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UK Haunters

50K views 55 replies 19 participants last post by  DandyBrit 
#1 ·
Hi Everyone, my name is Paul if you haven't seen that already ;)

I'm from Essex in the UK and did my first front Garden graveyard last year, thanks to the help of this really great forum & the brilliant people who are part of it :)

As anyone from the UK knows the chances of buying props and everything is a lot more limited than our friends in the US :(

I've seen loads of people on here getting together and starting threads about where they are from and ideas on making Halloween even better.

So just so I can put the first foot forward, it would be great to hear form people in the UK and lets start making Halloween even BIGGER here!

I would love to hear ideas from all of the great people on here whether they are from the UK or not but it would be good to heighten the awareness in the UK so we can all have a freaky October 2013 ;)
 
#2 ·
Being from another Halloween retarded country Paul - I can appreciate your pain. I just do a WOW of a Halloween party/haunt and invite all my friends and workmates. Now I'm also going to do a fundraiser for the local Scouts. It all helps to let people see what's possible and how much fun it can be. Good luck!
 
#3 ·
I heard that Halloween in the UK is slowly but surely getting around. The nice thing is that although you may be limited on purchasing props and such, you have this forum to reference with all the creative minds of these members. From cardboard, to newspaper, glue and paint, you can make so many things. Spread the word in the UK!
 
#4 ·
Well first off....Welcome Paul to HF! I too have also read that Halloween in the UK is starting to pick up some steam, but from what your saying that it may really be a while before it takes off. Copchick is correct in stating that you will be able to get a lot of great ideas here on building you own props for the upcoming season.

Make sure you get your friends to join here as well, cause the more who join from the UK maybe the faster and sooner it will begin to take off there. Anyway....again welcome to the haunt. :jol:
 
#5 ·
Hi Paul - I'm a UK based member from West Yorkshire. I agree that it is a bit difficult to source stuff here in Britain. I had hopes when a a local Asda stocked some decent polystyrene skulls a few years ago but that was a one-off - haven't seen them there since! Keep us other Brits in mind if you want to chat about anything we can collaborate or brain-storm on.
 
#8 ·
Hi Everyone

Thanks for your replies, yep the UK is certainly retarded when it comes to Halloween.

As I said this forum is great and helped me last year when I was looking to do my first front garden graveyard :)

People who answered my questions were great and very helpful!

There are a few differences between what something is called in the US to what it is called in the UK, for instance the paint you use in the US to paint a fence is called something completely different over here.

I know there will always be differences but working together hopefully we can get help from everyone and see if we can get the names for things amd the help to kickstart things in the UK :)

Im missing Christmas this year in the UK as I will be in Florida but want to take another step up for Halloween, it was great to have people come past our house and stop to take photos, we are only 1 of 2 people where we live who actually made some kind of effort.

Hopefully other people may try this year but Im really looking forward to getting more ideas and hopefully taking the next step up fro last year.

As you say ASDA (or the UK side of Walmart) is the place to get most stuff over here, I did get some skulls and a few other bits and pieces but this year I want to try and make a few things myself.

So thinks again everyone and hopefully this time I will take some photos as completely forgot to do that last year!

Bring on Halloween ;)
 
#9 ·
Paul - Headless suggested to google stuff if unsure of the UK/US equivalents. I agree - emulsion paint and latex paint are the same thing! I am always intrigued by what Great Stuff is and what the equivalent is over here. Live and learn is my motto.
 
#10 ·
Buy a can or two when your in Florida. Put it in your suitcase .. I don't think they will restrict you.. Though it will be for a small project... Wish you luck ..I can't imagine a place that doesn't enjoy halloween. It not right!!!! Such a tragedy..... Being I live in south Texas and everyone wants summer lake houses... I'm the opposite I would love to have a fall home up north, maybe Salem, Ohio has some nice ones ... Old, beat up, perfect house to enjoy halloween .......... Happy Haunting!
 
#11 ·
it is a sad state of affairs the Halloween in the UK but it has it's plus points when we put on a large (by UK standards ) display we had around 100 TOTs which is a LOT for around here trust me lol.. I pretty much have given up hope of ever getting any decent bits in the shops over here. But fortunately I love making things but sometimes can lack the imagination to make new bits.At least the £shop has creepy cloth in.

