Mayor Boris has a wizard day at Harry Potter tour (From Watford Observer)

Boris Johnson unveils latest addition to Harry Potter tour

3:48pm Monday 19th December 2011 in News By Zoe Forsey, Reporter

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson visited Warner Bros Studios this morning to unveil the latest addition to the highly anticipated Harry Potter tour.

Accompanied by his two daughters, Mr Johnson visited the Leavesden Studios to reveal the set of Diagon Alley, one of the films’ most iconic places.

He said: “I have been watching my children study it - they were blown away. For Harry Potter fans of all generations this will be a shrine and a place of pilgrimage.”

Diagon Alley, the commercial street where witches and wizards go to buy magical goods, will join some of the other famous sets, including Hogwarts’ Great Hall, the Gryffindor common room and the Ministry of Magic.

Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, Gringotts Bank and Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes all feature on the cobbled street.

Mr Johnson added: “It is very mind expanding to see the reality, to see what you can do with film. I think it will encourage young people to want to get involved in film.

“It is unbelievably lifelike and there is incredible attention to detail.”

The mayor hopes the attraction will lead to more tourists visiting London and he plans to extend the Oyster Card scheme to the Leavesden area in the lead up to the official opening in March.

He said: “People are going to come from all over the world.

“It is going to add to London’s tourist offering."

"I think it will draw people to a different part of the transport network and it will bring more people to Kings Langley."

The unique walking tour will give visitors the opportunity to explore behind the scenes and to see the sheer scale and detail of the sets, costumes, props and special effects from all eight of the record breaking films. Josh Berger, president of Warner Bros. UK, said: “For us it is a way to share it with the world. It really does need to be enjoyed by the fans.

“It really is the right thing to do. Everything has been made here since the beginning.”