‘Speedboat Santa’ returns with one-of-a-kind grotto

It appears this Christmas it’s not just his trusty sleigh Santa will be using to deliver presents to good boys and girls, he’ll also be jumping into a speedboat when he pops over to one of Wales’ mos popular visitor attractions.

It’s been confirmed that St Nick will be returning to Lisvane & Llanishen Reservoirs in Cardiff where he will meet his excited young fans in a one-of-a-kind grotto, designed by students from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.

As he arrives by speedboat, children will eagerly await his appearance on the visitor centre balcony. The anticipation will build as Santa races across the water, waving to the excited crowd. Once he docks, he will make his way to the café, where the enchanting grotto awaits.

What started as an ambitious idea of Welsh Water’s Lisvane & Llanishen Reservoirs deputy manager, James Ryan, turned into a successful collaboration with the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Back in September, James pitched the idea of a student-designed Christmas grotto to Mike Robinson, Course Leader in Foundation Scenic Construction. Three talented third-year BA Design in Performance students quickly embraced the opportunity to bring this festive vision to life.

The students were tasked with creating a unique and magical grotto experience with a budget for materials, provided by Lisvane & Llanishen Reservoirs. This innovative project involved designing and constructing a set that can be easily assembled and disassembled, ensuring its longevity and potential for future use. This exciting collaboration provided a project that third year students Dominic Shah, Finn Jaques and Perrin Dunn can use for their final year portfolio of work.

The set, a magical wooden creation inspired by the reservoirs’ natural beauty, was meticulously crafted in the RWCMD’s workshop in Llanishen, just a short distance away from the reservoirs.

“Working on this project has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” said Finn Jaques, from Surrey. “From the initial planning stages to the final set build, we’ve had the opportunity to manage every aspect of the project. It’s been a fantastic learning curve and a lot of fun.”

Fellow third year student Dominic Shah from south London said “This project has been very different to the projects we normally work on, we are normally designing sets for plays, operas and musicals. It’s been a great opportunity to manage a project from start to finish with budget management and final installation.”

A specialist in carpentry and welding, third year student Perrin Dunn from Oregon, was responsible for the construction of the timber elements of the set. All components were crafted from scratch and Perrin was responsible for the fit out on site in the visitor centre.

“Collaborating with the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama has been a fantastic experience,” said James Ryan. “Partnering with a local university to combine creativity, design expertise, and supporting student opportunities has been a resounding success. We can’t thank the students and college enough. We look forward to welcoming our first visitors on Saturday to experience the stunning new grotto and meet Santa.”

Speedboat Santa’s Festive Feasts experience is available every weekend in December with additional sessions on 18/19/20 December. Join Santa for breakfast or lunch, £18.95 for children which includes a gift, £14.95 for adults.

To book click HERE

Welsh Water’s Lisvane & Llanishen Reservoirs are open daily, except for Christmas Day. Enjoy a winter walk around the reservoirs and relax in the café overlooking the water. Indulge in a menu featuring main meals, snacks, and a special festive turkey option for Sunday lunch throughout December