A POPULAR family attraction on the outskirts of Chester has come up with a clever way for children to meet Father Christmas this year – by creating a 'drive-thru Santa's grotto'.

The Ice Cream Farm in Tattenhall wanted to come up with a covid-secure plan for youngsters to meet the main man in the run up to Christmas after the Government announced that grottos can open across all three tiers of restrictions.

As a result the award-winning venue has transformed its drive-thru facility – which launched in June – into a magical take on the North Pole where children can meet Santa from the comfort and safety of their own cars.

Families will drive through The Ice Cream Farm’s magical Christmas trail, hunting for Santa’s hidden elves with each child given an activity pack to complete, as well as a Christmas mug filled with their favourite ice cream.

At the end of the elf hunt, Santa will be waiting in his outdoor grotto to greet children with a Christmas gift.

Best of all, those who find all ten of Santa’s elves will be entered into a draw to win a year’s supply of ice cream.

Open from 12pm-4.30pm on weekdays and 12pm-5pm on weekends, the festive drive-thru experience costs £10 per child (contactless payment) with all guests remaining in their vehicles throughout the entirety of their visit. No booking is required.

In addition to the attraction’s festive offering, for a limited time only families will be able to enjoy a half price discount on £20, £30 and £40 Play Passes, as well as half price individual ‘plays’ on-site.

Director of The Ice Cream Farm, Jonathan Fell, said: “2020 has been a challenging year for both business and consumers, so we really wanted to find a way to bring some Christmas cheer to families in a safe and affordable way.

“Santa has visited The Ice Cream Farm for a number of years now, and we didn’t want the pandemic to stop this tradition. By moving Santa’s grotto to our Drive-Thru, we can keep both him and our visitors safe and socially distanced.

"While little ones can’t sit on his knee this year, Santa has agreed to take a few selfies with all of his visitors!"

The festive drive-thru experience is open until Christmas Eve.