Christmas is coming... its village opens today
NEWCASTLE’S SPECTACULAR CHRISTMAS VILLAGE OPENS FOR BUSINESS TODAY, BARBARA HODGSON TOOK A SNEAK PEEK AROUND IT
A CHRISTMAS Village which has been taking shape in Newcastle will be welcoming first visitors from today into a festive world of log cabins, chalet-style stalls, open fires and perhaps even a sprinkling of snow.
Work on creating the village, whose focal point is a giant Bavarian beer marquee, was approaching its final stages yesterday when The Chronicle was invited along for a first look behind the scenes.
And from our sneak peek, what awaits the public - once the final decorations and newlyarrived real Christmas tree are up - promises to be a treat for all the senses, with fairylights, music, cosy firelight, the aroma of mulled wine and all sorts of tastes to explore from German sausages to a specially-created new festive take on Teesside’s popular Parmo.
The man who came up with the ambitious plan for Newcastle Christmas Village - and has realised it in just eight weeks - is Mike Hesketh of MishMash Productions, who has worked on the previous PaddyFest and Cheese Toon events in Times Sqaure.
This time, the Christmas Village takes up space right up to the site of Life Science Centre’s annual ice rink - which is to launch toiday and open tonorrow - and it will also combine a craft market, selling gifts and decorations, and - in a couple of weeks - the addition of a carousel ride. Christmas trees also will be on sale.
Mike showed us around the beer tent, which had yet to be filled with tables and decked out with decorations and it has a huge bar running the length of one side, selling authentic beers as well as wine, plus an area for live oompah music. Outside, he points out the “luxury” toilet facilities; mulled wine and cider stall, and a striking Bratwurst swing grill, which cooks sausages over charcoal and resembles a fairground attraction with its propeller-style top. “We call it the sausage-copter!” said Mike.
It’s adjacent to the wooden village courtyard, which sells a range of food, and a log cabin which has been imported from Germany with a cosy interior kitted out with an open fire pit and fairylight-lit Erdinger bar, which offers another seating and drinking option for visitors who can drop into the village - which has no admission charge - any time from its launch time of 5pm today.
Newcastle Christmas Village then will be open daily from 12noon until 12midnight throughout the festive period and New Year.
Anyone wanting to be sure of a seat in the beer tent can pre-book an area set aside for reservations if they buy their food and drink in advance.
Outside, he points out the luxury toilets, mulled wine and cider stall and a striking Bratwurst swing grill