Magical Northampton cafe will relaunch as offical Harry Potter stock seller after endorsement by Warner Bros

A magic-inspired Northampton coffee shop will relaunch after the lockdown as one of county's first licensed Harry Potter merchandise sellers.

In the week before the lockdown, The Magic Bean Emporium was set to reopen in its new home at Northampton Railway Station after leaving St Giles Street.

But in the same week the coffee shop was set to relaunch, the government ordered all cafes, pubs and restaurants to shut and combat the spread of Covid-19

Now, owner Michella Dos Santos hopes they will be ready to relaunch after the lockdown with an extra bang - and securing the green light to be a licenced Harry Potter stockist.

Michella said: "It feels really good and I'm very excited. Sitting at home during the lockdown I was just wondering how to make whenever we open after the lockdown as big as possible.

"I thought I had nothing to lose so I reached out to Warner Brothers and now we've got permission to sell the official Harry Potter merchandise.

"We've always been inspired by all things magical and now we'll have chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and loads of stationery and plushies.

"As far as I can tell we're one of the first in the county to become a licensed stockist."

The endorsement for Northampton Railway Station compares to the same wizarding magic that has made the Harry Potter store at 'Platform 9 3/4' in London's Kings Cross Station a success.

Magic Bean was set to relaunch at the train station after leaving its home in St Giles Street in March.

The Covid-19 lockdown has meant Magic Bean has had to push the grand opening until bars, pubs and cafes are given the greenlight to reopen.

Michella said: "I've been really nervous not just for me but for my staff. It was awful timing. I will remain positive - I've applied for the rates relief and have to hope the opening will be a big step for the business."