A peculiar and surreal Black Mirror themed shop has unexpectedly appeared in Grand Central in Birmingham, replicating themes from the recent Bandersnatch episode.

The creation of the shop is shrouded in mystery but first sightings appeared on social media today, as excited passers-by identified sets and props from the hit interactive episode, which premiered on Netflix on December 28.

Black Mirror has achieved phenomenal success with the latest feature-length interactive instalment, ‘Bandersnatch’ taking the world by storm over the festive period.

Now in its fourth series, the show has received international critical acclaim since beginning on Channel 4 in 2011 and moving to Netflix in 2015.

The pop-up store has been created in the 1980s style of the WHSmith store which appears in Bandersnatch.Ranjit Dhillon / I Am Birmingham
The pop-up store has been created in the 1980s style of the WHSmith store which appears in Bandersnatch.

The special Birmingham pop-up store mirrors the style and appearance of the 1980’s WHSmith store, which appears in the Bandersnatch episode; and is filled with Black Mirror paraphernalia, VHS tapes and fictional retro games which appear in the show.

Black Mirror fans will be subtly pleased by the myriad of references to past episodes too, which appear across the store.  A high attention to detail has been used to create the store, with even the Iced Gem sweets that appear in the film being placed next to the cash-register.

Black Mirror's Bandersnatch is Netflix's first interactive entertainment experienceNetflix
Black Mirror’s Bandersnatch is Netflix’s first interactive entertainment experience

Situated next to Nando’s, the store has appeared above the main concourse in Grand Central, near to the Bullring Link. The pop-up store itself is inconspicuous, with many walking past unaware of the Black Mirror connotations.

However, it has attracted some interest from Black Mirror fans passing and taking photographs on their camera phones. Despite the buzz, the store isn’t actually open to the public and appears to only be viewable from outside as a promotional stunt for the show.

Check out these ten pictures of the Black Mirror store in Birmingham:

#1  The store includes a myriad of references to past episodes such as ‘Be Right Back’

A special Black Mirror pop up store has appeared in Grand Central Birmingham Ranjit Dhillon / I Am Birmingham

#2  ‘The Lives of Jerome F Davies’ refers to the writer of the Bandersnatch book

'The Lives of Jerome F Davies' alludes to the writer of the Bandersnatch book. The episode gives a nod to the sci-fi author Phillip K Dick who created similar dystopian short stories.Ranjit Dhillon / I Am Birmingham

#3  Intrigued members of the public peer in to the Black Mirror themed store

Intrigued members of the public peer in to the store.Ranjit Dhillon / I Am Birmingham

#4  Comic books on the shelves reference past episodes such as Nosedive and The White Bear

Ranjit Dhillon / I Am Birmingham

#5  VHS tapes of ‘San Junipero’ and USS Callister are ‘on sale’ in the store

Ranjit Dhillon / I Am Birmingham

#6  Iced gems included in Bandersnatch are left next to the cash register

Iced gems included in Bandersnatch are left next to the cash register.Ranjit Dhillon / I Am Birmingham

#7  Would you like to work for Tuckersoft’s owner Mohan Thakur?

Would you like to work for Tuckersoft's owner also known as Chabuddy G in People Do Nothing.Ranjit Dhillon / I Am Birmingham

#8  Character Pearl Ritman features in one of five endings for interactive episode Bandersnatch

Pearl Ritman is part of one of the five endings of BandersnatchRanjit Dhillon / I Am Birmingham

#9  A game created by Tuckersoft in action

Ranjit Dhillon / I Am Birmingham

#10  Black Mirror’s 15 Million Merits episode helped to launch the career of Daniel Kaluyya

Black Mirror's 15 Million Merits episode helped to launch the career of Daniel Kaluyya.Ranjit Dhillon | I Am Birmingham

If you want to check out the Black Mirror store, it is currently situated next to Nandos in Grand Central Birmingham.

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