Revived Winter Wonderland – with sanitising throughout and free tickets in off-peak times

By Hannah Neary, Local Democracy Reporter

The organisers of Winter Wonderland say the event will look “slightly different” as it returns to London this year.

The annual event will take place between November 19 and January 3 after being cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Suzy Griffiths, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland event director said: “To keep all of our staff and guests safe, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland will be slightly different this year.

“We are operating at a reduced capacity so visitors will need to book a ticket before entering the event.

“We also ask that if anyone is unwell not to travel to the event.

“Once on site, we will have sanitising points and extra hand washing stations available and cleaning surfaces more often.

“We are following the government guidance carefully and currently there is no rule regarding wearing face coverings at outdoor events, however we will be encouraging guests to wear one and should the guidance change we will update our protocols.”

This year, people will be welcomed back to enjoy a range of attractions from ice-skating to a circus.

Visitors can now book tickets online and entry is free for off-peak times.

People who visit at peak hours will be charged £5 or £7.50.

A spokesperson for Winter Wonderland said rides will be cleaned regularly and there will be limits on the number of people allowed in.

They said visitors to the ice rink can bring their own skates as in previous years or hire them at the venue.

They added: “We will have a thorough cleansing procedure for each set of skates after they have been worn.

“Visitors can expect the same magical, festive experience everyone knows and loves but with a few adjustments to ensure they have more space to enjoy the atmosphere and celebrate Christmas in a comfortable, carefree way.

“This includes reducing capacity and introducing timed entry tickets, which will help us manage guest numbers and periods of higher and lower demand, while allowing visitors to stay as long as they’d like until we close.

“We will be constantly monitoring government guidelines regarding reduced capacity on any of our attractions.”

Winter Wonderland began as a Christmas market in 2007 and evolved into a larger event with shows, rides and bars.