- 5 weeks ago
A Very British Christmas S01E02 Bamburgh Castle
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00:00Decorating for Christmas is easy, right? Fancy baubles, tinsel and fairy lights. Job done.
00:09Unless you're decorating this, or this, or this. There are three things that hold Christmas up
00:20at Castle Howard. Chicken wire, glue gun sticks and cable ties. One crack team of Christmas crafters
00:28are responsible for bringing the festive season into some of Britain's best-loved buildings.
00:36The logistics is a little bit more than moving boxes of baubles around.
00:41For Dave, Laura, Brian and the rest, Christmas is a full-time job.
00:53Always get there in the end, through panic or coffee or gin.
00:56This is the bit that no-one ever sees backstage.
00:59Top of the tree.
01:01Cute.
01:02Designer and ex-theatre producer, Charlotte.
01:05How do we feel about buying a kilometre of green lights?
01:08And business partner, former costume designer, Adrian.
01:12If they'd been purchased at full price, it was over £7,000.
01:15Right, OK.
01:16Eight years of Christmas installations just keep getting bigger.
01:20Well, it totally looks like it's not going to fit.
01:23Balder.
01:23I'm just worried about that statue.
01:25And riskier.
01:26Good job, good job!
01:31Sidestepping priceless antiques and cautious clients.
01:35How can they make an armoury Christmas-y, yeah?
01:39The clock is ticking.
01:40Three, two, one.
01:42To doors opening.
01:44God, it's fabulous.
01:46For Christmas.
01:48Next year's ambition is...
01:50Not to break the team.
01:52Bambra Castle, on the Northumberland coast.
02:09A mind-boggling mix of Anglo-Saxon foundations, Norman fortifications and Victorian restoration.
02:16Home to kings, knights, legends and ghosts, this fairytale castle has seen more than a thousand Christmases come and go.
02:27But there's no doubt that last year's was the one with the most glitter.
02:31I'm so thrilled with what we did last year at Bambra.
02:39It was decadent, wasn't it?
02:41Making the most of the castle's history, a Christmas through time thrilled visitors, with everything from a banquet for Henry VIII to a full-size Viking ship.
02:53The fact we do it in four days, it's such a fast turnaround.
02:57It is.
02:58It was the fifth Christmas Charlotte and Adrian have conjured up for owners the Watson-Armstrong family.
03:05The loveliest family to work with.
03:08They're quite upfront in telling us if they don't like something.
03:11But then once it's signed off, it's like, over to you, Charlotte and Adrian, you're the experts.
03:16When you come over the hill and you see the castle in front of you, the heart swell.
03:28Frankie and Claire don't just own this piece of history, it's actually their home.
03:33And already they're wondering how to turn an 11th century battleground into something a bit more festive, yet again.
03:41It's so difficult, isn't it, to think, how can they make an armoury Christmas-y, yeah.
03:48How has Charlotte and her team transformed it into a non-weapons room?
03:54Weaponry, yes.
03:55They're very clever, fantastic.
03:58I don't know what goes on in their minds, it's incredible.
04:02Bambra Castle is open all year round.
04:05But Christmas is their busiest time, providing almost 30% of its annual revenue.
04:11And at 1,000 years old, it's a bit of a money pit.
04:17It's not a sob story, but we get nothing from any external sources for looking after Bambra Castle.
04:23And the thing's getting more expensive.
04:25In the Great Hall, we're doing a roof.
04:28And, you know, that's going to be seven figures, something to repair that roof.
04:31Scaffolding is going to be well into the six figures, so, you know, it's massive.
04:35That's money that we are spending, that the visitors are bringing into the castle.
04:39Without them, there would be no castle.
04:43It's early summer.
04:50And at Christmas headquarters in Yorkshire, this is where the magic begins.
04:56Juliana's got 60,000 baubles to sort.
04:59Along with Claire and Chrissie in floristry, Erin in costume, and Dave in the workshop.
