Kent's biggest shopping centre is no stranger to long snaking queues or food halls bursting with the chatter of shoppers.

But over the years Bluewater has drawn some huge crowds for events featuring everything from celebrities and their armies of adoring fans, to the midnight sales of the latest gaming console or iPhone.

As the Greenhithe-based shopping centre celebrates its 25th anniversary, KentOnline has delved back through the archives to look back at all the times the iconic domed venue has been bursting at the seams since opening its doors on March 16 1999.

Tom Daley book signing

Hundreds of disappointed Tom Daley fans were turned away from a book signing by the champion diver at Bluewater in August, 2012 due to huge demand.

Crowds began forming outside Waterstones from the early hours to meet the diving sensation, who won a bronze medal in the Olympics.

Some dedicated fans even brought pillows and camped in the shopping centre from 1am.

Waterstone's bosses eventually had to close the queue at about 9.30am because of the huge number of fans.

Lucy Tregear, her daughter Emily and friend Holly Mortimer - both 12, were the first to arrive.

Emily, who travelled from Blackheath in south east London, said: "We're so excited. We've been here since 1am - it's been amazing.

"Tom's such an inspiration to all of us because of the Olympics."

Many of the fans proudly held posters adorned with lovehearts and chanted: 'We want Tom!'

Clearly delighted with the response from fans, Tom posted a message on Twitter thanking them for their support.

He told KentOnline: "I'm very excited about the fact I've got a medal. It's just an incredible experience and great to have something to show for all the hard work and effort I've put in.

"It's been awesome to think that people are inspired by the Olympic Games."

Peter Andre’s perfume

Excited fans queued for hours to have the Mysterious Girl singer sign bottles of his Unconditional fragrance at Bluewater in December 2009.

The six-packed singer was met at the shopping centre’s then Ice Palace by droves of women and girls, including some with his name written on their stomachs.

The fragrance, named after a track from Andre’s new album, was the UK’s number one ladies new launch for 2009.

Priced at £14.99, it was only available in The Perfume Shop.

The singer’s visit came in the same year he split from glamour model Katie Price after the couple met four years earlier on I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!

Build a Bear – Pay your age day

Hundreds of customers queued around the complex to get into the Build-A-Bear shop when it announced the pay-your-age promotion in July, 2018.

The toy store was swarmed by parents trying to get their kids a cuddly bear and only pay the age of their youngster.

Louise Simmons, 35, a carer from Northfleet, said: "It is manic here. We have been here for two and a half hours and have just been told we still have another three hours to wait.

"The queues go from Build-A-Bear to Marks and Spencers and back down to House of Fraser."

Staff at Bluewater prevented people joining the queue at around 11:30am, due to how busy it was.

Playstation 4 release

Bluewater estimated visitor numbers leaping from the normal 90,000 visitors to around 150,000 on November, 29 2013 when the new PlayStation console went on sale for the first time.

By late afternoon the day before more than a dozen gaming fans had already started queuing for the console, which was due to go on sale at midnight.

The anticipated numbers were also linked to the first-ever Black Friday event.

The American phenomenon had hit British shores for the first time and saw stores including Asda, Apple, John Lewis and PC World touting bargains with 70% off their usual price.

To cope with crowds, the centre was taking on extra security staff, cleaners and other workers, it said.

Nike Triple Black Huarache launch

Over 100 people queued from Bluewater in the middle of the night to get their hands on a pair of newly-released Nike trainers on August 7, 2014.

The Bluewater Foot Locker store released the Nike Triple Black Huarache at midnight and limited sales to one per person.

At the launch they sold 120 pairs and took £10,000 in an hour.

Primark reopening – December 3, 2020

Long queues formed inside Primark in Bluewater as shoppers rushed to return to the popular clothing chain after the second national lockdown came to an end and the non-essential retailer reopened its doors after a four-week absence.

The clothing giant marked the end of the period by keeping a handful of its stores open for 24 hours in a bid to help customers spread shopping hours and reduce queues.

Large volumes of people were seen flocking to the Bluewater branch to capitalise on the late-night shopping opportunity.

Inside the store was said to be "rammed" with little room for customers to socially distance at the stroke of midnight.

New iPhone 6

About 400 people queued overnight to get their hands on the iPhone 6 in September 2014 with the first eager customers joining the queue at 3pm the day before the launch.

The Apple store said the first person in the queue has become a “bit of an Apple Bluewater celebrity” as they have been first in the queue for every iPhone launch.

For the first time, the store offered orders on the new iPhone which meant two queues were available to join with staggered pick up times throughout the day.

Sidemen’s new shop

Fans queued from as early as 4.30am for the opening of Bluewater’s new Sidemen store.

Customers flocked to the shopping centre from as far away as Oxfordshire for the opening day of the YouTube sensations’ first clothing store with some criticising the organisation of the event.

The 6,000sq ft unit opened its doors this morning, and apart from the official Sidemen website, the store is the only place fans can purchase official merchandise.

Melanie Jones had been queuing with son Harley, 13, and nephew Thomas, 12, since 6am.

She described the experience, which left Thomas injured, as an “absolute nightmare”.

Melanie said: “The children were sure the Sidemen were going to be there but security insisted that they weren’t.

“They told us all to leave so the next people could be let in. Both my son and nephew are autistic and the security guard was shouting at them.

“Kids were crying and screaming, people were jumping over the barriers and security didn’t stop them.”

Boxing Day sales

Boxing Day sales are always a big draw for shopper with many queuing from 2.30am on December 26 to get their hands on a bargain.

Speaking in December 2011, Bluewater retail manager James Waugh said: "A number of retailers were open from 5.30am. The first queues formed at 2.30am and peaked at over 700 people.

"Traditionally, the majority of guests on Boxing Day are families, who visit to treat themselves and make a day of it.

"By 10.00am, our car parks were busy with guests arriving to have breakfast before starting their sale shopping."

He said the post-Christmas week was traditionally the busiest of all, with more than 950,000 visitors.

Haribo ball pit

The UK’s largest ball pit was a huge draw for a few days in June last year with selfless parents queuing for up to two hours for their children to enjoy just 15 minutes amongst the 700,000 balls.

The free Hide n Seekers experience, created by sweet makers Haribo was located in a large marquee by The Village car park

After the long wait parents and kids climbed over the inflatable steps and into the giant ball pit.

They were given a few minutes to play, lie in the balls and chuck them at each other before the games began.

Those lucky enough to find a ball with a particualr sticker and make it to the front first got a sweetie prize.

KentOnline’s Jenni Horn took her two children along and gave her verdict.

“It was definitely a fun 15 minutes,” she said. “It was something a bit different and a chance for adults to be a bit silly with their kids.

“I actually think having some more time to just play in the ball pit rather than scrambling to look for stickered-balls would have been better.”