Published: 9 January 2026 | Updated: 7 July 2026

Story Time with Santa at Liverpool Town Hall: Is it worth it?

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If you’re searching for somewhere to visit Santa in Liverpool city centre, or maybe you’re looking for the best value Santa experience in Liverpool near you, or if you want something more unique than a standard grotto, then this is worth knowing about.

Liverpool Town Hall is a building I know well already. I’ve been in for work when I used to run events, and for quite a few weddings too. But if you haven’t been, there’s a beautiful grand staircase, Georgian chandeliers, and there are lots of civic rooms too. But even as someone who has been there before, seeing it decorated for Christmas felt like I was seeing it all for the first time again.

Storytime with Santa at Liverpool Town Hall books up really fast, and after visiting in 2025, it’s easy to see why. There’s a maximum of 20 children per session, then there’s Buddy the Elf, and stories and songs told by Santa by a beautiful big log fire, and every child gets to share their Christmas wishes with Santa and take home a gift. It’s not a standard grotto visit, but it doesn’t try to be either.

Here’s everything you need to know before you book, with what to expect on the day, whether it’s worth the money, and some practical details too – including details on the sensory session.

What to expect when you arrive

When you arrive in the Town Hall lobby, you show your ticket and then wait until your session is called. The lobby itself is beautifully decorated in a more traditional Christmas style. There are garlands, rich colours, and a giant nutcracker that our daughter was immediately fascinated by. It sets the tone beautifully.

When your session is ready, you’re called through as a group into the room just off the lobby, which is where the storytelling takes place. There are no stairs involved, which is good to know if you’re coming with a pram or have any mobility concerns.

Liverpool Town Hall Christmas decor

The staff get the children excited in the lobby area and tell them to look for Mickey Mouse once they are inside. The room is actually filled with lots of Christmas themed Mickey Mouse figurines and decorations, along with giant candy canes and carousel displays lit up against the period plasterwork. The whole room is decorated beautifully, and it works perfectly with that old civic style interior. My daughter loved picking out every Mickey decoration once inside.

Children are invited to sit on the carpet at the front, and chairs are provided around the edges for parents and adults. Our daughter decided she wanted to sit with me rather than with the other children, which was absolutely fine too.

Story Time with Santa - Liverpool Town Hall 2

The storytelling session

Once you’re all settled in the room, Santa’s helper does an introduction to get the children ready and set the scene before Father Christmas arrives. It’s a nice, mellow start to the session, which works well for younger or shyer children who need a little moment to warm up.

Meeting Father Christmas

For us, meeting Santa was the highlight. He’s animated, and very very quick witted. The storytelling was engaging throughout. There was a joke about a broken drum kit, which landed with the adults but flew over the children’s heads, which is exactly the right balance for a mixed audience. The children were very relaxed around him.

Our daughter stayed with me had chosen to sit with me instead of joining the mat; she does that when she’s feeling shy. But by the time it was her turn to go up to Santa, she went without hesitation. He has a way of making children feel at ease rather than overwhelmed.

Each child gets their moment with Santa, and he listens to their wish. With a maximum of 20 children per session, it never felt rushed, which is one of the things that sets this apart from a standard grotto.

Choosing a book

At the end, the children are invited into the next room to choose a book. There’s a wide range of Christmas titles, and our daughter immediately selected Santa’s Little Helper because it matched the Mickey theme.

Story Time with Santa - Liverpool Town Hall 2

How much does Storytime with Santa at Liverpool Town Hall cost?

The price varies by date. We paid £25 per adult and £25 per child plus a £3 booking fee, so £53 in total for one adult and one child on 22nd December, which is at the premium end of the calendar. Earlier dates in December are cheaper, so if budget is a consideration, it’s worth booking as soon as tickets go on sale and choosing a date earlier in the month.

I personally thought it was worth it, but I suppose it depends on what you’re comparing it to. The price seems high compared to somewhere like Farmer Ted’s Christmas or Lapland UK, where the whole experience takes half to a full day. But then again, it’s a completely different kind of event. 

Sessions are capped at 20 children, so each child gets longer one‑on‑one time with Santa, who leads warm, interactive moments in a stunning historic Liverpool building. This is an intimate visit rather than a half‑day adventure.

What made it work for us was the timing. We went on the 22nd December and took a short train into Liverpool and spent about an hour there – a brief visit that fit neatly into the pre‑Christmas chaos.

Practical information

Booking

I would suggest you book as early as you possibly can. We booked a few months ahead for a 22nd December session and were lucky enough to get the very last tickets for that slot. Sessions sell out fast, particularly the dates closest to Christmas. Tickets are available through the Liverpool City Hall’s website and the Culture Liverpool website, so keep an eye on both as release dates tend to be announced in September.

Getting there

Liverpool Town Hall is on High Street in the city centre, a few minutes’ walk from Moorfields station, which makes it easy to do as a train trip in, as we did. If you’re driving in, the Liverpool One and NCP car parks are both nearby.

