Colchester: Fencing at Lion Walk Santa's grotto causes upset

A Santa’s grotto opened at Lion Walk Shopping Centre, in Colchester city centre, earlier this month to the delight of families and youngsters, but a disgruntled passer-by grew frustrated after spotting temporary fencing placed against headstones on the corner of Lion Walk and Eld Lane.

A photo seen by the Gazette shows at least ten temporary fence panels leaning on gravestones against a wall facing Eld Lane.

It is understood the fences were lent across gravestones during the construction process, but they have since been moved.

Site - the grotto is behind River Island in Lion Walk (Image: Google)

Martin Leatherdale, centre manager, confirmed there are no longer graves at the site and the fencing is necessary for “security reasons”.

He said: “While there are no actual graves in Lion Walk and the site was long ago deconsecrated, we do cherish the remaining gravestones.

“The fencing has been placed along the periphery wall for security reasons during our Christmas event.”

'There was an easy fix'

Castle ward councillor Steph Nissen, who represents residents in the city centre, was pleased to learn the fencing had been moved but added that bosses should’ve acted with “awareness and sensitivity”.

She said: “If concerns and comments have been raised, I would expect whoever is responsible for the fencing panels to remove them.

“You can have awareness and sensitivity. If they were being stored there temporarily before being used for security reasons, could they not have been shuffled along?

“If it looked to the public like their placement was being disrespectful to gravestones then there was an easy fix.”

Father Christmas will remain at his new home behind River Island in Lion Walk until Christmas Eve, sometimes joined by his elves.

This is not the first time the treatment of gravestones has caused controversy in recent weeks.

Earlier this month, the Gazette reported that 23 headstones are to be moved as part of a £2million bid to overhaul Colchester’s oldest building – Holy Trinity Church in Trinity Street.

Colchester Council has given assurances that no graves will be moved and that the selected headstones will be “repositioned under archaeological supervision”.