05:06Everyone's determined to make Christmas at Bambra the best one yet.
05:10Safety first.
05:12Charlotte and Adrian have decided that a fairy tale castle deserves the fairy tale treatment.
05:18Some of the smaller rooms would pick up nice stories.
05:21Like the golden goose.
05:22Yeah.
05:23Jack and the beanstalk's an obvious one.
05:25Yeah.
05:25Well, hook would be great, wouldn't you?
05:28Hook with his treasure, and a nice nautical theme as well.
05:30Rumble silkskin and...
05:31Spinning gold.
05:32Spinning gold.
05:34Aladdin's cave.
05:36But, of course.
05:37There's a lot of stories about gold.
05:40Christmas treasures, isn't it?
05:41Treasured tales.
05:42Treasured tales.
05:43There we go.
05:45One of the teams said that they had an Aladdin's lamp.
05:49Again, I think I saw a picture of it, just not with any reference to size.
05:53And a big magnifying glass.
05:54There's just four months until Bambra's Christmas fairy tales opens to the public.
06:06The display will be spread throughout the castle, taking in many of its most prestigious rooms.
06:14Charlotte's got to make sure the vision matches up to the splendor.
06:18This is the lovely fair chamber, and it's softer than most feminine, I guess, of rooms.
06:22So this is going to be our mermaid scorch story.
06:25There'll be ten stories, including the emperor and the nightingale, in the 15th century armory.
06:32Jack's beanstalk will be planted in the keep.
06:34And Captain Hook, in the billiard room.
06:40This room is Frankie's favourite.
06:41So Captain Hook is like Christmas mad, right?
06:44So it's just, honestly, you cannot move for stuff.
06:46And obviously he's a thief, right?
06:47So he's got all his amassed loot.
06:50Everything was signed off with owner Frankie weeks ago.
06:53But Charlotte might be about to blow plans for the ornate King's Hall, right out of the water.
07:02King's Hall, we were going to do Treasure Island.
07:05Yes.
07:07But since I've been back this morning, there's been a little idea that's been brewing.
07:11And stood there today, I thought, actually, we should go for it, because I think there is something else.
07:17Last year, the grand finale was nearly a complete disaster.
07:22We did have a moment of a moment last year, didn't we?
07:25We did, Charlotte, yes.
07:26There was meant to be that long ship.
07:28Yeah, it was, in fact.
07:30A short ship.
07:34Because there wasn't much of it that turned up as planned.
07:37What was meant to be a full Viking ship ended up half sunk.
07:42It was a bad moment, I have to say.
07:43So Charlotte's big idea could be very difficult to sell to Frankie.
07:49So.
07:50So.
07:52The King's Hall.
07:53The King's Hall.
07:54So we had discussed and agreed.
07:57Yes.
07:58Treasure Island.
07:59Yes.
07:59Which will still happen.
08:01Yes.
08:02But I think, rather than Treasure Island taking up all of this space,
08:06Treasure Island should be in the cross chamber.
08:11Cross, yeah.
08:12So you come in, so you see the island.
08:13Yep.
08:14And you're seeing the island from the deck of the Jolly Roger.
08:21That takes up this entire space.
08:24The whole space.
08:24The whole room.
08:25The whole space.
08:26So basically, when we come into King's Hall.
08:30Yep.
08:31It's like we're stepping onto the deck of the Jolly Roger.
08:35Yeah.
08:35I think it'd be fantastic, because it literally will be like we're sailing.
08:40Have the visitors got access to go on the Jolly Roger?
08:44Yeah, no, they'll walk through it.
08:45Oh, okay.
08:46So it'll be like a, you know.
08:47So they're immersing the ship itself.
08:49Exactly.
08:49They're on the Jolly Roger.
08:53Do we feel, or more importantly, do you feel that that's going to work in this space?
08:59You like the idea of that?
09:00I can see it now.
09:01I can see it.
09:02I think it's fantastic.
