back to article Official crackdown on Apple fanboi 'shanty town' ahead of London iPhone launch

The British authorities have told two of Blighty's most passionate Apple fanbois to remove a "shanty town shack" they have constructed outside London's Regent Street Apple Store. Two diehard Apple nuts set up camp outside the fruity firm's UK flagship shop yesterday in hope of being the first to pick up the new iPhone 5S when …

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  1. Anonymous Custard

    Spot the difference?

    owns various important bits of UK real estate including the seabed round the British isles - and Regent Street

    Given how wet it was last night, I'm surprised they could tell the difference...

    1. LarsG

      I'm glad they have so much time on their hands

  2. Chris Miller

    "Dude, you're a barista"

    That is all.

    1. Cliff

      Re: "Dude, you're a barista"

      And even that is a made up name for 'works in a cafe'...

      1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
        Coat

        Re: "Dude, you're a barista"

        Dude, I'm a barrister. Sure I'll make you coffee. My fees are £600 an hour, plus annual retainer and refresher payments.

        For the lack of a wig icon, I think I'll get my coat.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Queuing already?

    One thought comes to mind: "Sad B*****ds"

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Queuing already?

      No sadder that the sad bastard (or the sad bastards that upvote said sad bastard) that comments about them on a website aimed at nerds...

      1. AceRimmer

        Re: Queuing already?

        Really?

        The big diference is that we don't have to wait outside in the rain for 5 days to mock the sad cases

        1. JDX Gold badge

          Re: Queuing already?

          Yes but they like being in the rain.

          Not really any sadder in the grand scheme of things than sitting outside watching a man try to hit a red ball with a plank for 5 days.

          1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

            Re: Queuing already?

            @JDX - you are going to be one of the first against the wall!

            Do they even do I-Phones for uncovered pitches?

          2. h3

            Re: Queuing already?

            At least you can buy and consume beer whilst you watch cricket with no hassle whatsoever.

            Drinking outside the Apple store would likely annoy people even more.

        2. Ted Treen

          Re: Queuing already?

          Point taken, but are these any sadder than all the "must-have-on-first-night" GTA v purchasers?

        3. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Queuing already?

          But you are sat on your own in front of a computer mocking people who are actually doing something. Whether you think it's worthwhile is neither here not there. They are making friends and enjoying themselves, while you are in a room on your own being a judgemental prick. How dare they like something you don't.

    3. TheOtherHobbes

      Re: Queuing already?

      >One thought comes to mind: "Sad B*****ds"

      That's no way to speak to our esteemed legal profession.

      True, sitting outside in the rain waiting for a phone makes no sense either.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Queuing already?

        Never really get the hostility, a group of similar minded people who have some spare time decide to spend time together waiting for something they enjoy/want... Often while enjoying one another's company, drinking, eating, and relaxing...

  4. fixit_f

    Jesus Christ

    Talk about first world problems!

    1. Gav

      Re: Jesus Christ

      And what a completely pointless waste of time and energy for all concerned.

      Is it beyond someone to come up with a better system, rather than having customers physically park themselves outside the shop for days, waiting for a completely arbitrary date & time when they have to physically walk through a door? Just thinking about it shows just how ridiculous the whole charade is.

      Apple is supposed to be a tech company, but is reliant on a stupid and outdated method of throttling initial market demand.

      1. 142
        Megaphone

        Re: Jesus Christ

        "Is it beyond someone to come up with a better system"

        You can walk into any carphone warehouse the next day and pick one up at your leisure...

        1. Khaptain Silver badge

          Re: Jesus Christ

          Yes, but do the Carphone warehouse boys give you High Fives and go Whoop whoop whoop whoop as you leave the store...

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Jesus Christ

          You can walk into any carphone warehouse the next day and pick one up at your leisure...

          You can also be a normal user and buy the thing one or two months later - and that's not limited to Apple kit. That way you are assured of supply, get a device that has at least made a start with getting debugged and you don't have to spend time in a queue when you wander into a shop - it's my pet hate.

          This whole "queueing outside" is either for making hype, or for people falling prey to it. Neither interests me much. Just give me the device. It's that and the eternal court cases that is making me consider alternatives, however much I like the kit.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Jesus Christ

            Queueing? What a quaint notion. Fortunately there are no queues on-line ;-)

            1. Thomas 4

              Re: Jesus Christ

              Meh, I don't have any issue with it myself. If they're in front of the Apple store and both staff and fanbois are having fun, what's the harm? I imagine there's quite a few regulars that meet up and talk at these queue gatherings.

