New Santa centrepiece of city lights
25 October 2007
The centrepiece of Manchester’s Christmas Lights will be a fabulous new Santa figure covered in 100,000 low energy lights.
It is ten metres tall, eight metres wide and six metres deep. It will sit on a platform over the main entrance to Manchester Town Hall ten metres above Albert Square. The new figure was designed and specially made in France.
Councillor Pat Karney, Manchester City Council's city centre spokesman, said:
"Our new Santa will be the biggest and best in England. It has been specially made for us and will be the only one of its kind in the country. It's a top class Santa for a top class city and will make our Christmas even more special than usual. It's ten metres high and covered in 100,000 low-energy lights so it will be a fantastic spectacle for the kids.
"Our Christmas lights are bigger and better than ever this year, too. And combined with the open-air ice rink in Piccadilly Gardens, the fabulous Christmas Markets across the city centre and the Wheel of Manchester, it makes our city the place to be this Christmas with something for all the family.
"The new Santa will also be linked to a fund-raising drive for The New Children's Hospital Appeal, which the Council is supporting. More details will be announced on the night.
" Getting Santa into his pride-of-place position in front of the Grade One listed Town Hall will be a major engineering operation.
The figure weighs six tonnes and was brought from France, where it was designed and built, in 89 pieces on four articulated lorries. It will take six men two days to assemble before being hoisted on to its platform.
The platform itself is 10 metres high and ten metres across and eight metres deep. It weighs 15 tonnes and will take three days to pre-construct off site and two days to put together in Albert Square.
Santa will be lit up for the first time during the big Christmas Lights Switch-on event in Albert Square on 8 November.
Manchester's own chart-topping pop heart-throb Shayne Ward will be the star attraction at the event, which starts at 6.30pm.
The 2005 X Factor winner, whose latest single No U Hang Up/If That's Ok With You is riding high in the charts, will sing three numbers to entertain the expected crowd of thousands.
He will be joined by stars from seasonal shows at the city's leading theatres in a fun-filled extravaganza featuring singers, dancers and a Panto Idol contest, rounded off with a fabulous firework finale at around 7.15pm.
Media contact
Martin Hellewell, tel: 0161 234 3729
