Halloween is the one night of the year when standing out is encouraged. Yet predictable costumes, half-hearted scares and the same old tricks have left Britain’s spookiest night in need of a makeover. With 80% of Brits naming Halloween as a top cultural moment, there’s never been a better excuse to do things differently.
This year, Beavertown is launching its Stick Your Neck Out and Stand Out Halloween campaign, encouraging Brits to ditch the predictable and embrace the unexpected. At the heart of the campaign is “The Unbecoming”, a new Halloween experience where guests can pick up Beavertown beers and book a head-turning transformation designed to take their Halloween look to the next level.
The campaign comes as new research by Beavertown, surveying more than 2,000 Brits, reveals that almost nine in ten Brits (87%) think traditional Halloween costumes have become frighteningly overdone and unimaginative. Witches (46%), skeletons (44%), ghosts – aka a white sheet with holes (44%) – vampires (44%) and zombies (41%) top the list of looks Brits are tired of seeing.
But while the classics are putting the nation to sleep, the appetite for a standout look is very much alive. The most sought-after Halloween costumes for 2026 reflect a nation looking beyond the usual suspects. The late Dolly Parton is at the top of the list (14%), followed by Count Binface, the novelty political persona created by comedian Jon Harvey (12%), Ariana Grande’s Glinda from Wicked (12%), TV presenter Claudia Winkleman (11%) and a Demogorgon from Netflix’s Stranger Things (9%).
With more than half of Brits (55%) saying that they will be dressing up for Halloween, 59% would love to wear a costume that truly makes them stand out from the crowd. A whopping 84% would also love to use prosthetics to take their look to the next level. Almost half (44%) admire those who wear outrageous costumes without caring what anyone thinks, and 41% love seeing someone in a genuinely unique or original Halloween outfit.
Yet, for all that admiration, the fear of standing out remains. More than half (58%) wish they worried less about what others thought of them when dressing up, while over a third (37%) have chickened out of wearing a dramatic costume they had in mind because they felt too self-conscious to wear it in public.
Enter The Unbecoming: Beavertown’s answer to predictable costumes and Halloween hesitation.
Located on Shoreditch High Street, Al’s Bad News is a far cry from your usual off-licence. Run-down with dusty wares, flickering lights and shelves stocked with Beavertown beers, it’s presided over by an unsettling local shopkeeper Al, who knows more than he lets on.
Rumour has it, there’s another business operating behind the scenes – one that opens up long after the shutters come down. Those in the know might just find their way to The Bone Works, an illicit basement salon run by Al’s wife, Sonya.
Here, guests can book in for a Halloween makeup transformation, with questionable treatments, experimental procedures and results that are frighteningly good(ish). It’s the perfect pit stop for anyone looking to give their Halloween look a serious upgrade.
One lucky Halloween fan will get the chance to take a seat in the most anticipated salon chair on Thursday 29th October as TikTok sensation and BBC’s Glow Up contestant, Tiffany Hunt, will be bringing her signature SFX artistry to life. Tiffany will be running a competition on her Instagram page on Thursday 22nd October.
Sophie Higgins, Marketing Director at Beavertown said: “We know Brits want to go all-out and are bored of seeing the same predictable looks each year. With Halloween in our DNA, The Unbecoming is our way of injecting that signature Beavertown creativity into the spookiest night of the year. We’re inviting Londoners to stick their neck out, step through the hidden fridge door and let our team of SFX artists turn you into a work of art. It’s time to stand out this Halloween.”
Guests can choose from four transformation experiences*, all priced at £5.50 per ticket (including booking fee and two cans of Beavertown Neck Oil or a non-alcoholic alternative), depending on how far they’re willing to go. A limited number of appointments will be available for walk-ins each day, subject to availability.
Even without a salon booking, there’s plenty to discover at Al’s Bad News. Guests are encouraged to drop by, watch transformations unfold through the window, or step inside and immerse themselves in Al’s strange and unsettling world. Meet Al and his fellow characters, explore the shop, capture your Halloween looks with a mate in the free photobooth, try their luck with scratch cards for the chance to win Beavertown merch, and pick up some ice-cold Beavertown beers for Halloween, including the iconic Neck Oil IPA.
Running over the Halloween weekend only (Friday 30th to Saturday 31st October), The Unbecoming is open for bookings now. Those ready to Stick Their Neck Out and Stand Out can book their transformation here, if they dare.
EXPERIENCE INFORMATION:
*There are 4 experience opportunities available as listed below. All tickets include 2 cans of Neck Oil or non-alcoholic alternatives.
Tickets are available here
THE QUICK FIX · 20 MINUTES – One focused SFX makeup feature, such as a scratch, bite, scar or stitched detail.
THE HALF WORKS · 40 MINUTES – A more involved transformation, with more extensive makeup, multiple details or a distinctive character effect.
THE FULL WORKS · 60 MINUTES – A complete, more elaborate transformation, with full-face artistry or multiple SFX elements and intricate detailing.
THE UPSTAIRS APPOINTMENT · 60 MINUTES – The Full Works – only located in the accessible upstairs area of Al’s Bad News, available upstairs for those with accessibility requirements.
NOTES TO EDITORS
THE MOST PREDICTABLE HALLOWEEN COSTUMES, ACCORDING TO BRITONS
Witch – 46%
Ghost (white sheet with holes for eyes) – 45%
Vampire – 45%
Skeleton – 45%
Zombie – 41%
Dracula – 35%
Devil – 30%
Ghostface – 27%
Mummy – 27%
Clown – 26%
Frankenstein – 24%
Grim Reaper – 24%
Pumpkin – 24%
Nurse – 23%
Cat – 20%
Werewolf – 18%
Pirate – 17%
Police officer – 15%
Angel – 12%
Fairy – 12%
THE BEST HALLOWEEN COSTUMES TO WEAR THIS YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE NATION
Dolly Parton – 14%
Count Binface – 12%
Glinda from Wicked – 12%
Claudia Winkleman – 11%
Demogorgon from Stranger Things – 9%
Elphaba from Wicked – 8%
A Labubu – 8%
Eleven from Stranger Things (hospital gown, bleeding nose) 7%
Liam Gallagher – 6%
Nikki from Obsession – 3%
Venue: The Ace Corner Shop, Al’s Bad News, 149, Shoreditch High St, London, E1 6JQ
Dates & Timings:
Opening Dates: 30th October – 31st October
Experience Timings:
Timings: Friday & Saturday: 3-11PM