              Besides, if someone is obsessive enough to queue outside a shop for four days for a phone, wouldn't it be better to know where they are?

            2. D@v3

              Re: no queues on-line

              Ever tried getting tickets for Glastonbury?

              Sitting in front of a PC for an hour, waiting to be served before being told they have sold out, sure feels like a bloody queue to me.

              1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

                Re: no queues on-line

                It is however, a queue in the warm and dry, with hot and cold running coffee and biscuits.

                1. Khaptain Silver badge

                  Re: no queues on-line

                  And most importantly, Toilet Paper.....( and somewhere private in which it can be used)

                2. monkeyfish

                  Re: no queues on-line

                  hot and cold running coffee and biscuits.

                  There's something wrong with your biscuits.

                  1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
                    Coat

                    Re: no queues on-line

                    hot and cold running coffee and biscuits.

                    There's something wrong with your biscuits.

                    No, they're gingerbread men.

                    Hmmm, better get me coat.

              2. ArmyCrow

                Re: no queues on-line

                That's literally* an hour, too, given last year's nightmare.

                *that's literally in the literal sense, not the OED sense.

            3. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Jesus Christ

              That ain't strictly true of course as sheeple wanting to get Glastonbury tickets usually find out .. just like the middleclasses wanting Olympics tickets last year.

      2. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

        Re: Jesus Christ

        And what a completely pointless waste of time and energy for all concerned.

        Is it beyond someone to come up with a better system, rather than having customers physically park themselves outside the shop for days, waiting for a completely arbitrary date & time when they have to physically walk through a door?

        To be fair to Apple, they will have it delivered to you on release day, if you order online in time. Or you can reserve at a store, if you're so sad you have to have the thing on day 1, so can pick it up where you work, at luch time.

        To not be fair to Apple, they've apparently applied for the license for this tent for the last 4 years, making these poor saps basically unpaid marketing fodder for the Cult-of-JobsTM. But then they seem to be perfectly willing to get wet in this cause, so who am I to interfere with their 'fun'. Even if it does make me want to beat a bit of sense into them.

        So they get to be first and get their 15 minutes of fame, care of lazy/bored journalists with copy to file. Apple get to look cool (or more realistically weird), especially when their staff start whooping and high-fiving. And everyone else gets to go, "what the hell is going on with some people?", and shake their heads sadly at the state of the world...

        Do the staff in the UK stores really do all this high-fiving and whooping? I can understand the US doing it, they're less grumpy and cynical than us, but you'll notice that Wal-Mart did not introduce the Wal-Mart Cheer when they took over ASDA. Although apparently they did when they started up a chain in Germany. I have this mental image of all these poor Germans being forced to raise their hands and fist-pump while mumbling "Go Wal-Mart! Go Wal-Mart!" And I'm going to resist all temptation to make any bad-taste jokes here, I'll leave that to Basil Fawlty...

      3. TraceyC

        Re: Jesus Christ

        There is a better system. It's already used by Disney parks and some automobile registration offices in Texas.

        You get a ticket saying the wait is x minutes long. When it gets to be near that time, you go back to the queue. The wait may be hours when you first get your ticket, but you only need to spend a few minutes physically standing in a queue.

        This doesn't give you bragging rights with other fans. It also doesn't give you the chance to show the world the lengths you will go to for your iThingie by your presence on a sidewalk for days in the rain. It would deprive Apple of the free extra publicity.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "putting the structure of the tent up, but not mounting the fabric on top of it"

    What rebels

  6. MJI Silver badge

    How sad

    But then I will be going to Game on the 29th on November, but I will not be queueing!

    1. Tsung

      Re: How sad

      Going to Game and not queuing? In which mythical world do you live?. I don't think I've ever been to a Game shop and not seen a queue for the checkout. It's like they want their customers to get peeved off and go order online.

    2. Piloti

      Re: How sad

      Why, what's going on at the end of November ? Apologies for not being bang up to date with every minor event on the retail calendar, but I have life.....