This is where places like this are fantastic, there is so much talent on here it's scary. I have made several props after seeing them on here. immitation is the highest form of flattery, so they say :) we had a year off last year,as we had a tiny little baby arrive. it's ok it was ours lol. But this year she will be up and about. I hope she loves Halloeween as much as I do lol

so we are hopefully going to get a bit of time to make a few smmaller props for this year. we generally have a party around Halloween and then leave everything up for the TOTs.
 
#13 ·
You guys in the UK have some of the best inspiration for prop making with all of the ancient cemeteries and the old Gothic buildings to look at. I am always trying to find pics on the Internet to use to make tombstones and mausoleums out of foam board. Do they sell foam board in the UK or do they maybe call it something different? Here is a link that shows what I mean. http://m.lowes.com/product?langId=-...10051&productId=3125297&store=595&view=detail.
Also, what home improvement stores are in your areas and do they have websites we can look at to maybe conquer the terminology stuff. I'm sure you'll get a lot of help on the forum.
 
#16 ·
Hi Everyone.

Not been able to get on for a couple of days and I just wanted to say a BIG Thank you to the Forum or who is ever in charge for making this thread a sticky so it has a chance to stand out :)

As I say I am a big lover of Halloween and want to try and help it grow in the UK, especially in Essex where I live but across the UK would be even better, but we all have to start some where ;)

Any input from anyone from anywhere is great and of course anyone from the UK I would appreciate you adding me as a friend on here, so that we can try and work together to see what we can all do.

I know Halloween is catching on a little here in the UK but I am sure it can be much bigger and better, so by sharing as everyone else does on here in the US and elsewhere would be great.

So come on guys pipe up and lets get the ball rolling.

Look forward to hearing from you all.

Thanks

Paul
 
#19 ·
Hi everyone, I want to reignite things.
So far only a couple of people have come in from the uk, it would be great to have others.
Times ticking on and the days are getting closer
If a mod is watching this is there any chance of a mail out to the current members to see if we can get some more uk people to join up to this thread
 
#21 ·
Hi,

we've been enjoying halloween in the uk for some years, we did move house and found that the new place - direct area and town - had a painfully poor interest in decorating or celebrating.

Our previous place, we decorated the house, gardens and had many tot'ers on the night..

we're still working on this place....

As for supplies, back in 2006-2008 we had a very healthy side-business in supplying halloween decorations and items, via ebay, then we had 2 years of postal strikes, right in the critical shipping point, that caused huge damage to the business - since then, the pound shops and supermarkets have latched on, supplying lower quality, but lower priced stuff - to the point our main suppliers dropped out, concentrating on fancy dress mostly.

Our main business being electronic design and service etc - I'm now working to create a number of lighting and prop controller devices.. watch this space.. but won't be this year for sure..

If anyone wants advice on wiring, electronic mods/hacks, feel free to ask

Cheers,
Si
 
#24 ·
Hi ScifiPaul, DandyBrit and GoulishGadgets.

I'm also in the UK 9based in Hampshire) and would like to beef up Halloween. 2013 is the starting point so I'm ready for 2014 in a BIG way :)
Currently Asda have some large polystyrene skulls in for £15 each. They look great with light up eyes. Here's a link: http://direct.asda.com/ASDA-Gruesome-Giant-Skull/001888971,default,pd.html

I'm with you all the way when it comes to making Halloween bigger here in the UK.

Regards to all - Damian
 
#25 ·
I got two plastic skulls from Morrisons which were £3 each - they have nice detail on them and would probably be good for props. I'm hoping to start casting some skulls in the future from ones that I have bought if I can make decent moulds from them.
 
#26 ·
This isn't really the right thread so apologies to the mods but I don't know how else to flag this up to Brit haunters.

Went to B and Q this morning and saw some reduced led vintage hurricane lanterns which could be distressed really nicely. Cost is now £5.98 so have a check on the website. The picture link is below.

http://s7g1.scene7.com/is/image/BandQ/5052931189342_001c_v001_zp?$159x159_sli$
 
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