09:03This hall is absolutely designed for stuff like that.
09:06So, yes, I can picture it, and I love it.
09:09The Jolly Roger isn't the team's only big ambition.
09:13In the Norman Keep, Dave's planning an enormous metal-framed beanstalk for Jack to climb.
09:21So, if the King's Hall wasn't bad enough, what's the height of this ceiling?
09:26One second.
09:28You've already measured this, haven't you?
09:29On laser.
09:30It was five and a half.
09:32Yeah.
09:33Five and a half metres.
09:33And do we really think we can get something that tall?
09:38I can build something that tall.
09:42But that is the problem.
09:46Everything has to come up this tiny flight of steps by way of a weirdly shaped door.
09:52So it's this that's the issue?
09:54Yeah.
09:55And are you going to tell me why it's that shape?
09:57The milk bottle door, that's so, back in the day when there was an emergency and you'd have a guard, like a watchman.
10:03Yeah.
10:05And they need to get that message in there as quick as possible.
10:09Yeah.
10:10It's that shape because they would literally be on horseback and go straight through the door.
10:15So that's wider there to get the horse through.
10:18Yeah, the horse.
10:19And he ducked.
10:21He'd have to duck, yeah.
10:23But, yeah.
10:24That's why it's that shape.
10:26Doesn't help beanstalks, though, does it?
10:28No, it doesn't.
10:28For eight years, the team at Christmas HQ have been building, buying, storing and reusing all the props and decorations they need to dress stately homes across Britain.
10:47So eight of these might work.
10:55Don't know.
10:56This year, they have six properties to fill and they're running out of suitable storage.
11:01Right, so this little shop of horrors in here, this, this.
11:06Well, there are many reasons, but this is one of the main reasons why we need a much bigger, less leaky, less pigeon-ridden space.
11:16Nice, right?
11:18And in there is where the missing interns live.
11:21It was only a matter of time before there was an accident.
11:32You all right, Joanna?
11:33Yeah.
11:34Oh, it's you.
11:35Chippy Brian and design assistant Theodora are on hand to save Adrian from a brush with Christmas past.
11:42Do you need a hand?
11:44Do you need a brush?
11:46It's a dangerous game, this Christmas thing, isn't it?
11:49Most people have just the one or two boxes in the loft with decorations and we have a whole farm.
11:56This place is bursting at the seams.
12:01And here comes more.
12:03A delivery for Bambra.
12:07Thankfully, not all of our suppliers come in in articulated vehicles.
12:13Um, but when they do, it's, it is, it's a little, it's a little bit chancy, because we're, we're kind of tucked away behind a working farm, which wasn't really designed to have articulated lorries come to its back door.
12:30You're good?
12:37So this delivery is on pallets, which makes it a little bit easier, provided the pump truck power is working.
12:45Well, that's just asking for trouble.
12:53Eight fake trees, 400 glass baubles, 500 pounds worth of faux flowers and almost definitely three French hens just have to get the last 100 metres to their new home.
13:05Oh, no.
13:22Not that power.
13:26God damn it.
13:28Does that mean it's just completely inoperative?
13:30I'll get them all to the back and down, don't believe what I've got, I don't think I'll get the track of me.
13:39No one said Christmas was easy.
13:41There are just three months to go, and at Christmas HQ, work is underway to create a fairytale Christmas for Bamboura Castle.
14:06In modelling, Mark's made a flying start on a bird for the Emperor and the Nightingale.
14:11This isn't modelling polystyrene, it's just packaging we're reusing.
14:17We're going to heavily paint it and then cover it in jewellery.
14:22Next door, Dave's tackling his giant beanstalk, welding it in sections in the hope it will fit up a tiny staircase in the castle's Norman Keep.
14:33This is where I keep my welding gloves on because this is where I forget where I've just welded and I usually just pick it up and my skin comes off with it.
14:44But it's harder to pick up with welding gloves on.
14:55And this is why I burn myself, see?
