No Father Christmas in Newbury this year?

For the first time in living memory, it seems that there will probably be no Santa’s Grotto in Newbury Town Centre this year.

The popular tradition ceased at Camp Hopson, when they closed their toy department. Kennet Shopping then took over the facility, and Santa has enjoyed a central location amongst the Christmas polar bears. He even had a special parking bay for his sleigh in the nearby multi-storey car park.

Unfortunately, Kennet Shopping have decided that it is no longer worthwhile to continue. Unless the new Debenhams store in Parkway provides accommodation for Santa and his elves, then children and their parents will have to make alternative arrangements to request their hi-tech Christmas toys this year.

Footnote.

In a leaked memo to the chairman of the Newbury Retail Association, Santa has indicated that he is having problems in many towns and cities this year because of increased rent and business rates in many locations.

Will Santa be at Parkway?

Quoted from user23.3

Will Santa be at Parkway?

I often wonder about your ability to read and understand the postings on this and "the other" forum. Remove your rose tinted spectacles and read this again:

"Unless the new Debenhams store in Parkway provides accommodation for Santa and his elves, then children and their parents will have to make alternative arrangements to request their hi-tech Christmas toys this year"

Quoted from BrianB

I often wonder about your ability to read and understand the postings on this and "the other" forum. Remove your rose tinted spectacles and read this again:

"Unless the new Debenhams store in Parkway provides accommodation for Santa and his elves, then children and their parents will have to make alternative arrangements to request their hi-tech Christmas toys this year"

I think rose tinted glasse must be standard issue at WBC, judging by this explanation that I have just retrieved from Google:

"If someone sees things through rose-coloured glasses, they see things as being better than they really are."

Quoted from user23.3

Will Santa be at Parkway?

Quoted Text

Remove your rose tinted spectacles and read this again:

Does anyone actually know for a 100%  fact, that santa isn't going to be at Parkway?  A quote from a local forum administrator is hardly irrefutable evidence.

Quoted from user23.3

Will Santa be at Parkway?

There's plenty of space.

I think you'll find that Santa himself is very busy at this time of the year, and that these 'other Santas' are really just his helpers standing in for him. That said, it does seem a shame that there may be no appearance by any of them this year in our town. Although, of course, he will still turn up on Christmas Eve, (but only to boys and girls who've been good) (obviously).

In the past, Santa's helper has had the humiliation of being escorted through town by Ronald Macdonald and a bunch of bikers on Harleys. (chuff-all to do with Christmas, but at least someone from Santa Land turned up)

Seems a shame that as soon as Parkway opens one of the first side-effects (albeit unintentional) is the removal of just a small part of the magic of Christmas.

Of course, since the deal, SLI probably think that all their Christmases' have come at once, so they'll be too busy counting the Car-Park money to notice the lack of a grotto.

For them, at least, Santa came early.


Threep.

Quoted from Greenham Common

There's plenty of space.

And statistically it would make their occupation figures look better, if only for a very short while?  

Quoted from greenmeanie61

Does anyone actually know for a 100%  fact, that santa isn't going to be at Parkway?  A quote from a local forum administrator is hardly irrefutable evidence.

No, they don't. Even the title of the thread shows this, it concluding with a question mark.

Telling shoppers to go elsewhere, to other towns does not seem like the most prudent course of action to aid local retailers.

Quoted from user23.3

No, they don't. Even the title of the thread shows this, it concluding with a question mark.

Telling shoppers to go elsewhere, to other towns does not seem like the most prudent course of action to aid local retailers.

And if there is no Santa in Newbury where else would people take their children to see Santa?
Also if their are no shops in Newbury that you want to shop in where else do you go? Or do you just put up with the little that Newbury offers and just go and read the hoardings on the empty units?  

Quoted from Threepwood

I think you'll find that Santa himself is very busy at this time of the year, and that these 'other Santas' are really just his helpers standing in for him.

Threep.

  Please wear this from now on...

Quoted from user23.3

Telling shoppers to go elsewhere, to other towns does not seem like the most prudent course of action to aid local retailers.

Point taken, presumably they can contact him via Facebook or Twitter. I have changed the original posting accordingly

Quoted from Administrator

Point taken, presumably they can contact him via Facebook or Twitter. I have changed the original posting accordingly

Thank you.

Quoted from user23.3

Telling shoppers to go elsewhere, to other towns does not seem like the most prudent course of action to aid local retailers.

Where are shoppers being told to go elsewhere?  The nearest I can see is that people will need to get their child's wish list to Santa by an alternative method - obviously the case if there is no Santa in town.

Quoted from greenmeanie61

  Please wear this from now on...

You appear to have the wrong end of the stick.