Liverpool favourite The Bus Yard is coming to Santa’s Secret Forest this Christmas, bringing its much-loved food, drinks and atmosphere to Merrywood Market for the immersive attraction’s second year.
The independent hospitality brand will join Santa’s Secret Forest at Orrell Hill Woods in Hightown when the magical Christmas experience returns from Saturday 21 November, with a huge festive food and drink offering for families to enjoy as part of their visit.
Known across the city for its street food, drinks and unique outdoor events, The Bus Yard will bring some of its most popular concepts into the forest alongside festive specials created especially for Christmas.
Families can tuck into festive burgers, loaded fries and loaded Yorkshire pudding wraps filled with turkey, pulled pork or cauliflower mornay alongside roast potatoes, stuffing, gravy and all the festive trimmings.
Delicious sides including Christmas dinner tots, pigs in blankets and crispy panko brie bites will make the perfect snack or accompaniment to a main, plus there’s a Santa’s Little Helpers menu for children too with nuggets, fish fingers and hot dogs with chips available.
For something sweet, The Crumble Pot will serve warming fruit crumbles with custard, cream or ice cream, while The Bus Yard’s Churro Airstream will offer freshly made churros loaded with indulgent sauces, toppings and seasonal flavours.
The Bus Yard’s distinctive 32ft Events Bus will also roll into Merrywood Market, serving everything from luxury festive hot chocolates and mulled wine and cider to festive cocktails and draft beers.
Alongside The Bus Yard offering, families will be able to get cosy beneath covered tipis, toast marshmallows and visit Santa’s Secret Forest’s traditional sweet shop, creating a festive market experience for families to enjoy after their journey through the forest.
Andy Laird, from The Bus Yard, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be joining Santa’s Secret Forest this Christmas and bringing The Bus Yard to Merrywood Market.
“Christmas is one of our favourite times of year and we’ll be going all out with the food and drinks, from loaded Yorkshire pudding wraps, hot crumbles and churros to festive cocktails, mulled wine and our luxury hot chocolates.
“We’ve always been about bringing people together over great food and drinks and creating an atmosphere people want to stick around and enjoy. Santa’s Secret Forest has created something really special in Liverpool and we can’t wait to become part of it this Christmas.”
The announcement comes as Santa’s Secret Forest prepares to return to Liverpool following a hugely successful debut season in 2025.
Far more than a traditional grotto, the experience invites families to step inside an entire 2,700sqm Christmas world, combining an illuminated woodland trail with immersive theatre, live characters, storytelling and technology before the all-important visit to Santa himself.
For 2026, the experience will be even more magical with an all-new Burrow featuring real magicians and puppeteers, magic wands for children, a spectacular new entrance tunnel, upgraded light trail and the UK’s largest snow machine, alongside 10 immersive rooms and real reindeer.
James McMahon, Director of Sidestep Events Ltd, said: “We want every part of Santa’s Secret Forest to feel special, and that includes what happens once families have completed their journey and arrive at Merrywood Market.
“The Bus Yard is a brilliant Liverpool brand and they know exactly how to create a great atmosphere. Having their Events Bus in the heart of Merrywood Market alongside all of that festive food and drink is going to add another dimension to the experience.
“We want families to get cosy, toast marshmallows, enjoy something delicious and soak up the atmosphere together. It means the magic doesn’t stop when you’ve met Santa, there’s still more to enjoy.”
Santa’s Secret Forest opens at Orrell Hill Woods on Saturday 21st November 2026, with tickets available now for visits throughout the festive season.
Tickets are on sale now at santassecretforest.co.uk.
