Specialist regeneration developer Blueprint has teamed up with
local businesses to bring a programme of traditional festive
entertainment to Derby's Cathedral Quarter.
A disused shop in Blacksmith's Yard, which is owned by
Blueprint, will be transformed into a Dickensian-style Santa's
Grotto providing families with a traditional venue to visit Father
Christmas.
Open three Saturdays in the run up to Christmas, the Grotto is
free of charge but donations will be invited for local charity
Treats, which supports underprivileged children with gifts,
holidays and trips.
Outside the grotto, there will be a bustling street market with
stalls offering refreshments and gift ideas.
Local bands and performers will entertain visitors to the
Blacksmith's Yard throughout the day with a diverse programme of
music from traditional festive music to jazz and folk.
Alec Hamlin, development manager at Blueprint, said: "The idea
of a Dickensian-style Christmas fits perfectly with the Cathedral
Quarter's history and character and it's great to see our
temporarily empty properties on Blacksmith's Yard being put to good
use."
Blueprint has recently carried out refurbishment works to a
number of buildings in the Cathedral Quarter.
This included lime-render and signage upgrades to the alleyway
leading to Blacksmiths Yard, replacement shop fronts on Sadler Gate
and extensive restoration works to Simpson's House, a grade 2*
listed Georgian townhouse located on St Mary's Gate.
Paul Hurst from Sadlergates Cafe, which benefitted from repairs
to its windows, stonework and render, is also one of the Christmas
entertainment organisers.
He said: "Our aim is to make the Cathedral Quarter the place to
be in the run up to Christmas. This will be the third year of Santa
in Sadler Gate and I am delighted that we now have a special grotto
for Santa to welcome children.
"We wanted to continue to make the grotto free of charge for
families but I am confident that visitors this year will be as
generous as they have been previously and support Treats through
donations - helping them to bring some cheer to the lives of
children who often go without."
A public-private partnership, Blueprint retains aspirations to
deliver the exciting Sadler Square project for which the
partnership secured planning and which fits will with Derby City's
ambitions to increase the supply of quality office stock. Blueprint
also owns the Derwent Business Centre in Derby, a former bonded
railway building converted to provide quality studio and workshop
space with bags of character.