Trafford Centre announces new Paddington Bear Christmas Grotto

Paddington Bear is headed to the Trafford Centre this Christmas for the shopping centre’s annual Christmas Grotto festivities.

Trafford Centre bosses have said the annual Christmas Grotto will be ‘bigger and better than ever before with Paddington’s arrival’, which comes as part of the Tinseltown festive extravaganza.

As well as meeting the beloved travelling bear, children will also get the traditional meeting with Santa in the grotto to talk all things Christmas.

They will then receive a Paddington-themed gift to take home, before being given the chance to browse through a pop-up Paddington shop for memorabilia and gifts to end the magical experience.

On weekdays in November, the Christmas with Paddington experience will also be open for story-telling sessions specifically designed for pre-school children, schools, and nurseries.

‘The Night Before Christmas at The Browns’ House’ has been billed as an ‘interactive story-telling session aimed at groups of young children’, and will also include the chance to meet Paddington himself.

Bruce Gardner, Brand Experience Director at Trafford Centre said: “Christmas with Paddington is a central feature for Trafford Centre’s Tinseltown campaign this year and is set to be a wonderfully festive and unique, hand-crafted experience for the whole family.

“We are expecting over 40,000 people to enjoy this immersive experience with the national treasure that is Paddington, and we are confident it will be a huge success for the centre as we provide a Christmas experience to remember.”

Kate Statham, Managing Director at Bakehouse, which has designed Christmas with Paddington, added: “It is an absolute pleasure to create something extra-special for Trafford Centre this year.

“We have nearly forty people currently working on the event, designing, and building the set, creating interactive elements, writing scripts, and amazing costumes, and by the end of December we will have employed around 100 people to bring the magic of Christmas to the people of Manchester and the surrounding area.”

The Christmas with Paddington Grotto experience will be open every weekend from November 16^th and then every day in December until the Christmas Eve. 

Tickets cost £15 per child and £5 per adult – head to the Trafford Centre website for tickets and more information.