Peter Rabbit themed grotto returns to Milton Keynes shopping centre this Christmas

Santa’s Grotto returns to centremk with the help of one of the nation’s favourite fluffy-tailed characters, Peter Rabbit and friends, all helping to make sure that Santa has everything ready in good time for his Christmas eve deliveries.

Fun for children, literary-lovers and Christmas fanatics alike, the magical, immersive adventure is open from 6pm on November 12 until 5.30pm on December 24. Brought to life by professional actors, visitors can meet all their favourite Beatrix Potter characters, including Squirrel Nutkin, Mr. Tod, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and not forgetting Peter Rabbit™ himself, before meeting the main man, Santa, as part of an individual family visit.

Peter Rabbit will first welcome families into his burrow where they will help find Peter’s secret passage leading to Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle’s kitchen. The excitable Squirrel Nutkin will be up to mischievous tricks, whilst visitors decorate their own Christmas Elf biscuits with Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, before meeting the cunning fox, Mr Tod. in his twinkly lair. Families are then taken individually to meet Santa himself.

Each family will spend 25 to 30 minutes enjoying the experience, which includes decorating biscuits to take away and a gift from Santa for each child. The fully illuminated grotto is also surrounded by a Christmas scene of decorations and lights which fills the vast hall, including a train ride surrounded by spectacular decorations, a genuine Victorian carousel, vintage helter-skelter as well as 14 cabins featuring independent craft and gift traders.

As well as the grotto, the whole centre is ablaze with Christmas decorations, with eight large selfie points such as giant baubles and snowmen to interact with, so there is also lots of fun, free activity for families to enjoy, as well as over 10,000 Christmas lights to see, to get visitors in the festive mood.

There are even special reindeer glasses for sale at the guest services lounge for £1, which turn every point of light across centre:mk into a reindeer’s face, with all proceeds being donated to Age UK Milton Keynes.

Kevin Duffy, Centre Director at centre:mk, explained: “We are delighted to be welcoming back the Peter Rabbit™ grotto experience this winter, which sold out last year and is back by popular demand. Centre:mk has one of the largest Christmas installations in the country running throughout the entire centre, paired with the unrivalled shopping and dining opportunities at centre:mk such as Hamleys, John Lewis and Harrods H Beauty to name but a few, we look forward to welcoming visitors for the ultimate festive day out.”

The grotto opens in Middleton Hall on Friday, November, 12 with a festive parade starting at 4.45pm outside M&S. It will feature Santa in his sleigh who'll accompanied by special guests from the pantomime cast at Milton Keynes Theatre plus a performance by local band Stencil Pencils.

For more information and to book tickets, from £12.50 for children and £4.99 per adult, visit the centre:mk website.