Newark shop Village Chic new Christmas mural featuring Santa, raises money for Mayor's charities Newark Emmaus Trust and Sconce Hills pre-school

A shop well-known for its shop front murals is once again spreading joy with a new Christmas design.

Village Chic on Castlegate, Newark, is renowned for its eagerly-anticipated shop murals celebrating and commemorating major holidays and events.

This most recent addition features Santa Claus swinging from a chandelier, which lights up at night and ties into an event the shop is holding in the run-up to Christmas.

In November the boutique's shop front was adorned with bright red poppies to mark remembrance and in the past has dedicated its walls to Queen Elizabeth II following her death in September and featured colourful beach huts during the Newark-on-Sea urban beach event held in the market place this summer.

The owner of Village Chic, Lucretia Henry-Brewin, said: "The theme we have gone for is The Night Before Christmas based on the poem, which we have rewritten slightly and inspires what is on the wall outside.

"We are also doing a present giveaway where people can come in and choose a present for free from out Night Before Christmas display bedroom, but we do ask that they leave a donation, which will go towards the Mayor's chosen charities, the Emmaus Trust and the Sconce Hills pre-school.

"Because we have had such an overwhelming response to the displays this year from everyone in Newark we thought it would nice for us to give something back and chose these Newark-based charities."

Lucrezia talked about the rewritten poem, which features the line "to my wandering eye, what shall appear? But Santa Claus swinging from a fine chandelier."

She said: "We were so worried about painting the walls like we always do because we couldn't predict if it was going to rain all week.

"So we decided to do something different, that wasn't just based on the walls and so we cut out these chandeliers and stuck with the one image of Santa.

"The amount of layer of paint that must be on this wall from all the displays we have done this year. It takes a lot of hard work and I don't think people realise how much goes into one display.

"So it would be nice if anyone who has seen the shop in the past or read about it in the newspaper and would like to say thank you, instead come in and leave a donation for these wonderful charities."

Mayor of Newark Laurence Goff paid a visit to the shop to thank them for their help.

He said: "They have been amazing to support my chosen charities.

"I'm grateful that they have agreed to have this room for me, where people can come in a take a gift if they want to and give a donation as charities are struggling at the moment for support.

"It's amazing what can be done when you put your heart and soul into something and it shows the spirit of Christmas.

"The murals are great. It really gives them the recognition they deserve because it helps put Newark on the map and its the first thing people see when they come into town."

Newark Emmaus Trust chief executive Nikki Burley said they were grateful for the support from the mayor and Village Chic.

She said: "Laurence named us as one of his charities of the year when he became mayor and raises money on our behalf and helps us at events.

"He is very keen and very passionate about helping the young homeless, which is what we do, and so we are very grateful because while we do get some funding we rely on these sort of donations.

"This event is something a bit different but supports the local community of Newark as opposed to the national events.

"We are Newark Emmaus Trust so we help the young homeless people of Newark.

"Events like this raise funds but they also help raise awareness about the fact that there is a charity to help people aged 16-25 that are struggling.

"It's all about benefitting the Newark community and clearly that's what this lady is doing too."

The Village Chic present giveaway will run up until Christmas.

The shop is also featuring an alternative display at this year's Christmas Tree Festival in Newark Parish Church where visitors can see a bed themed around Santa.