14:57The team's flat out, and not just for Bamboura, they've got another five properties to decorate.
15:02That's a lot of baubles.
15:11Wow. Look at this.
15:14Adrian and Charlotte have taken a drastic step.
15:17That's lovely with the lanterns on the tree.
15:19They've come all the way to Amsterdam for their first ever visit to one of Europe's biggest Christmas suppliers.
15:29Welcome to gaming.
15:30Thank you. Wow.
15:31Finally got us here.
15:32It looks amazing.
15:33God, it's incredible.
15:34Coming here.
15:35So this must be, are you like the biggest Christmas show?
15:38Yeah, well, we're a very big Christmas company, yeah.
15:40We have here 7,000 metres of pure Christmas.
15:43Wow.
15:44And there's 15,000 products here.
15:47Gosh.
15:48And it follows the local fashion trends and trends across Europe.
15:50So yeah, very exciting.
15:51Amazing.
15:52Are we going down?
15:53Yeah, please.
15:54This is stunning, right?
15:59This place supplies decorations and faux trees to stately homes, shopping empires and royal palaces in over 90 countries.
16:11Do you want to set me up with a scanner so I can go shopping?
16:14Oh, you have a scanner?
16:15I'm not allowed a scanner.
16:16No.
16:17She points at things and I'm like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
16:19And I just don't scan it.
16:21I'm going to get you a little scanner later.
16:23Yeah, exactly, exactly, exactly.
16:24Don't tell him.
16:25Yeah.
16:26Yeah.
16:27Yeah.
16:28OK, what do you want again?
16:30Have a look at your big balls?
16:32Let's just keep going round and we'll do big balls last.
16:35OK.
16:36Charlotte and Adrian have been working together for over a decade.
16:42Step away from whatever that is.
16:44OK.
16:45It's a long time for any relationship.
16:49Are we good for grapes?
16:51We're good for grapes.
16:52Yeah?
16:53You sure?
16:54Yeah.
16:55Mm-hmm.
16:56We've got a lot of grapes I'm not very keen on.
16:59This is nice.
17:04We've got so much clip and colours there.
17:06If the man says...
17:07If the man says...
17:08I said to Laura...
17:09If the man says we have, we have.
17:10I said to Laura, not buying any more clips and she was like...
17:14Like the floor to ceiling, four times I said.
17:17Mm-hmm.
17:18Step away from the clips.
17:21The happy couple aren't just looking for statement pieces.
17:25Where do we want to use rotating tree this year?
17:28So what about giving Hook a rotating tree?
17:30Oh, yeah.
17:31When in doubt, give it to Hook.
17:34They're also hunting for stock suitable for Bambra's gift shop.
17:38Don't know that we need a lot of woodland.
17:41I feel they're too rustic.
17:42It's too rustic.
17:43Anything shouting out at you?
17:46Brits blow an estimated 630 million quid a year on Christmas decks.
17:51I don't think there's anything here that's right for us this year.
17:55Any of that spent at the castle would be a welcome contribution towards its upkeep.
18:04A yurt bauble.
18:05Oh, a yurt bauble.
18:07That's amazing.
18:08That is amazing.
18:09Finally, they found something they both like.
18:12Novelty.
18:13Look at this.
18:16Rainbow lips.
18:19Rainbow deflated balloon.
18:21It looks like a strange hot water bottle.
18:25And if they must have an excuse.
18:27It's in.
18:28Well, it's pirate plunder.
18:30Surely Captain Hook would have a bejeweled croissant.
18:34Where can I put an iguana?
18:36I'm sure Captain Hook has iguanas.
18:38Is it an iguana or is it a chameleon?
18:41Anybody?
18:42I think it's a chameleon.
18:49Summer is nearly over.
18:54In just two and a half months, ten Christmas fairytale rooms have to be installed at Banborough Castle.