Age range

The whole experience is aimed at children aged between 2 and 10. Our daughter was four, and it was perfect for her. 

Session length

Each session runs approximately 45 minutes to an hour, which includes the storytelling, the Santa meet, and the book choosing at the end.

Babies

Babies in arms are free when accompanied by a paying adult and child.

Accessibility

The session takes place on the ground floor just off the lobby, so there are no stairs, making it accessible for prams and buggies.

Sensory session

There’s also a dedicated sensory session, which runs on a Sunday in mid-December. It’s designed to offer a much calmer and more relaxed version of the experience for children who may find the standard session a bit overwhelming. There’s lower stimulation and a quieter atmosphere. If you have a child who benefits from a sensory friendly environment, this is worth knowing about and worth booking early, as it’s a single session rather than a run of dates. Check the Liverpool City Hall’s website when booking opens for the exact date each year.

More Christmas things to do in Liverpool with kids

If you’re looking for more North West UK Christmas inspiration, visit our UK travel guide, or check out our guides for:
Christmas at Farmer Ted’s in Liverpool
Enchanted at Knowsley Safari Park
The Magical Woodland In Northwich
Christmas at Bolesworth in Chester
Lapland UK Manchester

Storytime with Santa Liverpool Town Hall FAQs

For an intimate, city centre Santa experience in Liverpool, yes. It’s not a half day out like Farmer Ted’s Christmas or a full immersive experience like Lapland UK. The whole thing only runs to around an hour. But it’s a completely different proposition. There’s a maximum of 20 children per session, a Santa who is genuinely exceptional, a stunning historic building dressed for Christmas, and a book to take home at the end. We went on 22nd December as a quick train trip into town right before Christmas, and it was a lovely, contained experience that didn’t require a full day of planning. If that’s what you’re looking for, it’s worth every penny.

The pricing varies by date. We paid £25 per adult and £25 per child plus a £3 booking fee – £53 in total for one adult and one child on 22nd December, which is at the premium end of the calendar. Earlier dates in December are cheaper. Babies in arms are free when accompanied. Check the Liverpool City Hall’s website for current pricing when booking opens each year.

Tickets are available through the Liverpool City Hall’s website and Culture Liverpool. Book as early as you possibly can – we booked a few months ahead and got the very last tickets for our 22nd December session. Slots sell out fast, particularly for dates closest to Christmas. Booking tends to open in September or October, so keep an eye out from early autumn.

The experience is aimed at children aged 2 to 10. Four felt like the perfect age. Old enough to follow the story properly and engage with Santa, young enough to believe every second of it without question. Younger toddlers will enjoy the atmosphere and the book, though they may not follow the full session.

Babies in arms are free when accompanied by a paying child. The session takes place on the ground floor with no stairs, and the room is calm enough that a sleeping baby in a pram would manage fine.

Yes, and it’s one of the most underreported things about this experience. A dedicated sensory friendly session runs on a Sunday in mid-December, designed for children who may find the standard session overwhelming. It offers a calmer, more relaxed atmosphere and a gentler pace throughout. It’s a single session rather than a run of dates, so it books up quickly. Check the Liverpool City Hall’s website when booking opens for the exact date each year.

Each session runs approximately 45 minutes to an hour, including the storytelling with Santa and his helper, the individual Santa meet where each child shares their Christmas wishes, and choosing a book in the next room at the end.

Each child chooses a book from a selection in the room next to the main session space. The range includes Christmas titles, and our daughter chose Santa’s Little Helper, a Disney Mickey Mouse Christmas book, which felt fitting given the Mickey themed decorations throughout the room.

Very. Moorfields station is a few minutes’ walk away, making it an easy train trip into the city centre. If you’re driving, Liverpool One car park and the nearby NCP car parks are both within easy walking distance. The session itself takes place on the ground floor just off the lobby with no stairs, which makes it straightforward with a pram or pushchair.

It sits in a different category from most other options to visit Santa in Liverpool city centre or find a Santa’s grotto in Liverpool city centre. It’s more intimate than a standard grotto, more personal than a large scale Christmas experience, and the setting, which is one of the finest Georgian buildings in the country, is unlike anything else available locally. If you want a full day Christmas experience with rides and multiple activities, something like Farmer Ted’s Christmas will serve you better. If you want a calm, personal, genuinely memorable hour with Father Christmas in a beautiful Liverpool landmark, Storytime with Santa is the one to book.

Liverpool has a strong Christmas offer for families. Storytime with Santa at Liverpool Town Hall is one of the most unique and intimate options in the city centre for a meet Santa Liverpool experience. Beyond that, the Christmas markets outside St George’s Hall run throughout December, the Liverpool Winter Festival at Pier Head has a real ice rink and festive food stalls, and Farmer Ted’s runs a full Christmas experience in Ormskirk just outside the city. For a full guide to Christmas lights and festive things to do in Liverpool, head to our UK travel guide.

Looking for more Christmas inspiration? See my blog posts below: