A festive sprinkling of theatre and excitement is set to entice shoppers to Waverley towns and villages this December.
Waverley Borough Council has partnered with town and parish councils, chambers of commerce and cultural organisations to devise a unique programme of creative activities aimed at supporting the ongoing recovery of Waverley’s town centre high streets.
Councillor Liz Townsend, Waverley’s portfolio holder for economic development says: “To attract shoppers to our high streets, our towns and villages need to offer an experience that people cannot replicate at home or online. We are seeing that there is a growing sense of recognition for the role culture can play in breathing new life into our towns and villages and so, with the support of funding from the government’s Additional Restrictions Grant, we are grasping the opportunity to offer shoppers a memorable shopping experience this Christmas so that they stay for longer and want to return for more of the same in the future.”
The creative towns campaign gets going on Thursday 16 December and complements a borough wide, late night shopping event.
Waverley Borough Council is offering free parking in all its pay and display car parks from 3pm to 6.30pm so that families, workers and shoppers can fully enjoy the range of entertainment which has been lined up.
For Cranleigh shoppers, there will be plenty of Christmas cheer with a rapturous carol sing-along, bubble guns and a bubble net plus a free craft activity for kids at Cranleigh Arts Centre. Adults can round off the evening with a bite to eat at one of Cranleigh’s many restaurants or settle down for some yuletide romance at a screening of Last Christmas at the arts centre.
Over in Haslemere, ‘Light Gliders’ will spin and glide as they interact mischievously with crowds while a stunning Snow Queen on stilts will whip up a snow storm. At 6.30pm Haslemere Town Council will host carols around the Christmas tree accompanied by Haslemere Town Band. Mince pies and mulled wine will be served.
In Farnham, shoppers can explore the snow window walking trail which has been commissioned by Farnham Town Council. Find all 27 windows to enter the competition to win a fantastic Christmas hamper. The snow trail can be downloaded from www.farnham.gov.uk.
While walking the snow trail, shoppers should look out for the street artists organised by Farnham Maltings. There will be comedy characters performing at key town centre locations and at 4.30pm a face painter and balloon modeller will be bringing some sparkle and cheer to children visiting the Farnham Maltings.
As England’s first World Craft Town, visitors can discover their crafty side by booking onto the Farnham Maltings’ willow star making workshop, or a festive wreath workshop designed to boost wellbeing.
In Godalming, visitors will have a ball at the afternoon performance of the town’s annual pantomime. Cinderella is showing at the Borough Hall and promises lots of fun and laughs for the whole family.
Links to more information about what is happening in Waverley on 16 December can be found at www.businesswaverley.co.uk. The programme of creative activities which are planned for the spring will be published in the new year.