Santa Tours Survey

Let’s Talk About the Santa Tours

Introduction

The Town Council is reviewing the Santa Tours to improve and enhance the event ahead of Christmas Eve 2026. A Santa Tours Sub‑Committee, made up of councillors, volunteers and members of the public, has been formed to ensure a wide range of views were considered as part of this review.

Why Change the Event?

Changes were required last year due to increasing safety and logistical challenges, including traffic risks, volunteer shortages, a growing town, parked cars on narrow streets, anti‑social behaviour, and safety concerns for Santa and his volunteers. Advice from the Council’s Health and Safety Advisor and insurers confirmed that the traditional format presented unacceptable risks. The Council’s challenge is to manage these risks, while preserving the magic of Santa visiting the town on Christmas Eve, and keeping the event accessible to as many residents as possible.

Last Year’s Event

In 2025, the event moved to a ‘hybrid’ format, with fixed ‘meet and greet’ locations at community centres, churches etc; a limited non‑stop tour of accessible streets, with Santa waving from the vehicle; and visits to care homes. While the fixed locations and care home visits were popular with residents, the touring element was poorly received, mainly due to restricted access to streets and limited interaction with Santa.

Looking Ahead to 2026

The Santa Tours Sub‑Committee has met twice to review what worked and what didn’t, and to explore options for improving the event. Options investigated included:

Running the event in the same format as last year.
Focusing on and enhancing the fixed location, meet and greet format on Christmas Eve, with more and improved locations, and additional care home visits, but with no touring element.
Maintaining and improving the fixed location, meet and greet format on Christmas Eve, with care home visits, and supplementing this with a non-stop tour of safely accessible streets, with Santa safely harnessed to the back of the sleigh, using the one Council works vehicle currently adaptable to hold a framework and harness.
Running the event as closely to the traditional tour as is safely possible, using Council vehicles only, but running this over several nights in the run up to Christmas, to ensure as many streets as possible can be visited, but with no fixed location meet and greet points or care home visits on Christmas Eve itself.

The Santa Tours Sub Committee has agreed that Option 3 should be taken forward as the preferred option for the 2026 event and consulted upon with the community.

Further Information

The agenda, minutes and reports relating to the Santa Tours Sub Committee Meetings can be accessed and read via the Meeting Section of the Council Website: https://www.great-aycliffe.gov.uk/meetings-diary/past-meetings/

Have Your Say

The Town Council fully acknowledges and appreciates the strength of public feeling regarding the changes to this much-loved event.

We are therefore keen to hear for you, the community, to have the opportunity to comment on the proposed changes to the event.
Please complete the Santa Tours Survey via the link below: