Blackler's Santa returns to Museum of Liverpool for Christmas

The Museum of Liverpool is one of the city's attractions which will now be able to reopen after this latest lockdown – and Blackler’s Santa will be there in the atrium to greet visitors.

The giant Father Christmas, which was made for the popular Liverpool department store in the late 1950s, is part of the museum’s collection.

Its original artist Peter Blazey, who created the festive favourite with colleagues in the Blacker’s design studio, donated his surviving plaster face, feet and hands to the museum in 2013 and faithfully restored the rest of him to his original 1957 glory with financial assistance from Phil and Alexis Redmond.

The 18ft tall Santa has regularly gone on show at the Mann Island museum at Christmas time since its restoration was completed five years ago.

The Museum of Liverpool was forced to close its doors when Liverpool was put under Coronavirus Tier 3 restrictions.

However, now the Liverpool City Region will be put under Tier 2 restrictions after the national lockdown is lifted on December 2, it is one of eight National Museums Liverpool venues which will be able to open their doors.