Former BBC actress talks about her Doctor Who shop in East Ham

Alex Looseley-Saul at the Who shop (Image: Archant)

Daleks, Cybermen and a Tardis are just a few things shop owner Alexandra Looseley-Saul takes pride in.

The actress turned shop owner only started off with a little shop with Doctor Who merchandise three decades ago with her husband, but the success has seen them twice move into bigger premises.

Alexandra, from East Ham, said she’s a fan of the hit BBC series.

“Absolutely you have to be (a fan) because this is a knowledgeable business,” she said.

“If I wasn’t it would be like being a garage mechanic and knowing nothing about cars.

“It’s a programme with a long history and a great back story – I have a love for it and know people who played a role in the series.”

The former BBC actress opened the original Who Shop alongside a dance studio in Wapping, then upgraded to a bigger shop in High Street North, East Ham, before settling at their current Barking Road, Upton Park residence.

This was after the six months of research she put in following a conversation with her brother on how he had to go to a convention in Wiltshire to buy Doctor Who goods instead of being able to buy them in London.

The shop has always been filled with collectors items and Alexandra celebrated 31 years in the business last month.

“We have gone through tough times but because of the strength of character in this shop we have kept going,” she said. “We will still be here in another 30 years time.”