Sutton Coldfield's festive activities attract more visitors to town centre

Now Sutton Coldfield Business Improvement District (BID), which brought the activities to the Royal Town, is pledging to carry on next year, with even more eye-grabbing attractions lined up to bring people together in the heart of the town.

Sutton Coldfield held six consecutive weeks of festive events, with the Grinch once more causing havoc in the town centre, visiting shops, posing for selfies and entertaining shoppers on the final weekend.

The extended Christmas activities were part of the new Visit Royal Sutton Coldfield programme of year-round events which aims to encourage more people to choose the town centre as a destination to spend time, eat, drink, shop and relax.

Bid Manager Michelle Baker said: “We are so pleased with how local residents have reacted to the six weekends of Christmas events we organised – they have shown real support for their town centre.

“So many businesses tell us that they have seen significant increase in footfall on the days when we have had attractions, whether it’s the Grinch, the Gingerbreads or the giant snow globe.

“We’re aiming to make Sutton Coldfield town centre a big attraction all-year-round, and since summer we have made real progress by organising a monthly Famers’ Market and big events like the visit of Chomp the T-Rex to Sutton.

“But Christmas was always going to be a great opportunity to really bring people in, which is why we opted to do six weeks of events instead of one Christmas lights switch on.

“All of these events are paid for by the businesses of the town centre – they are investing in themselves and Sutton’s future – and we’re incredibly grateful for the way that Suttonians have backed our ambition.

“This is their town centre, and they have come along, week after week, to support local businesses.”

Christmas activities included an amazing life-size snow globe in the town centre, which shoppers could step inside for a free Christmas photograph.

And Christmas characters roamed among shoppers, including giant Christmas Penguins, life-size Gingerbread Men, an amazing polar bear, Father Christmas and The Grinch.

Michelle said: “We’re very excited about next year – the Farmers Market has been very popular and will continue, but we’re also putting in place more events at weekends.

“We’re looking at things like a car show on the Parade, more characters to excite children, a climbing wall and we’re working on ideas to help the Royal Town celebrate the coronation of King Charles III too.

“There’s a real buzz around Sutton town centre now, and there is so much to look forward to in 2023.”