Henrik's, Central London
- You may wish to consult
Henrikfor other, similarly-named pages.
Opened in the 1920s, the London branch of Henrik & Son, (PROSE: The Time Traveller's Almanac [+]Loading...{"chaptname":"Everything Changes","page":"63","chaptnum":"3","1":"The Time Traveller's Almanac (reference book)"}) later known as just Henrik's, (TV: Rose, etc.) was located on Regent Street (AUDIO: Lost and Found) and the western end of Oxford Street (PROSE: Rose [+]Loading...["Rose (novelisation)"]) in Central London. (PROSE: The Time Traveller's Almanac [+]Loading...{"chaptname":"Everything Changes","page":"63","chaptnum":"3","1":"The Time Traveller's Almanac (reference book)"})
This branch was notably a place of employment for Rose Tyler prior to meeting the Ninth Doctor, (TV: Rose, PROSE: Meet Rose, Rose) and at least three of the Doctor's companions, Polly Wright, (AUDIO: Lost and Found) Martha Jones, (PROSE: Peacemaker) and Donna Noble all shopped at Henrik's at one point or another. (AUDIO: Technophobia)
History
1920s
The branch opened in 1928 within walking distance of Trafalgar Square. It expanded over the following eight decades to occupy a ground floor, three upper floors and a basement, having combined five adjacent premises. It boasted a food hall and several adjacent restaurants and cafés, and sold a wide range of consumer goods, including electrical goods, books and clothing. (PROSE: The Time Traveller's Almanac [+]Loading...{"chaptname":"Everything Changes","page":"63","chaptnum":"3","1":"The Time Traveller's Almanac (reference book)"}) However, flyers present in 1925 Soho indicated Henrik's was operating in London before the opening of this branch. (TV: The Giggle [+]Loading...{"timestamp":"00:18:53","1":"The Giggle (TV story)"})
2000s
According to one account, Rose Tyler began working working at Henrik's Department Store after her mother, Jackie Tyler, called in a favour from an old boyfriend, Geoff Moon, at least six months after Rose broke up with Jimmy Stone. Rose worked her way up from the stock floor to the shop floor, and, while the job admittedly bored her, she felt it necessary "to pay her mother rent and earn her way in the world." (PROSE: Meet Rose [+]Loading...["Meet Rose (short story)"]) According to another account, Rose began working for Henrik's some months prior to the end of her relationship with Jimmy, seemingly getting the job herself. (PROSE: Rose [+]Loading...["Rose (novelisation)"])
Sometime before March 2005, it was infiltrated by Autons who hid in its basement, disguised as storefront dummies, controlled by the Nestene Consciousness via a relay device in the roof. On the night of 4 March, the Ninth Doctor destroyed Henrik's with an explosive device in order to remove the Auton threat. (TV: Rose [+]Loading...["Rose (TV story)"])
On the following night, Elton Pope was carrying a Henrik's shopping bag when the Autons attacked London. (TV: Love & Monsters [+]Loading...["Love & Monsters (TV story)"]) Dr. J. Smith, claiming to be from the Meteorological Office, stated to Who is Doctor Who? that the explosion at Henrik's was caused by a gas leak, dismissing any connection to the "rampage". (PROSE: Dummy Massacre [+]Loading...{"writer":"Unknown","1":"Dummy Massacre (short story)"})
According to one account, Mr. Socket's electrical shop was located next door. (PROSE: Dr. Ninth)
Henrik's had either rebuilt or relocated in London later that year. There was a sale on some months after the explosion, prompting Guleraana Arbid to invite Rachel Allan on a shopping spree. (AUDIO: New Girl)
Martha Jones bought her favourite jacket from Henrik's. (PROSE: Peacemaker)
2010s
At some point in 2011, Donna Noble decided to go on a shopping spree in Henrik's, whilst being careful not to gain any spoilers about her future. (AUDIO: Technophobia)
2020s
On 23 December 2023, the taxi transporting Ruby Sunday, Trudy and Denzel from a club stopped outside Henrik's at traffic lights. The goblins attempted to make a giant snowman decoration fall from the side of Henrik's and onto the taxi, but the Fifteenth Doctor, who had followed Ruby, used his sonic screwdriver to change the traffic light to green so the driver would pull out before the snowman fell. PC Harry McLellan wanted to alert the owners of Henrik's for his report, but the Doctor distracted him by deducing his girlfriend would accept his marriage proposal. (PROSE: The Church on Ruby Road [+]Loading...{"page":"23-31","chaptnum":"Three","1":"The Church on Ruby Road (novelisation)"})
Behind the scenes
- Interior and exterior shots of Henrik's were done at House of Fraser on St Mary Street, Cardiff, while the basement location was the University Hospital of Wales.[1]
- One scene in The Church on Ruby Road [+]Loading...["The Church on Ruby Road (TV story)"] was intended to be set outside Henrik's, according to the script,[2] however despite the scene being filmed at the formerly-known House of Fraser, the branding wasn't changed from the real business, James Howell & Co. Ltd, likely a budgetary constraint.
- However, this is fixed in the novelisation [+]Loading...{"noital":"1","1":"The Church on Ruby Road (novelisation)","2":"the novelisation"}, where the department store is identified as Henrik's.
- One scene in The Church on Ruby Road [+]Loading...["The Church on Ruby Road (TV story)"] was intended to be set outside Henrik's, according to the script,[2] however despite the scene being filmed at the formerly-known House of Fraser, the branding wasn't changed from the real business, James Howell & Co. Ltd, likely a budgetary constraint.
