A SHOP owner has kept the magic of his Harry Potter themed business alive for his customers and fans.

Oliver Dall, 29, has been running the wizardry store in Trafalgar Street in North Laine for the past three years.

He was forced to close for the coronavirus crisis, but now the entrepreneur is hopeful of being able to open up his business as the lockdown measures ease.

Oliver says he has had to find innovative ways to keep people interested in the shop, and says that online orders lose something of the spell he can cast on customers from his premises.

One way has been to raise cash for the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS charitable funds by walking nine and three quarter miles inside the shop.

The number will be familiar to all Harry Potter fans, and means he had to walk a staggering 18,686 steps in total.

Perhaps it is even enough to cover all the corridors, staircases and hidden passageways at Hogwarts Castle.

Yesterday he recorded the feat and posted it live on the shop’s Facebook page. It has gone alongside hosting Harry Potter themed quizzes for fans.

Oliver said: “I closed when I was told to by the Government to close. It was worrying to start with, some of my staff have asthma so I have wanted to protect them and protect the NHS.

“I’m waiting to reopen again, I haven’t wanted to be doing online sales, as for me it is about the shop experience. Keeping in touch with customers on social media has been a huge help. It helps us all get through the boredom.”

Government advice is for non-essential retailers to open shops at the beginning of June.

Oliver said he hopes to be able to do so, with a social distancing policy inside the shop. He is also taking pre bookings for visits.

Another idea is to sell magical inspired ice cream, with flavours and pixie dust from a classic 1950s style ice cream machine.

He said: “I want people to be able to come in and feel safe. This has been daunting, but I am making sure that the shop is ready for reopening again.”

He has celebrated his birthday this week, and has been attempting the challenge of walking nine and three quarter miles in a bid to raise £934 for the NHS charity.

To donate visit justgiving.com/fundraising/oliversbrighton.