      1. MJA

        Re: How sad

        It's the release of PS4 and Xbox One :)

        1. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
          Alien

          Re: How sad

          all those who downvoted the posts about queueing should mark the end of Nov in their diaries so that they can carry on the good work of downvoting any and all queuers.

          1. ArmyCrow

            Re: How sad

            Sod it, I'm popping into Tesco's on the way home and not only am I going to down vote anyone queuing, I'm going to tut at them whilst crossing my arms over my chest and tapping a foot in their direction.

            Queue-rs - pfft.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    23 year old estate agent

    Hasn't he got an overpriced house to sell someone?

    1. Steven Raith

      Re: 23 year old estate agent

      Pretty much proves my theory I have about estate agents.

    2. Steve Evans

      Re: 23 year old estate agent

      He's probably holding up some house sale... But at least those concerned now know where to find him, which is a step of from searching all the local golf courses.

      1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

        Re: 23 year old estate agent

        That's not fair to estate agents. They do the initial hard-sell. It's the conveyancers and lawyers whose job it is to hold up the sale for no reason whatsoever...

    3. Darren Barratt

      Re: 23 year old estate agent

      He'll be selling off the tent as soon as he's got his iFruit.

      Charming, compact, central London Property. Views of vibrant city life included. Offers in region of 1.1 mil.

      1. Stratman

        Re: 23 year old estate agent

        "Charming, compact, central London Property. Views of vibrant city life included. Offers in region of 1.1 mil."

        Bet he keeps schtum about the neighbours

  8. Piloti

    Trin Tragula......

    .... had a sense of perspective.

    These two t1t5 seem to have lost this completely. This is 'phone we're talking about here, not the worlds first brain transplant, of a water powered car, or proof of sentient life on Mars, or a perpetual motion machine.

    It's a 'phone. OK, less copper wire than Bell or Meucci had foreseen.....

    But a 'phone none the less.

    Idiots.

    1. jonathanb Silver badge

      Re: Trin Tragula......

      Other shops sell iDevices on launch day, and they don't have queues of fanbois waiting in line. They could go to one of them if they really can't wait. Carphone Warehouse for example is just round the corner in Oxford Street.

      There are companies with names such as "rent a crowd" that supply people to queue for events such as this. There is however no evidence that Apple has engaged the services of one of these companies.

      1. Cliff

        ...Rent a crowd...

        One way to get a part on the West End.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: ...Rent a crowd...

          Does anyone else think the Apple Marketers are losing thier grip?

          You can see them being paid to do this by Apple. [Don't knock the idea. It worked wonders in the past.]

      2. Alan Brown Silver badge

        Re: Trin Tragula......

        "Carphone Warehouse for example is just round the corner in Oxford Street."

        Would you really want to buy anything at Carphone Whorehouse? The phones are one thing but being badgered into buying well overpriced accessories and unnecessary insurance grates.

  9. MnM

    I'll join the queue!

    To give them an Airplane-style slap.

  10. Mr Nobody 1

    pathetic

    pathetic pair. please tell purple t-shirt boi that we know he's holding his stomach in for the photo.

    1. Natalie Gritpants

      Re: pathetic

      And those shorts are of an unfashionable length. Shame on him.

  11. stu 4

    estate agent and a student

    can't we just organise a diversion of the queue to lead them to the Golgafrincham Ark Fleet, Ship B ?

    1. fandom

      Re: estate agent and a student

      Why would you put them among the group that survived?

  12. PsychicMonkey
    WTF?

    WTF!!!

    An estate agent, so he is taking his holiday to get this is he? I thought estate agents were twats, now confirmed.

    And a 17 year old student, studying hard I see. It's apparently too expensive to go to uni but fine to spunk the best part of £800 on a phone.

    Yes it may be less on a contract, but if he bought the 5 last year he won't be out of contract yet. Plus he's not even old enough to sign the contract!

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What an advert for tolerance

    Wow, way to give a couple of harmless blokes a hard time.

    You'd think from the comments that these two are next on the government hit list.

    So their 'hobby' is waiting in line to buy a new gadget. Wheres the harm?

    Are all the rest of us perfect examples?

    Do none of us spend time watching our fishing tackle?

    Or sitting around watching 22 over paid blokes run around a field?

    Or melt our brains watching Big X Brother Celeb Bake House Watch?

    Or grind for gold in GTA-World of-Diablo?

