The Christmas countdown is on at 17 & Central. The shopping centre is starting to feel festive as staff deck the halls and prepare for the grand arrival of Santa.

17 & Central’s decorations have been installed and lit up, offering some festive cheer for visitors starting to tackle their Christmas shopping.

Santa arrives at the shopping centre on 15 December and will remain in residence at 17 & Central’s magical Grotto until Christmas Eve. The Grotto, which is always popular with shoppers, will be located in the Centre Court, outside TK Maxx and open daily from 11am until 4pm. Tickets cost £5 per child and the full amount is being donated to 17 & Central’s charity of the year, Waltham Forest-based, PL84U AL SUFFA. Bookings are live on the shopping centre’s website – visit https://www.17andcentral.co.uk/news-events/visit-santa-s-grotto/ to secure a slot.

For those who love Christmas shopping, the centre’s opening hours have been extended throughout December and are as follows.

1st – 23rd December (Christmas late trading): Normal centre hours – 8 am to 9 pm
24th December (Christmas Eve): 8 am to 8 pm
25th December (Christmas day): Closed
26th December (Boxing Day): Normal centre hours – 8 am to 9 pm
27th December (Christmas bank holiday): 9 am to 6 pm
31st December (New Year’s Eve): 8 am to 6 pm
1st January (New Year’s Day): Sunday hours – 11 am to 5 pm
2nd January (New Year’s Day bank holiday) – 9 am to 6 pm

“The run-up to Christmas is our favourite (and busiest) time of year,” comments Marketing Manager, Gwendolyne Lobo, “and we can’t wait to welcome families to our Grotto. It’s also a wonderful way for us support our charity partner, PL84U AL SUFFA, which is in desperate need of monetary donations as winter kicks in.”