The festive attraction was supposed to open on Saturday
Those already in the festive mood are going to have to wait another week to visit South London’s answer to Winter Wonderland after the council took action to postpone its opening due to Storm Claudia. Lewisham’s Winter Gardens was supposed to open at Beckenham Place Park at 11am on Saturday, November 15, but organisers decided to delay it a week until Saturday, November 22 , due to the inclement weather.
In a statement, Lewisham Council said: “Due to the amber weather warning issued for Storm Claudia with severe weather conditions and a month’s worth of rain predicted in the next 24 hours, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the launch of the Winter Gardens at Beckenham Place Park until next Saturday, November 22 to give the grounds time to recover.
“This severe wet weather affects both onsite safety during final set up and the quality of the visitor experience. The safety and wellbeing of our contractors, staff, and visitors remains our highest priority.
“We want everybody to be able to enjoy their visit to this event and we are contacting all affected customers and ticket holders directly with updated information and guidance regarding rescheduling existing bookings to a drier date. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and we appreciate your understanding.”
Winter Gardens promises to feature an ice rink inside a wooden bandstand, as well as a festive market with over 15 stalls offering handmade gifts, local crafts, ornaments and seasonal food and drink. Visitors can also enjoy performances from the Revel Puck Circus, an award-winning circus company founded in East London, performing thrilling shows that combine storytelling, skill, and showmanship.
The crowning glory of the site is The Winter Lodge, a frosty glass complex with three zones, including a traditional bar for adults; a family zone with board games and Christmas music, and thirdly ‘the hideaway’ – a lively games bar located between the other two lodges, featuring table tennis, pool, and shuffleboard, with UV gaming sessions at weekends.
Elsewhere, the festive fairground has over 15 traditional and festive-themed rides, including family-friendly attractions like Santa’s Runaway Train, Race-O-Rama, and reindeer flying planes, while those seeking other sports adventures can enjoy Plonk Golf – a 9-hole Christmas-themed crazy golf course, packed with glowing lights, loop-da-loops, rolling hills, and a final mind-blowing hole.
Christmas Trees by O’ Christmas Tree features a selection of trees and decorations from London’s premier Christmas tree retailer. The event will also offer a range of food and drink options, from Yorkshire wraps and gourmet burgers to doughnuts & churros, crepes and a traditional sweet shop.
Entry for the site is free, but tickets for the golf course, ice rink and circus are required. Tickets for the golf course are priced at £12.05 for adults, £9.36 for children (under 12), and £35.24 for a family ticket of four. Tickets for the ice rink are priced at £15.27 for adults, £9.90 for children under 12, and £42.84 for a family of four.
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