The Newgate Centre in Bishop Auckland is inviting the community to help bring a touch of nostalgia to its Christmas displays this year — inspired by the rediscovery of four vintage Santa face decorations believed to date back to when the shopping centre first opened.
During a recent tidy-up, staff found the long-forgotten Santas tucked away near a lift. The festive faces have now been carefully cleaned, rewired and restored to their former glory — and will take pride of place in two special “Vintage Christmas” windows being created next to Forces Support this November.
“These old decorations sparked so many memories,” said Andrew Lee, Centre Manager. “We believe they’re from the early days of the centre, and it felt right to use them as inspiration to celebrate how much this place has meant to people over the years.”
The display will celebrate Bishop Auckland’s Christmases past — offering a glimpse of how the town and the Newgate Centre looked in their heyday, when the centre was bustling with shoppers and festive spirit.
The idea grew out of last year’s Community Christmas, when visitors shared memories of the centre’s early years and how good it felt to see it “brought back to life.” This year, the team hopes to build on that sense of shared history and pride.
The centre is now asking for donations or loans of vintage decorations to help complete the nostalgic window displays. Contributions can be dropped off with any member of staff or directly to Andrew Lee, Centre Manager, at the Newgate Centre.
“We’d love to include pieces from the community — things people might have had in their homes when they were children,” Andrew added. “It’s about celebrating where we’ve come from and creating something that brings back happy memories for everyone who’s known Bishop Auckland through the years.”
The Vintage Christmas Windows will be unveiled later in November as part of the town’s festive celebrations, sitting alongside the return of Santa’s Grotto at the Newgate Centre.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
