A Christmas anchor attraction for a regional shopping centre
A five-week festive residency in a central atrium, with timed photo sessions and centre-branded backdrops.
- Globe
- Christmas Globe
This is an illustrative install format showing how the globe is typically planned and run. It is not a record of a specific client project; venue details and results are not shown until genuine, approved project write-ups are available.
What did the client want to achieve?
Lift weekend footfall and dwell time through the Christmas trading period with a free-to-use photo moment, without displacing retail units or trading kiosks.
What was the starting situation?
The atrium held a decorated tree and a seasonal kiosk, both passive. Weekend visits were strong but short, and the centre had no reason for families to stay beyond a single shop.
What were the challenges?
The constraints that shaped how the activation was designed and run.
- Fixed 5m x 5m atrium footprint with fire escape routes that had to stay clear
- Operating from centre opening to close with our two-person crew
- Install and de-rig without interrupting trading hours
- Centre approvals needed RAMS and insurance evidence before contracts were signed
Our approach
We treated the atrium as a queue-management problem first and a theming problem second: place the globe on the existing footfall route, keep sessions timed so the wait is readable, and build the branding into the surfaces every photo captures.
The solution we delivered
A 3.5m walk-in Christmas globe on a steel and timber stage in the main atrium, dressed with a centre-branded exterior panel and internal backdrop, run in timed sessions by our own crew from opening to close.
The brief in full
The centre wanted a free-to-use festive photo moment to lift weekend footfall and dwell time, without displacing retail units or trading kiosks. The atrium footprint was fixed at 5m x 5m, fire escape routes had to stay clear, and the attraction needed to run from centre opening to close with our two-person crew.
What we supplied
- 3.5m walk-in Christmas globe on a steel and timber stage
- Centre-branded exterior panel and internal backdrop
- Timed photo sessions with queue barriers and signage
- Crewed install and de-rig outside trading hours
- Full RAMS pack and £10m public liability cover supplied in advance
What happened during the process?
From first site visit to hand-back, in the order it ran.
- 1Site visit and layoutMeasured the atrium, agreed the stage position against escape routes and confirmed power and access with the centre's operations team.
- 2Documentation and approvalsIssued a site-specific risk assessment, method statement and £10m public liability certificate for the centre's approval file.
- 3Theming and branding sign-offCentre marketing approved the exterior panel and internal backdrop artwork two weeks before install.
- 4InstallOvernight build and dressing before opening, including barrier layout and signage.
- 5OperateTimed sessions across trading hours with a visible next-group marker, daily media checks and morning dressing checks.
- 6De-rig and hand backStripped, cleared and the floor handed back before opening on Christmas Eve +1.
Products, materials and services used
Everything specified for this project, including consumable media and crewed services.
- 3.5m walk-in globe structure with steel and timber stage
- Centre-branded exterior wrap panel and internal backdrop print
- Eco artificial snow made from vegetable starch (potato and turnip), gathered and reused between sessions
- Festive set dressing: oversized gifts, lit trees, seating for photos
- Queue barriers, matting and directional signage
- Crewed operation, install and de-rig by our own team
How long did it take?
Lead times and durations for a typical install of this format.
- Enquiry to quote
- Under 48 hours
- Booking lead time
- Approx. 9 weeks before install
- Install
- One overnight shift, 2–3 hours for installation and dressing
- Residency
- 5 weeks, centre opening to close
- De-rig
- Around 2 hours before trading
What shaped the cost?
Quoted as a single five-week residency rather than day rate, which brings the daily cost down considerably. The items that moved this quote were the run length, the branded print, out-of-hours install and de-rig, and continuous crew cover across full trading hours.
We quote every project individually rather than publishing rates. Send your dates and venue for a tailored figure within 48 hours.
What problems came up, and how were they solved?
Every project throws something. These are the issues met on site and the fix that resolved each one.
Problem: The first proposed position narrowed a fire escape route during peak queueing.
How we solved it: The stage was rotated 90° and the queue was set to run parallel to the shopfronts, keeping the escape route at full width in the method statement.
Problem: Saturday queues built faster than the crew could brief.
How we solved it: A visible next-group marker and a printed session-length sign let families judge the wait themselves, cutting repeat questions and letting them shop and return.
Problem: Snow media carried onto the polished atrium floor.
How we solved it: Matting was extended at the exit and swept into the reset routine between sessions, which also kept the effect consistent inside.
Before and after
What changed between the site as we found it and the site as it ran.
| Aspect | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| The atrium | A decorated tree and a seasonal kiosk that people walked past. | A queued, crewed attraction with a defined entrance, exit and photo point. |
| Weekend visits | Short, single-purpose shopping trips. | Longer visits built around a timed session families waited for. |
| Festive marketing | Posters and social posts with no physical anchor. | A photo moment carrying centre branding into visitors' own content. |
How this format could look
Reference images showing how a similar installation can be built, dressed and operated in a comparable space.
What made it work
The parts of this format worth copying if you're planning something similar.
Site it where footfall already flows
The atrium position meant nobody had to be told the globe existed. Placing it off a main route usually halves the queue and forces you to spend on signage instead.
Timed sessions keep the queue readable
Fixed session lengths with a visible next-group marker meant families could judge the wait and come back later rather than leave the centre.
Book de-rig outside trading hours
Install and de-rig ran before opening, so trading was never interrupted and the centre's own operations team had nothing to manage.
Plan your version of this
Send your venue, dates and objective. We'll confirm whether this format fits your site and come back within 48 hours with a tailored quote.