Festive display heralds coming of Christmas
A FESTIVE phenomenon that sees huge crowds of people flock through its doors each year has opened for 2019.
Stocking more than 15,000 decorative items, people travel from all over to get into the Christmas spirit at the store.
Seasons, in Bridgend, started life as a garden outlet, selling mostly outdoor and household furniture.
However, since it launched the festive side of the business 20 years ago, it’s become a huge part of its brand.
Haydn Powell, who owns the business with his sons Mark and Justin, said: “I started the business 20 years ago and it was a totally different kind of business then.
“I was doing house clearances and antiquities, that type of thing. And then my eldest son came in and had this idea of changing it around and turning it into a Christmas store.”
They’ve even taken a floor away for its 20th anniversary year to open the space up.
Justin puts the shop’s popularity down to it being unique and a bit of a crowd pleaser. The 43-year-old believes that’s why people keep coming back.
Justin said: “It’s a magical shopping experience for people. It’s a destination.
“Thats what retail needs to be at the moment. Customers want to be wowed – it’s a pleasant shopping experience.”
As well as the shop, which opened to the public at the weekend, the venue offers a Santa’s grotto for younger visitors.
The grotto opens in November and each visitor will be able to tell Father Christmas their festive wishes before receiving a special gift.
There are also a number of animatronic reindeer on the way and children can leave their letter in Santa’s post-box. The grotto is open every weekend from Saturday, November 10 and in December it will also be open on weekdays, from noon until 6pm.
It’s also open on Christmas Eve at 9am-3pm. Tickets to the grotto, which cost £9 per child, can be bought on the Seasons website.
You can also pick up tickets in-store on the day for £10, depending on space.