    Given that I bet most of us got a hard time growing up for being geeks or nerds you'd think we'd have a little bit of tolerance for others.

    1. Kubla Cant

      Re: What an advert for tolerance

      Do none of us spend time watching our fishing tackle? No

      Or sitting around watching 22 over paid blokes run around a field? No

      Or melt our brains watching Big X Brother Celeb Bake House Watch? Definitely no

      Or grind for gold in GTA-World of-Diablo? No - dunno what you're on about

    2. graeme leggett Silver badge

      Re: What an advert for tolerance

      there's harmless, and there's giving those with an interest in technical matters a bad (or worse?) reputation...

      1. graeme leggett Silver badge

        Re: What an advert for tolerance

        I will admit - for the record - I did intend to make that statement beneath the cloak of anonymity.......

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: What an advert for tolerance

      Upvoted and SECONDED.

    4. Seanie Ryan

      Re: What an advert for tolerance

      Completely agree, saved me a bit of typing, but have to add that there are some twats in these forums, who have to spew hate and abuse, simply because 2 guys are doing what they want to do. Freedom etc. They are not affecting your life, so why the abuse?

      And while you are typing your crap, think about this, maybe they are going to buy a few and flock them on ebay , making a tidy profit for a few days of enjoying human company.

      But no, you slag them off while you sit at your screen as though your life is perfect

      absolutely insane

      1. Z-Eden
        Flame

        Re: What an advert for tolerance

        "but have to add that there are some twats in these forums, who have to spew hate and abuse, simply because 2 guys are doing what they want to do. Freedom etc. They are not affecting your life, so why the abuse?"

        Freedom works both ways. While this pair of pillocks are free to sit around outside the store with nothing better to do with their lives (what a waste of a holiday), El Reg commentards are free to mock the idiotic and foolish.

        And what riper fruit for mocking and ridicule than an iFan queuing for a device that they'd be able to get on day one without the pointless queuing anyway. And personally there's nothing more satisfying the pricking the pompous bubble that is marketing hype that this kind of stunt usually creates.

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: What an advert for tolerance

      "So their 'hobby' is waiting in line to buy a new gadget. Wheres the harm?

      Given that I bet most of us got a hard time growing up for being geeks or nerds you'd think we'd have a little bit of tolerance for others."

      Classic iFolly owner. Totally unaware of reality!

      So their 'hobby' is waiting in line to buy a new gadget. Wheres the harm?

      That is the point. If you don't know, the really cool people are not going to tell YOU!

      Buying an iFolly ain't going to give you any credance.

    6. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: What an advert for tolerance

      The down voters don't do any of the above as they are sitting around in their vests and underpants in their bedroom (at their parents house) :-)

      If they are not doing that they are hanging around with their rubber girlfriend

      :-O < that's what the face looks like

      1. ArmyCrow

        Re: What an advert for tolerance

        Don't look at me - I think you're all nuts.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Really?

    "Apple are very keen on our shelter. They think it's an awesome idea."

    I don't know whether this statement is symptomatic of Apple's viewpoint of things or the devaluation of the meaning of an English word - but is putting up a tent on a street really an "awesome" idea?

    1. Shrimpling

      Re: Really?

      Its not the tent that is the awesome idea, it is sitting in front of the shop and getting put on news websites that is the awesome idea. Its a free advert for the release date of the new phone. I expect there will be something about it on the BBC news tonight which is even better for Apple... a free advert on the BBC.

      The cynic in me would assume that apple didn't apply for the license on purpose so it got reported in this way instead of "Only 2 guys are bothering to queue for the new iPhone".

      1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
        Happy

        Re: Really?

        The cynic in me would assume that apple didn't apply for the license on purpose so it got reported in this way instead of "Only 2 guys are bothering to queue for the new iPhone".

        Shrimpling,

        Congratulations on out-cynicalling me. I didn't think of that. And now I see you are a marketing genius. Would you like a job with my new Dogbert's Diabolical Marketing Agency?

  15. Simple Si
    Black Helicopters

    Spend a penny?

    What do these guys do when they need a pee? Seriously? Do they pop in store to use the staff toilets and when they do, do the laws of queuing result in them having to re-join the queue at the back?

    Maybe they have piss-bags to keep them warm at night or worse go in bottles - but what about number 2's?

    I'll stick to ordering on-line.

