Christmas is coming early to Raby with a new Christmas Emporium
A leading North East attraction, renowned for its destination shopping experience, is expanding its retail offering with the creation of a unique Christmas Emporium.
Raby Castle, Park and Gardens' Coach House Shop, which is home to luxury homeware, gifts, furniture and fashion alongside reclaimed pieces from across the estate, is expanding into the Riding School to create an enchanting Christmas department store this year.
The Christmas Emporium will officially launch on Thursday 8th October, with a special evening event taking place from 4pm to 7pm. The nostalgic space will be filled with Christmas decorations, delicate baubles, twinkling lights and unique stocking fillers.
The Tutti store is also relocating to the Riding School, where it will showcase its new Autumn/Winter clothing collection, designed to fit effortlessly into everyday life. Fluid tailoring, tactile knitwear, considered outerwear and relaxed silhouettes combine to create a wardrobe that feels both effortless and polished.
The Coach House Shop will continue to offer a selection of gifts from sought-after premium brands including Plum & Ashby and Elizabeth Scarlett, alongside beautiful seasonal homeware and a carefully chosen collection of thoughtful gifts for even the hardest people to buy for.
The shop will also introduce a new food emporium, featuring an exclusive selection of premium brands.
The decision to expand and create Raby’s Christmas Emporium follows strong demand for festive gifts and decorations at the attraction last year.
Stephanie Goss, retail, buying and merchandising manager at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens said: "We were blown away by the response to our 2025 Christmas selection, which we'd thoughtfully curated throughout the year in preparation, and our baubles and decorations were exceptionally popular – a lot of these were snapped up in the first few weeks.
"By utilising the expansive space in the Riding School, we've created our very own Christmas haven, providing our visitors with a wider range of distinctive decorations and gifts for friends and loved ones to choose from this year.
“The Christmas Emporium also provides an immersive festive experience, featuring seasonal fragrances and an atmosphere full of rich red, gold and green colours that signal Christmas, and is a fantastic addition to the stress-free destination shopping that Raby is well known for. With free on-site parking, our helpful staff and inspirational landscape, including the castle and deer park as the backdrop, Raby provides a memorable outing over simply shopping for just products."
During the launch evening, visitors can enjoy mulled wine, deluxe hot chocolates and bratwurst sausages from the Estate Pop Up. From Saturday 14th November, the Christmas Emporium will also feature a festive café area, offering visitors somewhere to enjoy a treat after their Christmas shopping.
The expansion comes as Raby’s retail operation continues to grow, with the Coach House Shop recording a 30% year-on-year increase in revenue since opening in 2024.
Raby believes its wider destination shopping experience is a key part of its success. As well as free parking and a relaxed shopping environment, visitors can make a full day of their visit by exploring the grounds, enjoying lunch or meeting friends for a glass of fizz at The Vinery Café, strolling through the Walled Gardens or visiting the free-to-enter exhibition space.
Over the Christmas period, the magnificent Entrance Hall at the castle will once again host Raby’s popular festive afternoon tea and castle tours on selected dates in December. Festive afternoon tea will also be available at The Vinery Cafe, where visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the castle.
For further information about Raby Castle, Park and Gardens and the Christmas Emporium launch evening, visit www.raby.co.uk/events/christmas-shopping-evening
