'Santa Claus is coming to town' near Meads Reach Bridge

As part of this year's Christmas Adventures light trail, 'Santa Claus is coming to town', is being projected at Meads Reach Bridge.

Scroll down for some fun facts about the song and for our special #MerryBristmas fact to get you in a festive mood!

Location

Located close to the Meads Rich Bridge by Glass Wharf, those coming in to Bristol Temple Meads will be able to tick off an illumination within minutes! 

For those in need of a refreshment of the fermented apple kind (you are in Bristol after all!), head to The Cider Box’s nearby Tap Room. Bristol’s urban cidery have even produced an advent calendar this year – open a window for each day in December to find a cheeky treat to soak up the Christmas countdown. 

A whole host of hotels are only a stone’s throw from this thriving business quarter. They include Hilton Garden Inn, Ibis Temple Meads Quay and the newly built Leonardo Hotel Bristol Glassfields. With accommodation in high demand over the Christmas period, especially at weekends, we suggest booking your accommodation as far ahead as you can. Swap the busy and bustling streets for a more relaxed shopping experience by planning a midweek visit. Weekday mornings are the quietest time to visit when you can enjoy the same festive atmosphere with fewer people around.  

On Thursdays there’ll be a delicious smell in the air as Temple Quay Market serves lunch choices from Bristol's exciting street food scene. The line-up is different each week, but you can expect to find an array of stalls with vegetarian and vegan options always available, as well as cakes for those with a sweet tooth.  

Song fact

This lyric is taken from the song of the same name 'Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town' originally written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie. The earliest known recorded version of the song was by banjoist Harry Reser and his band on October 24, 1934. It was then sung on Eddie Cantor's radio show in November 1934. This version became an instant hit with orders for 500,000 copies of sheet music and more than 30,000 records sold within 24 hours.

Cantor's original performance, broadcast at the height of the Great Depression, included verses not in the standard version of the song, encouraging listeners to be charitable and help the less fortunate at Christmas.

The song has been re-recorded by many over 200 artists including Bing Crosby, Mariah Carey, Neil Diamond, Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra, Chris Isaak, The Temptations, The Jackson 5, Justin Bieber and Michael Buble. 

#MerryBristmas Fact 

This illumination is located just by Meads Reach Bridge, otherwise known as 'Cheesegrater' bridge because of it's uncanny resemblance to that kitchen implement. Bristol's central railway station, Temple Meads sits just past the bridge. It is a historically important building, with a stunning architectural facade. It first opened in 1840 as the western terminus of the Great Western Railway, which was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who also designed the SS Great Britain and The Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Find out more about Brunel and other Bristol icons including Banksy and Aardman Animations.

Temple Meads name derives from the nearby Temple Church, which was built by the Knights Templar in the 12th century and today has a tower that leans 1.6 metres out of the vertical, meaning Bristol has its own leaning tower!

Also near the illumination is the Temple Quay ferry stop. During December you can catch the Bristol Ferry and meet Santa on one of their Sail with Santa trips. And if you don't get to meet Santa on the ferry this year, there are plenty of other places to meet Santa, when he 'comes to town', including at Cabot Circus, where they have a giant Santa overseeing the Christmas shoppers.

Other Christmas Adventures illuminations nearby:

• 'Have a holly jolly Christmas' on the Natwest Building, Temple Quay
• 'Rockin’ around the Christmas tree' at The Distillery Building
• 'Run, run Rudolph' at Unity Sexual Health Centre

Please make sure that you adhere to government covid-safety guidance when visiting the Christmas Adventures illuminations. 

- Find out more about all the Christmas Adventures illuminations throughout Bristol city centre

- Find out what else is going on this Christmas in Bristol

- Listen to the Spotify playlist

The project is part of Bristol City Centre BID’s #LoveBristol campaign which promotes the recovery of the city, bringing together 100s of businesses to help create the festive trail. New to this year is the partnership with Redcliffe and Temple BID, adding many new and iconic locations to the attraction.

DISCOVER WHAT'S NEARBY