    Black helicopter 'coz it looks like pee hitting the floor - something the local council would want to think about..

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      Re: Spend a penny?

      Well they could solve the number 2's issue by not eating for a couple of days before joining the queue.

      I guess they could go into the store for a pee, then cross their legs between 5:30pm and 9am when it's shut. Or to keep their place, just have the Apple store staff collect their filled bottles.

      Reminds me of something I read in the paper years ago, about a Sumo wrestling demonstration in Australia. It turns out that not only did JAL have to fit extra large seats for them, but they're too huge to fit in aeroplane toilets. So they had to not eat the day before, and severely restrict their drinking, to avoid the issue.

  16. Nathan 13

    2 numpties they are!!

    The thing is will they notice its the new model?

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Cretins

    Someone want to tell them the Nexus4 is now £199 and substaintially better than any overpriced Apple crap.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Cretins

      Ha ha ha ha ha... Good one...

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      So what.

      Some people do not want to sell their soul to the Googleplex.

      To me that is priceless.

      I'll stick with my Nokia 6310 than you.

  18. This post has been deleted by its author

  19. envmod

    *sigh*

    what a couple of fucking numpties.

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Try to reason with fanatics...

    "The streets of Westminster are not camp sites and we can’t allow people to block the streets days in advance. From Thursday, a queuing system with barriers will be in place for anyone wishing to queue for the new iPhone."

    A reasonable attitude, but ultimately bound to fail.

    Maybe open a can of anti-terrorism legislation on them instead?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Try to reason with fanatics...

      Seriously? Wow, there may be some right idiots camping outside the iShop, but there are some bigger idiots here. Two blokes doing something that's, frankly, silly but not much more are up there with people who blow up planes and city centres now are they?

      Have a word with yourself. It's not even worth it as a joke. Call them fools if you like, but that's well out of order.

      1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

        Re: that's well out of order

        Having problems with our sarcasm detector, are we ?

        Reminder : a journalist was recently stopped at the UK border and detained under anti-terrorism laws in order to search him for data on his conversations with a whistleblower. I don't see that either of those two people could be classed as terrorists either, so the remark is totally in order.

  21. AceRimmer

    What they should do

    Is use their right to protest and stage an anti tax dodge protest sit-in in front of the store.

    They can then call an end to the protest the minute the new iPhone is for sale

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: What they should do

      "Is use their right to protest and stage an anti tax dodge protest sit-in in front of the store.

      They can then call an end to the protest the minute the new iPhone is for sale"

      No product or service is worth your dignity!

      Still 1'000'000's have sold it.

      1. jonathanb Silver badge

        Re: What they should do

        It is 1.8 km from Parliament Square. I'm not sure how far away you have to be from there to be allowed to stage a protest, but there is an exclusion zone.

        1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

          Re: What they should do

          You're allowed to demonstrate. You just have to get a permit from the local police station. Mark Thomas did a very funny radio program about it, where he protested about the anti-protesting regulations by having protests with as complicated paperwork as he could manage.

          1. Dr_N

            Re: What they should do

            He supposedly has a good relationship with the local plod after all his shenanigans.

            Including having a local police escort during demos when out-of-area police are drafted in.

            Genius.

          2. Telboy

            Re: What they should do

            If you need a licence to demonstrate does this mean that Apple have to be licensed by the police to demonstrate the new colours used on the I Phone.

  22. Duffaboy

    Its WOZ and JOBS

    Proper Fanbois

  23. Shippwreck1

    Rewarding Loyalty

    I wonder if any of the commentards on here will stick to their opinions of cretins, numpties and pathetic when we see an article later in the week saying that the pair have been rewarded by Tim Cook for their loyalty (and free advertising boost to Apple) by giving them the latest iPhone for free...

    Although I would never queue in this way for a phone and find the whole notion highly amusing, as someone else pointed out here... "way to give a couple of harmless blokes a hard time"

    What an intolerant society we sadly live in...

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. AceRimmer

      Re: Rewarding Loyalty

      "the latest iPhone for free..."

      £600 for sitting outside all day and night for 5 days whilst taking online abuse...

      NO THANKS

      "What an intolerant society we sadly live in..."

      They aren't queuing up for a blessing from the pope.

      They're queuing up and giving free advertising to one of the biggest companies in the world. A company hoarding a significant proportion of the worlds money and a company which will bend any rule it can to avoid paying tax.