19:00Every bauble, nightingale and beanstalk needs transporting up the basalt cliff, past three fortified walls and along ancient passageways into some of the oldest and grandest rooms in Britain.
19:14But a hundred miles south at Christmas HQ, there's still a lot to do.
19:21In the loft, Erin and Adrian are starting a costume fit for a king.
19:29Let me do his little neckline there.
19:33I'm just doing this by eye because I've cut many necklines on many shirts, on many things.
19:42I could not do this by eye.
19:44I would have to measure, I'd have to put it onto paper, cut out the paper and then layer it and make sure it's flat.
19:53It is so impressive to me that he is doing this by eye.
19:55And that just comes from experience.
19:57Yeah.
19:58I started off, I would use super cheap fabrics.
20:01Yes.
20:02Just to kind of play around and then not feel guilty if it went horribly wrong.
20:05Yeah.
20:06Which it used to on quite a regular basis and still does sometimes now.
20:11The only problem is that now I'm cutting into £30 a metre silk.
20:15This kimono's for the emperor and the nightingale.
20:18But if you imagine that that's then going to do that.
20:22Gorgeous.
20:23Yeah.
20:24Perfect.
20:25The feathered half of the story is being touched up by Juliana.
20:30It took two days to actually make the bird and then another two days to stick all these blingy bits on.
20:39Dave's finished the framework for the giant beanstalk.
20:43But it can't be fully assembled until it gets to Bamboura.
20:47Okay, then.
20:48Just have a look, see what we've got.
20:50Claire and Chrissie have chicken wire, fabric, fake leaves and a couple of hundred cable ties to try to make each section a little more lifelike.
21:00So if we just make piles of the different product to see what we've actually got, because it's a while since we've looked at all this, isn't it?
21:06This is Dave's beanstalk version 2.0.
21:09This, yeah, this is the base of the first one that I made.
21:17So it's a lot wider, but I didn't really, I didn't get the effect that I wanted.
21:26With this second one, because it's a lot narrower, I've kind of been able to go off in angles and give it that kind of twisty feel of a beanstalk all the way up to the ceiling.
21:40Does this look all right, Claire, from your side? I'm not pulling it too tight.
21:43So I'm hoping this one looks a bit more animated.
21:46And then what I'll do is just go inside and weave it back through the other way.
21:50At five metres high, this will almost touch the ceiling of the Norman Keep.
21:55Is there any cable ties out there?
21:57If Dave's got his measurements right.
22:01The first time that I'll actually get to put this full beanstalk together will actually be on site in Bamboura.
22:11I know the individual parts fit, but I've just not seen it complete from top to bottom.
22:22Getting the beanstalk up is Dave's responsibility.
22:27Because Adrian and Charlotte will be away with another Christmas client during installation.
22:32Oh, there's one golden goblin.
22:35Theodora will be in charge of Captain Hook's table.
22:37Do we want this cutlery? Is this a sign for her? That's a sign for him, yeah.
22:41It'll be in owner Frankie's favourite haunt, the billiard room.
22:45But they still haven't worked out what it will look like.
22:50Now, the bread rolls are for the crew. He's not having bread. He's having ice cream.
22:56Maybe the crew get a raw turnip each. Or a carrot. A carrot and a bread roll.
23:01A carrot's quite funny. A carrot and a bread roll.
23:04Although scurvy, I don't think they should.
23:06No, because he's treating them too well then.
23:09Theodora's only been with Team Christmas for two years.
23:12Do you want to take some of your own photos? Yes.
23:14It's the first time she's been given such a big responsibility.
23:19No pressure then.
23:20We're doing this now because Charlotte and I will only be at Bamburgh for about 24 hours.
23:25So the more that the team are briefed on and kind of get a head start on, the better.
23:33I'm very flattered to be trusted with getting this started.
23:36I didn't trust you with it. It was Adrian.
23:39I hope I can do it good justice, but yeah, I'm super excited, so...
23:44I think I've been demoted when I wasn't looking, basically.
