Warwick Castle hosts Christmas preview event for 200 local emergency workers

Warwick Castle reopened its grounds and gardens to more than 200 local emergency workers including NHS staff and army personnel for a preview of its Christmas attractions last weekend.

By way of saying a special thank you for all the hard work and dedication over the last year, the castle held a special preview of its Christmas offering including the ice rink (returning after a successful debut last year with even more space to skate), all-new magical light trail and festive Winter Market, where visitors can find many local treats and gifts.

Local children Elliott (6) and Arya (4) won Warwick’s social media competition to switch on the Castle’s illuminations this year, kicking off the festive season from the Peacock Garden.

Operations Director Liam Bartlett said: “While reopening following a national lockdown and entering the new Tier system has been challenging, we wanted to make sure we marked this important new milestone in a special way by saying thank you to our brilliant local emergency workers, NHS staff and army personnel for all their hard work over the last year.

"Having them here at the Castle to celebrate the beginning of the festive season and witness the lights being switched on was a fantastic way to open our outdoor Christmas attractions, so our guests can still enjoy some Warwick Castle festive cheer at the Ice Rink, Light Trail and more.”

The Castle has extended its Christmas event until January 17 2021.

The Winter Market, which offers seasonal gifts, food, and drink, is free entry and is open to all, not just castle ticket holders.

As Warwickshire is currently under Tier 3 restrictions (pending review on December 16), the castle recommends that all guests check the government regulations for travel applicable to their own area before visiting.

Any guests unable to travel are able to make use of the castle’s flexible booking policy, offering straightforward rebooking or refunds.

To book tickets go to: www.warwick-castle.com