--- description: A memo leaked this week warns of an increased demand for duct tape, rope and cable ties once the film is released title: U.K. Hardware Chain Prepares Staff for 'Fifty Shades of Grey' image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt102ed4708dce81fe/69877e68428a9e3b02cc70e2/480318903.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [movies](/tag/movies/) ## movies Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # A U.K. Hardware Chain Is Preparing Its Staff for the Release of _Fifty Shades of Grey_ by [Rishi Iyengar](/author/rishi-iyengar/) ## Rishi Iyengar Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 10, 2015 9:07 AM CUT  A B&Q home-improvement store in Altrincham, England, on March 24, 2014 A B&Q home-improvement store in Altrincham, England, on March 24, 2014Bloomberg/Getty Images by [Rishi Iyengar](/author/rishi-iyengar/) ## Rishi Iyengar Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 10, 2015 9:07 AM CUT British hardware chain B&Q has reportedly sent its staff a memo warning them to prepare for a sudden increase in demand for items like rope, cable ties and duct tape once _Fifty Shades of Grey_ is released on Valentine’s Day. The _Telegraph_ [reports](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11400246/BandQ-sends-Fifty-Shades-of-Grey-memo-warning-staff-to-expect-soar-in-demand-for-cable-ties-and-rope.html "undefined") that a memo entitled “Staff Briefing — Preparation for Fifty Shades of Grey Customer Queries” was sent to all the company’s 20,887 workers, advising them to prepare to deal with “sensitive” questions about items that might be required for spirited reenactments of scenes in the film. ### Fifty Shades of Grey: TIME's Exclusive Portraits of the Cast and Director  Dakota Johnson (Anastasia “Ana” Steele) and Jamie Dornan (Christian Grey) photographed at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on Jan. 13, 2015. Malerie Marder for TIME  Dakota Johnson (Anastasia “Ana” Steele) photographed at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on Jan. 13, 2015. Malerie Marder for TIME  Sam Taylor-Johnson (director) photographed at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on Jan. 13, 2015. Malerie Marder for TIME The memo also says copies of the novel the film is based on will be delivered to each B&Q store for employees to borrow, in order to familiarize themselves with the nature of customer inquiries, says the _Telegraph_. “B&Q remains committed to serving our customers in all their DIY needs,” a company spokesperson said. “Customer satisfaction is always our No. 1 priority.” \[[_Telegraph_](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11400246/BandQ-sends-Fifty-Shades-of-Grey-memo-warning-staff-to-expect-soar-in-demand-for-cable-ties-and-rope.html "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3702463/fifty-shades-of-grey-bq-bondage-rope-tape/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3702463/fifty-shades-of-grey-bq-bondage-rope-tape/"},"headline":"A U.K. Hardware Chain Is Preparing Its Staff for the Release of Fifty Shades of Grey","datePublished":"2015-02-10T09:07:35.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:05:44.957Z","description":"There's going to be a rush on rope and duct tape, it warns","url":"https://time.com/3702463/fifty-shades-of-grey-bq-bondage-rope-tape/","keywords":["movies","Fifty Shades of Grey"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt102ed4708dce81fe/69877e68428a9e3b02cc70e2/480318903.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Rishi Iyengar","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/rishi-iyengar/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt102ed4708dce81fe/69877e68428a9e3b02cc70e2/480318903.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Kingfisher Plc's B&Q DIY Superstores Ahead Of Earnings","caption":"Kingfisher Plc's B&Q DIY Superstores Ahead Of Earnings","creditText":"Bloomberg/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/movies/","name":"movies"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3702463/fifty-shades-of-grey-bq-bondage-rope-tape/","name":"A U.K. Hardware Chain Is Preparing Its Staff for the Release of Fifty Shades of Grey"}}]}] ```