Public crowds won't be allowed to watch Fenwick's Window being unveiled this year.
Newcastle City Council has confirmed sections of Northumberland Street, Brunswick Place, Lisle Street, Blackett Place and Northumberland Court will be shut to the public on Sunday November 6 when the annual Christmas display will be revealed.
Northumberland Street itself will be closed between where Five Guys and Superdrug are between 5.30pm and 9pm. There will be pedestrian and emergency service access, so visitors to the city centre will still be able to use the businesses open on Northumberland Street, such as Greggs and Burger King, while road is closed.
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But you won't be able to catch a glimpse of Fenwick's Window as it is unveiled, only a selection of invited guests - which include children from schools and hospitals - will see the display revealed in person.
A Fenwick spokesperson told ChronicleLive: "On the evening of the reveal, the public are kindly asked not to travel to Northumberland Street to watch in person.
"A section of Northumberland Street will be closed to the public, making the window and surrounding area not viewable."
The window unveiling has not been held in public since 2019. The coronavirus pandemic first led to the department store holding the ceremony in private.
Why isn't Fenwick's Window's unveiling open to the public?
Fenwick's director Kieran McBride says the reason the public is not invited to watch the Christmas Window launch is due to fears of overcrowding and congestion.
He said: "We’ve been working closely with the local council to avoid overcrowding which is why we will be closing Northumberland Street again this year. It’s really important for us to give back to the local community and, with this in mind, a small group of children from local schools and hospitals, as well as our charity partners will be invited to the reveal evening."
The application to close roads states another reason, to allow for the display infrastructure to be built.
How can I watch Fenwick's Christmas Window reveal?
Unlike last year, there won't be a live stream of the Fenwick Window unveiling. But its theme will be revealed on Sunday evening on Fenwick's social media channels:
When can I go see Fenwick's Window in person?
The window will open for public viewing from Monday, November 7. The display will remain until early January.
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