Paddington isn’t renowned for its forests, but that has just changed with the launch of Pergola Paddington‘s winter season. Until the end of December, you’ll find the rooftop hangout transformed into a cosy winter forest, with alpine lodges, log fires, and 1 million fairy lights dotted amongst the 350 real Christmas trees. Named ‘Deck the Halls‘, this winter haven is filled with street food, seasonal cocktails, and toasty welcomes, and it’s seriously dreamy!
First things first, you can rest assured that Pergola Paddington is fully protected from the vagaries of the winter weather by a roof – and they’ve also got a brand-new heating system in place to ward off any cold spells, along with those roaring log fires. Deck the Halls is home to two equally glorious spaces, each with their own charms and treats.
On the upper level, you’ll find the Winter Forest: an Alpine paradise that mimics the feeling of being amongst the snow-draped mountains (that’s where those 350 Christmas trees come into play). Downstairs, meanwhile, is home to the heated Alpine Hall, a place that draws inspiration from the Bavarian beer halls of southern Germany. It’s home to no fewer than ten cosy winter chalets, which have been kitted out with blankets, cheese fondue kits, and your own private bar for the creation and consumption of winter cocktails.
It’s enough to warm the cockles of your heart, and that’s before you get to five pop-up food joints serving everything from bratwurst, currywurst, and raclette, to camembert croquettes and candy cane s’mores. We’ve also heard the words “boozy cheese fondue” mentioned enough times to know that we’ll be making a beeline for it, thank you very much! Naturally, warming winter tipples will be on offer, so you can bounce merrily from mulled wine and spiced cider to naughty hot chocolates and back, all night long.
Now that the Christmas lights are up, Pergola Paddington will welcome winter brunches, Christmas film screenings, wreath-making classes, gospel choir singalongs, a sausage dog party (get me there now!), a Thanksgiving special, and visits from Santa Claus. Really, this place is the perfect excuse to throw the bumper Christmas season we all thoroughly deserve…
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