Christmas Grotto:

FAQs and Terms and Conditions

What should I do when arrive and what time do I need to come?

Please come AT LEAST FIFTEEN MINUTES BEFORE the time on your appointment booking. This is to ensure you have enough time to check in and complete the reindeer hunt before your visit. If you can’t come earlier you can always do the reindeer hunt after you have seen Santa Claus. However, please note that if you are late for your appointment we cannot guarantee that we will be able to put you in at an alternative time. Your time slot is specific to you and your family, remember Santa Claus will be seeing a lot of other girls and boys too.

When you arrive you will see signs for the grotto queue, please queue up here and not into the main queue at the centre. You will then check in at the main desk and receive your reindeer hunt. Please head to the Grotto entrance as soon as you hear your ticket number called. You can get your sweet treat reward from the check-in desk outside the grotto. You will enter the grotto itself at the time stated on your ticket.

We really appreciate your co-operation on timing as we need to ensure Santa Claus gets to see everyone.

How many slots do I need to book?

Each slot entitles you to one gift, one photograph, one sweet treat and reindeer hunt. For this reason, please book one slot for each child to avoid disappointment.

I have two/ three/ four children, can they see Santa at the same time?

To bring several children along to the grotto please book one slot per child straight after one another (you can do this by clicking ‘add time’ on our appointments app). Whilst we are happy to allow any number of adults in free of charge when accompanying a child (adult tickets do not need to be pre-booked), there is a cap of six guests who can go through together at once as this is the maximum number of guests who can comfortably fit into Santa’s house. If you have more than six guests you will need to go through as separate groups.

Is the Santa visit suitable for babies?

Yes, we love to see babies on their first visit to see Santa! We have some wonderful, age-appropriate gifts for them too, and our elves are trained to help you get the best photo of your little one. Many new parents love the jellycat keepsake gifts, and the photograph of Baby’s first Christmas. Babies under eighteen months accompanying older children with a full ticket can be taken through the grotto free of charge, however, to have a full Santa experience with a photo, gift and chocolate, they need to have a ticket aswell.

My oldest child doesn’t believe in Santa, do I need to pay for them too?

Elder children accompanying a paying child are welcome to come free of charge, however they cannot receive a photograph, gift or chocolate unless a time slot for all children has been purchased.

What does my visit include?

Every ticket entitles the bearer to : one reindeer hunt, one photograph (you can choose whether you would like this to be of your whole family or just your child and Santa), one chocolate lollipop and one gift.

What gift will my child receive?

Our gifts are award - winning, high quality. and will provide years of play value. We have age appropriate gifts for all children from 0-12, with a current retail value of approximately £15-20. We have carefully selected gifts from award winning suppliers such as Jellycat, Orange Tree and Gifts in A Tin. We choose gifts especially for the children based on the likes and dislikes mentioned in the online form and based on the legal age requirements on our toys. That said we know that we can’t be certain what your child will like, so please feel free to take your gift to the Grotto desk where our elves will happily exchange it for you. Please note the gift cannot be exchanged once you have left the store or once the seal has been broken.

How long does the visit last?

This really depends on how long you spend doing your reindeer trail! We usually recommend leaving a full hour free in your calendar - within this hour we usually factor in 20 minutes for the winter wonderland walk, and private audience with Santa. Please arrive at least half an hour before your allotted appointment time (the time on your ticket) to ensure you have chance to complete your reindeer trail!

I can’t make the original time I booked, can I change it?

Yes, you can change the date and time of your booking up until forty-eight hours in advance. Unfortunately, after this point has passed you will not be able to change your booking. The event has sold out for the past several years, and unfortunately we cannot change times once the event has become fully booked. All tickets are non-refundable so please double check that you have chosen the correct date and time.

What happens if I’m late and miss my slot?

Unfortunately, all tickets are non-refundable as Santa has a very busy schedule! Don’t forget to allow time for parking and busy local roads. Wherever possible, we will try to squeeze you into a later slot, but if no slots are available that day then we cannot guarantee an alternative visit time will be possible.

Can I cancel my visit?

Unfortunately, all of our tickets are non-refundable and non transferable so please make sure you will be able to attend before purchasing a ticket.

What happens if I can’t come because I catch coronavirus or have to self-isolate?

Please stay at home if you, or any member of your household, has symptoms of coronavirus, if you have been contacted by track and trace and asked to isolate or if you are awaiting the results of a coronavirus test. We need to protect Santa and all of our lovely guests! If this will affect your visit, simply log in to our site and you will be able to change the date and time of your visit up until 48 hours before it is due to take place.  If this happens less than 48 hours before your visit is due to take place, please submit a contact us form on our website, and title it ‘Coronavirus Reschedule’ - please include your test result (or email telling you to self-isolate), and your preferred visit times. We will do our best to reschedule your visit for you.

Why is the price £24.99?

We have had to increase our price for the first time in five years. The affects of inflation, electricity price increases and even the elves have to be paid a living wage. We could have maintained our price and reduced the gift quality, or excluded elements of the visit but we wanted to ensure it is a special event at a special time of the year that you and your family will remember for a lifetime. We also wanted to ensure the gift from Santa Claus is a gift that will not be broken before you get home. Our gifts include highly sought after Jellycat soft toys, beautiful Orange Tree Wooden Toys (as used by Prince William and Princess Kate for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis). Most importantly of all we wanted to ensure the visit to Santa Claus is an individual visit and includes family members at no extra cost. It remains an individual and not a visit in a group. We know there are cheaper grottos but with our hiqh quality gifts, an individual visit with Santa Claus, a visit through our magical grotto, an inclusive instant photo and reindeer hunt we feel our Santa Claus experience offers incredible value for money.

Terms and Conditions

Please note that tickets are only refundable in the event of a national lockdown which requires our store to close. In any other circumstance, tickets are non-refundable and non- exchangeable. Ticket times can be changed up to 48 hours in advance with no additional charge, but cannot be cancelled. We reserve the right to refuse entry to anyone displaying symptoms of coronavirus, who has tested positive for coronavirus or has been told to self isolate by track and trace. If contracting coronavirus or self isolating will affect your visit please submit a form enquiry titled ‘Coronavirus Reschedule’, along with your test result, and desired new date, and we will do our absolute best to get you in at another convenient time. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you will only visit our grotto if all group members are healthy and NOT infected with coronavirus. We reserve the right to refuse entry to any adult or child over the age of eleven who is not wearing a mask or face covering (unless they are medically exempt from doing so). We reserve the right to make changes to the event in the event of staff illness and to avoid further infection. Children must be accompanied by a minimum of one supervising adult. Please arrive at the grotto at least 15 minutes your appointment, as we cannot refund late arrivals and need time to give you your ticket and reindeer hunt. We will do our best to reschedule your appointment if you are late, but cannot guarantee you will be seen if you have missed your appointment time. Tickets are non - transferable. Booking valid only for the event, date and time stated on your ticket.