Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal, the dedicated charity for Bristol Children’s Hospital has announced that a brand-new Gromit Unleashed Shop will open at Cribbs Mall.
The new opening will see the store move from its current pop-up space on the top floor of Cribbs Mall into the former Harrods Beauty unit, with a Grand Opening set for Friday 23 October.
The move marks the next chapter for Gromit Unleashed at Cribbs Mall and will create a bigger, more interactive destination for visitors to enjoy, with 100 percent of profits supporting The Grand Appeal.
It is a retail model that is strikingly different to that of most charity shops. According to the Charity Retail Association, there are more than 9,900 charity shops across the UK, with new goods accounting for just 8.8 per cent of charity-shop income in April to June 2026. Gromit Unleashed turns the traditional charity-shop model on its head. Rather than selling donated or second-hand goods, its stores are filled entirely with brand-new products designed by The Grand Appeal alongside official Aardman merchandise, with all profits supporting the charity.
The unusual retail model has grown out of the phenomenal success of Gromit Unleashed sculpture trails, created by The Grand Appeal in partnership with Aardman. What began with fans being able to take home miniature figurines of their favourite trail sculptures has grown into extensive collections of gifts, collectables and homeware.
Furthermore, alongside much-loved Gromit Unleashed and Aardman merchandise, the new shop is being designed as an experience in its own right. Visitors can look forward to an interactive store and exhibition space featuring sculpture displays, photo opportunities, creative corners, replicas of Wallace & Gromit’s Moon Rocket and the Motorbike and Sidecar and a shorts cinema celebrating the worlds of Wallace & Gromit, Gromit Unleashed and Aardman.
Anna Hitchcock, head of commercial, The Grand Appeal commented: “We want people to walk through the doors and immediately feel that unmistakable Gromit Unleashed magic.
“Our shops have always been a little different. We create products people genuinely want to own, inspired by the incredible artwork and characters that have captured people’s imaginations through our trails.
“This new shop allows us to take that idea further. It’s bigger, more immersive and somewhere we hope families and fans will want to spend time, whether they’re watching an Aardman short, meeting a familiar sculpture, getting creative or posing for a photo.
“And underneath all the fun is something incredibly important. Every purchase helps us continue supporting Bristol Children’s Hospital and the remarkable children and families cared for there. It means you can come in, have a brilliant time, take home something you love and know that your visit is helping make a difference too.”
The new shop builds on the long-standing partnership between Cribbs Mall and The Grand Appeal, which dates to the first Gromit Unleashed trail in 2013. Since then, Cribbs has supported the charity through retail space, sculpture displays, fundraising and major campaign activity, helping to bring Gromit Unleashed to thousands of visitors and supporters.
In 2025, Cribbs played a pivotal role in Gromit Unleashed 3, providing a prominent retail presence and hosting both the public exhibition and auction at the Gromit Unleashed Pavilion. The campaign raised more than £2 million overall, including £1.6 million at auction, with funds supporting sick children, babies and their families across Bristol, the South West and beyond.
Lizzie Taylor, senior centre manager, Cribbs Mall, said: “Cribbs Mall has been proud to support The Grand Appeal and Gromit Unleashed for many years, and we’re delighted to be part of this exciting next chapter. The new store and exhibition space will bring something truly special to Cribbs Mall, giving visitors even more reasons to come together, explore, take photos and support a cause that means so much to families across Bristol and beyond.”
The store will be officially opened by Wallace & Gromit on Friday 23 October at 11am.
For the opening day and weekend, the first 100 customers each day will be given a golden ticket at the point of purchase to be in with a chance of securing a discount or small Gromit Unleashed gift. Inside a handful of the tickets, that will be picked at random, is a chance to win a signed copy of the new Aardman book, Grand. The Autobiography of Gromit as told to Nick Park.
The opening comes during a milestone year for the charity and its partners. Bristol Children’s Hospital is celebrating 25 years in its purpose-built home, which was officially opened in 2001, with The Grand Appeal raising £12 million of the original £30 million build cost through its first capital appeal. The year also marks Aardman’s 50th anniversary, celebrating five decades of creativity from the Bristol studio behind Wallace & Gromit.
For more information visit www.gromitunleashedshop.org.uk and www.grandappeal.org.uk