      At best they deserve to be forcibly removed from the pavement they are blocking

      1. Shippwreck1

        Re: Rewarding Loyalty

        To be fair, they probably don't give a crap about taking online abuse and despite the fact that you may not consider £600 for five days to be good value for money there are many MANY people in this world that would (and lets face it, an estate agent is bound to be one of them ;-)

        (Also a slight aside... IF that does happen then it's more lokely to be the £709 version)

        1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

          Re: there are many MANY people in this world that would

          The vast majority of those who would probably don't live in London, though.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Rewarding Loyalty

        Personally, I'd like them a lot less if they WERE queuing for the Pope...

  24. NP-HARD
    WTF?

    Baiting...

    How well would they react to a little queue-jumping?

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    PERFECT promotion!

    Two sweaty, could never be seen with a woman, tweenty somethings queing to buy legacy tech.

    Apple have lost their cool right there! Lets hope someone gives them what they need. A good twatting.

    1. LPF

      Wow beat up to men because they don't have the same phone as you, spot the fandroid!. Your seriously hoping someone will beat them up because they did not buy an android phone.. what a pathetic person you are.

  26. hi_robb

    Err

    Looks like they've got a small iQueue...

    /Gets coat.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Err

      "Looks like they've got a small iQueue..." no, they Queue, I'll be off, any where away from an Apple store (was a little bit of sick in my mouth there saying Apppplurgh).

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I would like to take the piss out of them

    But I once queued up outside a Toys'R'Us one early morning to buy a Tamagotchi...

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
      Devil

      Re: I would like to take the piss out of them

      I bet you've since neglected it, and the poor thing is now dead. You heartless monster! Remember a Tamagotchi is for life, not just for Christmas!

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I would like to take the piss out of them

      "I would like to take the piss out of them

      But I once queued up outside a Toys'R'Us one early morning to buy a Tamagotchi..."

      Anonymous for the shame of it.

  28. Throatwobbler Mangrove
    Boffin

    "The Crown Estate, an arm of the British government,"

    As a tedious pedant tosser, I want to point out that the Crown Estate is not an arm of the government, it's an arm of, err, the Crown. http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/about-us/faqs/

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      As a tedious pedant tosser, I want to point out that the Crown Estate is not an arm of the government, it's an arm of, err, the Crown. http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/about-us/faqs/

      As is the government.

  29. Ralph B

    Motives?

    Are we certain that estate agency is their only occupation?

    1. ThomH

      Re: Motives?

      You think Apple hired a crowd... of two? They must have bought into the idea of decline.

  30. Duffaboy

    First 2 customers get a prize.

    A Free tent, sleeping bag and a potty, so they can use it for next years launch of the iphone 6

  31. MrT
    Thumb Up

    "Chum..."

    ...is Mr Roberts called Bob by his closest friends, by any chance?

  32. Henry Wertz 1 Gold badge

    Yobs and shanty towns

    ". I think he thought he were yobs and told us to take our greenhouse shelter down, saying that a lot of people pay huge sums of money to rent the shops on Regents Street and that staff as well as shoppers shouldn't have to look at a shanty town."

    I think they are yobs too, no normal person will wait in line for days for a phone where (by all estimates) sales will be low enough they could just walk in day of and walk out with a phone.

    Plus, Apple "forgot" to get them a permit? Isn't it the job of the people erecting a shanty town in front of the store to get a permit, not the store itself? Just saying...

  33. The_Regulator

    So....

    That's what Apple Fanbois look like.....one article on this site where I agree with the majority of the comments!!! Hey it's progress.....

  34. Richard 20
    FAIL

    Crown Estate…

    "The Crown Estate, an arm of the British government, owns various important bits of UK real estate including the seabed round the British isles"

    Ahem… I think the Republic of Ireland would have something to say concerning the seabed around their coastline. #Geography101

  35. Lostintranslation

    When they look back on their lives, will this be their crowning achievement?

    1. Matt Piechota

      "When they look back on their lives, will this be their crowning achievement?"

      Probably not, it'll just be a great memory. "Remember when we queued for the iPhone? Ah to be young. I'd give anything to do it ."

      A lot of you guys are grumpy about other people pasttimes.

  36. Spook1109

    jesus how sad can you get tbh, there is plenty of things they should be doing

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