The reveal of Fenwick's Window in Newcastle for 2026 has taken place, with The Gruffalo's Child chosen as this year's theme. Early reactions have been strongly positive, with shoppers describing the display as 'incredible' and 'amazing.'
The famous Northumberland Street department store has been a Tyneside institution since the 1970s, with past highlights including The Wind in the Willows, Paddington, The Snowman and Chronicles of Narnia. Last year's Christmas Carol display drew particular praise, with shoppers calling it 'the best in years,' raising expectations for the 2026 reveal.
Theme and Public Reaction
The Gruffalo's Child is a bestselling 2004 children's picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, and is the sequel to The Gruffalo. It has also been adapted as a stage production and a 25-minute BBC film, with voices from Robbie Coltrane, Shirley Henderson and James Corden featuring in the 2011 animated special.
This year's windows are reimagined with a festive twist, celebrating the magic of storytelling and the joy of reading together. Within minutes of the unveiling, positive comments began to appear online and from those present.
One mother who attended the reveal said: 'What an incredible window this year! Such a special night again.' Another person, eager to visit the display, replied: 'This is so exiting!!!!! I look forward to this every year and it's so wonderful to see such a lovely theme with animatronics!! Can't wait to see it tomorrow.'
Opening and Access
Some viewers have already declared the 2026 window to be '#the best one yet,' while another simply wrote: 'wow amazing!'
Fenwick's Window will officially open to the public on Monday, November 2 and will remain on display in the run-up to Christmas.
