Lapland experience loved by Kate Middleton and the Beckhams coming to Cheshire

A magical festive experience that is loved by scores of celebrities is opening in Cheshire. Following the success of LaplandUK in Berkshire, the company behind the attraction is launching a new site at Capesthorne Hall, Macclesfield.

Sadly it won't be ready in time for this year's festivities, but is set to open its doors for Christmas 2025. Despite its location, the experience will be called LaplandManchester due to its proximity to the city.

Voted the UK's Best Tourist Attraction in 2022, LaplandUK has captured the hearts of many. Last year alone, more than 300,000 people flocked to the website in hopes of securing tickets to the highly-sought after Christmas experience, with tickets selling out in a record-breaking time of just under four hours, reports the Manchester Evening News.

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Since its inception in 2007, LaplandUK has welcomed millions of families, as well as some of the biggest celebrity names, such as the Prince and Princess of Wales, Tom Hardy, the Beckhams, Elton John and more. The immersive four-and-a-half hour event, inspired by six best-selling books, runs for a limited six-week period each year in the build-up to Christmas.

Combining the scale and detail of film production with 'the believability' of live theatre, the event reimagines the untold story of Father Christmas. World class production teams and costume designers bring the story to life within a Hollywood-grade film set.

It depicts a magical world in which 31 characters come together, to tell the tale of Father Christmas and the elves as they prepare for the biggest night of the year. The decision to expand comes in response to overwhelming demand and also to bring Christmas magic to more families across the UK and beyond.

The new LaplandManchester site will span more than 173k square metres, with an expected capacity to welcome over 178,000 guests - similar to the visitor numbers at the original site in 2023. LaplandUK was founded by Mike and Alison Battle, parents to four young boys, who dreamt of revelling in the joy of their children's innocent belief in Father Christmas.

They saw Christmas as the greatest celebration of childhood, yet could find nowhere that reflected how important this moment was to them. The couple said: "We've been so overwhelmed by the incredible response to LaplandUK and the strong connection so many people have with our event.

"It has always been our dream to bring the magic of LaplandUK to as many families as possible, so we are thrilled to announce our plans to launch a new site. We look forward to welcoming more families to share in the magic of LaplandUK next year and to create more treasured Christmas memories."

Beyond creating Christmas magic, the new site is set to deliver substantial economic benefits to the area. In its first year alone, LaplandManchester is projected to contribute over £24.5 million in economic impact, with a projected 10-year spend exceeding £275 million.

The site is expected to create 1,200 jobs. Tickets for LaplandManchester will go on sale in March 2025.

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