Fans camped out overnight as Taylor Swift mania broke out again in London ahead of the final European gigs of the singer’s blockbuster tour.
The 34-year-old megastar will play five concerts at Wembley Stadium, starting tonight, with fans queuing outside the venue for up to 24 hours to catch a glimpse of their idol. It follows the three dates she played in the capital in June.
First in the queue outside the stadium this morning was 19-year-old Chloe, who had been making bracelets in the line since 11.30am yesterday and spent the night sleeping in a tent on the stadium’s concourse.
The Surrey resident, who has never seen Swift before, said: “I’ve been looking forward to this since the tickets were announced. Even though it’s a lot of time camping, in reality it’s not long compared to how much we have wanted it. We are fine being uncomfortable for a bit to have a really good night — but next time we will get a mattress.”
The singer’s Wembley shows are her first since three concerts in Vienna were called off as a result of a suspected terror plot.
The pop star also paid tribute to victims of the Southport attack last month, which saw three young girls die after a mass stabbing at a holiday club themed on the singer.
Clorisa Hartensteiner, 36, flew over from Texas with her daughter Chloe Alex-Hartensteiner, 18, to catch Swift at Wembley. The pair arrived at the stadium at 7am today.
“It was way more affordable to come and see Taylor Swift and have a week-long vacation than to find tickets in America just for one day,” she explained.
Mrs Hartensteiner spent $1,500 on the tickets for Wembley, while tickets in America were going for $4,800.
Victoria Addison, 30, managed to get tickets for Wembley after her plans to see Swift in Vienna were ruined.
She told the Standard: “We were in Paris for the Olympics and having dinner celebrating with champagne when we got the news that the shows were cancelled. I thought it was a joke. My heart just dropped.
“We didn’t know what to do, I slept on it and then decided I need to get to this show. I have just been looking forward to it for over a year.”
The “Swift effect” means Britain is now poised to be crowned as Europe’s largest media market.
The UK entertainment and media market is forecast to exceed revenues of £100billion this year, according to forecasts from PwC, meaning it will leapfrog Germany to take the top spot.
The booming trade comes in part thanks to the Eras Tour, with figures from Barclays showing that it will boost UK consumer spending by £1billion this year.
Additional ticket checks will be brought in and stewards will be deployed outside Wembley Stadium to make sure that only those with tickets attend.
It follows the cancellation of three concerts in Vienna over an alleged plan to attack the venue.
Austrian police arrested three people, including a man aged 19 said to have pledged allegiance to Islamic State.
Last month three children were stabbed to death in Southport while attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, prompting the singer to write: “The horror of [the] attack is washing over me continuously and I’m just completely in shock.”
The tightened security will see a crackdown on “Tay-gating” - the practice where Swift fans gather outside a concert even if they don’t have tickets.
It has become a trend for Swifties who have not managed to get their hands on tickets to gather outside the venue to soak up the atmosphere.
But a message on Wembley Stadium’s website warned: “To support the safe entry and exit of everyone within the stadium, no one is allowed to stand outside any entrance or on the Olympic Steps at the front of the stadium.
“Non-ticket holders will be moved on.”
