It's a slow shoe shuffle round, but no knifings yet, though it can be handbags at dawn if they are down to the last Fnaarhar light fitting..

Croydon is too far to go shopping :shocking:

If I can't get it here, I go without! :w00t:

What's so great about IKEA anyway? I guess it's ok if you like contemporary stuff, but it's not my style. I do like some of the kitchen stuff though, but I don't rush down there during the day, let alone at midnight.

What's so great about IKEA anyway?
When it first opened up here in the North East - I had to go have a pokeys - and the thing that initially struck me was the way the shop itself ushered you though EVERY single department - it was sort of like a one way race track - once you started there was little chance of turning about heel and going back the way you came. Actually it was quite disturbing the way it made you wend and wynde your way through.

A bit like Communist shopping. If there is such a thing then IKEA invented it!!

Having said all that some of their kitchen wares are pretty good - they have quite good plastic kids cups too.

people seem very sniffy about Ikea! I've never been there so I can't comment, but I'm sure someone somewhere buys their stuff ... don't they Max! :whistling

people seem very sniffy about Ikea! I've never been there so I can't comment,
LOL - well someone has to. :wink2:

No, Dol the thing with IKEA is that there are no normal sized things, because they are all continental sized - the bedding is too wide or too short, all the lights need transformers [and often break]. The furniture is bloody heavy [I know we have a bedroom storage unit for the eldest] - and they make you shop in a Communist fashion - which I object to.

- and they make you shop in a Communist fashion - which I object to.

what do you mean ... you queue for hours and then when you get to the front of the queue the bread's sold out?! :D

what do you mean ... you queue for hours and then when you get to the front of the queue the bread's sold out?! :D
No - it is a weird thing, see above post [post no. 15 I think]- but it is like a racetrack - which YOU HAVE TO follow, once you are on it, you can't get off, or turn back, you can step to one side and inspect something, but then you have to get on it and continue the same way everyone else is going.

This track ushers you unwilingly from start to finish [the checkouts] - it is a bit sheepy and follow my leader, no room for independence or free thought!

Thats what I mean by Communist Shopping - but yes there never ever is any bread when you get to the head of the queue!!

I'll stand tall and state that I love Ikea - the trick is to get the catalogue, find the things you want, then go in via the exit to the warehouse bit and go straight to what you want, cutting out the shop floor completely.

And their meatballs are fabulous.

No - it is a weird thing, see above post [post no. 15 I think]- but it is like a racetrack - which YOU HAVE TO follow, once you are on it, you can't get off, or turn back, you can step to one side and inspect something, but then you have to get on it and continue the same way everyone else is going.


I dear, I'm getting the collywobbles just thinking about it - I can't bear being that controlled ... supposing I needed the toilet! :pooh:

I dear, I'm getting the collywobbles just thinking about it - I can't bear being that controlled ... supposing I needed the toilet! :pooh:
Sorry love - your stuck on that race-track for ever - and if you can find the loos, you still have to stick to the person in front until they want the loo too - and then you can both make an attempt to break free and rush to the loos, which are incidentally very nice!