The Royals grotto opens on 14 November 2026 at £8 a child, Adventure Island from 28 November at £40 and Prittlewell Priory on 12 and 13 December at £16. Updated November 2026.

Southend’s first Santa’s grotto of 2026 opens on Saturday 14 November at The Royals shopping centre, at £8 a child. Eight places to meet Father Christmas are listed across Southend and Leigh this year, from a free visit at The Victoria Centre to Adventure Island’s Wonderland at £40. Most run on booked time slots, and none of the paid ones refunds a booking.

Last checked 14 November 2026.

Overview

  • The Royals: weekends from Saturday 14 November, then most days from 4 December to Christmas Eve. £8 a child, adults free.
  • Adventure Island Wonderland: 28 and 29 November, 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 to 24 December, from 10am. £40 a child with one adult; half price on the opening weekend.
  • The Victoria Centre: free, Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, no booking.
  • Prittlewell Priory: Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December, 11am to 4pm. £16 a child, tickets still on sale.
  • Santa breakfasts: Grumpy’s Diner on 19 December (£20 a child) and Belfairs from 19 to 23 December (£15 a child).

The dates at a glance

Where to meet Father Christmas in Southend, 2026
WhereDatesPrice per childBooking
The Royals, High StreetWeekends from 14 November; 4 to 6, 10 to 13 and 15 to 24 December£8Online
Light Up Leigh, Leigh Lions grottoFriday 27 November, from 4pmNot publishedLeigh Lions Facebook page
Adventure Island Wonderland28 and 29 November; 5 and 6, 12 and 13, 19 to 24 December£40 with one adultOnline
The Victoria Centre, Deck the MallsSaturday 5 and Sunday 6 DecemberFreeNot needed
Caddies, London Road5 and 6, 12 and 13, 19 to 24 DecemberNot yet publishedOnline
Prittlewell PriorySaturday 12 and Sunday 13 December£16Eventbrite
Grumpy's Diner breakfastSaturday 19 December, 9am to 11am£20Phone
Belfairs breakfast19 to 23 December, 8.30am to 10am£15Phone or in person

Santa’s grotto at The Royals

The Royals shopping centre, at the bottom of the High Street, has the longest-running grotto in the city. Every child gets a gift and a wishing coin (The Royals).

  • When: Saturdays and Sundays 14 and 15, 21 and 22, 28 and 29 November; then 4 to 6, 10 to 13 and every day from 15 to 24 December. Slots run from 10am to about 5pm, with some weekdays starting at 11am and Christmas Eve finishing at 3pm.
  • Cost: £8 per child, adults free. Up to four children on one booking.
  • Booking: through the operator, Great Grottos (book Father Christmas at The Royals).
  • Good to know: tickets are not refundable, but a booking can be moved to another date if there is space. Souvenir photos are on sale, and your own photos are welcome.

Adventure Island Wonderland

Adventure Island on Western Esplanade puts Father Christmas in a Christmas village. Each child gets a toy voucher for his Toy Store, and new this year is a chance to meet the princesses (Adventure Island).

  • When: 28 and 29 November; 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 to 24 December 2026, from 10am. Closing times are given on the day.
  • Cost: £40 per child, including one adult. Extra adults are £10. Annual pass holders pay £20, and their friends and family £32.
  • Opening weekend: admission is half price for everyone on 28 and 29 November, and annual pass holders get a further 50% off.
  • Included: rides in the indoor Funtopia park, the soft play for under-11s, a hot chocolate or juice, and a passport of vouchers: a round of Adventure Golf, Sealife Adventure entry for the child and one adult, a game of Hook a Duck, £2 of arcade games and a children’s meal voucher with a paying adult.
  • Good to know: arrive 30 minutes before your slot. Babies under six months go free with a paying family, without the voucher passport. Photos with Father Christmas start at £10. Groups of more than ten children book on 01702 443400.

Free Father Christmas at The Victoria Centre

Father Christmas comes to The Victoria Centre for the Deck the Malls weekend, Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, as a free meet and greet. No booking is needed. The weekend runs 11am to 5pm, with a pop-up festive market and live entertainment in the centre (Southend City BID, Christmas brochure).

Caddies Christmas Experience

Caddies, the indoor golf and games venue at 12 London Road, SS1 1NT, runs a Christmas experience on 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 to 24 December. It combines Santa’s grotto, an interactive family show and a round of Christmas crazy golf, according to the BID’s Christmas brochure. Caddies has not yet put its 2026 grotto prices on its booking page.

Father Christmas at Prittlewell Priory

Southend Museums, the council’s museum service, runs Father Christmas visits in the priory refectory in Priory Park (Eventbrite, Southend Museums).

  • When: Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December 2026, 11am to 4pm, in half-hour slots.
  • Where: Prittlewell Priory, Victoria Avenue, SS2 6NB.
  • Cost: £16 per child, including a gift (£18.04 at checkout with the booking fee). Adults and under-threes go free; under-threes do not get a gift.
  • Included: a private visit with a photo, drop-in storytelling, a Christmas craft, a festive trail, and a wish on a star for the display.
  • Good to know: tickets were still on sale on 14 November. No changes or refunds. The ground floor, where Father Christmas sits, is fully accessible. The Visitor Centre sells refreshments.

Mrs Claus and Santa Paws

The same museum service has a Christmas visit for dogs. On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, dogs meet Mrs Claus in the Priory Visitor Centre for a treat, a gift and a family photo (Eventbrite, Southend Museums).

  • When: 11am to 3pm, in 20-minute slots. Arrive in the first five to ten minutes.
  • Cost: £7 per dog (£8.30 with the booking fee); the dog’s family goes free.

Breakfast with Santa

  • Grumpy’s Diner, 759-763 Southchurch Road, SS1 2PP: Saturday 19 December, 9am to 11am. Breakfast and a visit from Santa. £20 per child, adults free. Book on 01702 616831 (Visit Southend).
  • Belfairs Nature Discovery Centre, Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 4LR: Saturday 19 to Wednesday 23 December, 8.30am to 10am. A “Santa” pancake with unlimited squash, letters to Santa, crafts and an early present at the table. £15 per child, up to two adults per child, who can order from the normal menu. Book in person or on 01702 477467 (Visit Southend).

Santa at the town’s Christmas evenings

  • Festive Friday, Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff: Friday 20 November from 4pm, with a Santa’s grotto among the stalls and late shopping (Visit Southend).
  • Light Up Leigh: Friday 27 November from 4pm, with Santa’s grotto run by the Leigh Lions, booked through their Facebook page (Leigh-on-Sea Town Council). Details are on our Light Up Leigh page.
  • Frostbite, Southchurch Road: Saturday 5 December, 11.45am to 4.30pm, with Santa at South Street Coffee (Visit Southend).
  • The “Become a Christmas Star” trail at the switch-on, Saturday 14 November, 12pm to 4pm: children who complete the four activities get the chance to meet Santa. The day is on our Christmas lights switch-on page.

Santa on the Pier, where children rode the pier train to meet Santa, last ran in 2023. Southend Pier’s What’s On page listed no Santa visits on 14 November (Southend Pier).

For getting there, see parking in Southend.

Sources