23:47It's about developing the team's talents, Charlotte.
23:50See this fork?
23:51It's October. In one month's time, Bamburgh Castle opens its doors for Christmas.
24:08And in the grandest room of all, the King's Hall, the team have promised a full-size pirate ship.
24:15It's a tall order.
24:1680 miles down the coast, in the historic port of Hartlepool, Dave's trying to work out whether it's even faintly possible.
24:29Permission to come aboard, sir?
24:31Permission granted.
24:35Wow.
24:37It's huge.
24:39He's come to look at HMS Trincomalee, the oldest British warship, still afloat.
24:44I couldn't have this one, could I?
24:46Did you?
24:47Over 200 years old, and a whopping 180 feet long, there's a lot to take in.
24:54And Dave's not the yachting type.
24:57So this one, Dave, this is the main mast, as you can see, this is the tallest one in the middle of the ship.
25:01Yeah.
25:02We've got the foremast, which is there, and then the mizzenmast at the back.
25:06So we have a foremast, main, and...
25:09Mizzen.
25:10Yeah. Mizzen.
25:11Mizzen?
25:12Mizzen.
25:13M-I double said, again, mizzen.
25:15Okay, not rear.
25:16No.
25:17Mizzen.
25:20With Charlotte and Adrian tied up with Christmas in five other stately homes, the helm for this one falls to Dave.
25:27There's a lot of rigging. You don't know how many miles of rope there is, do you?
25:31Fifteen.
25:32Fifteen miles of rope?
25:33Yeah, yeah.
25:34Because you think up and down, up and down, up and down and then across.
25:37Then all the supports for the masts as well.
25:40They must be quite heavy.
25:41They are indeed.
25:42Yeah.
25:43Because it's thick rope.
25:44Yeah.
25:45That knot alone is probably like a couple of kilos.
25:48Absolutely.
25:49Yeah.
25:50The ship sounded great on paper.
25:51But the reality is proving a little more daunting.
25:55It's huge, isn't it?
25:57Um, yeah, I don't know how I'm going to do all this.
26:09Dave needs to come up with a solution, and fast.
26:16And I love how chunky and sturdy it all looks.
26:19I mean, it'd be great to make it look this full.
26:22What I'm thinking is that I can get the chunkier stuff and just have it almost like thrown over barrels and coiled up on the deck.
26:31Instead of building the whole thing, shipping in a load of props would be much more sensible.
26:36Barrels.
26:37I'm going to need quite a few barrels, I think.
26:40So, I love these.
26:41That's going to really work for a Christmas setting.
26:44Absolutely.
26:47A bell would be quite good.
26:49Absolutely.
26:50We've got a bell.
26:51If you want to look at the bell, you can have a go.
26:53I'll have a go at the bell.
26:55Right.
26:56Can you get on with that bit?
26:57Aye, aye, Captain.
26:58And give it a good pull?
26:59This bit.
27:00That bit.
27:01This bit.
27:04Lunch.
27:06The only thing missing from Dave's pirate ship plan is a parrot.
27:14Luckily, the castle has one of its own.
27:17Can you see a parrot?
27:19Woo!
27:20Nice.
27:21Jacob's helping castle owner Claire sign off on marketing for their festive fairy tales.
27:26So, here's a little rescue parrot.
27:28And I've discovered it's more peaceful if he joins in.
27:32Because if he just stays on the floor, he shrieks.
27:35Woo!
27:36Woo!
27:37The rest of the castle team are also readying for the arrival of Christmas.
27:42I thought I would say to do it harm really.
27:44Castle steward, Stuart, is moving family heirlooms out of harm's way.
27:51And in the gift shop, it's pack up time for pumpkins.
27:54This is the start of we've been covered in glitter for the next, what?
27:58Three months?
27:59Three months.
28:00Three months, certainly.
28:02Julie and Julie have got boxes of baubles to break open.
28:05Look at that.
28:07That's a beautiful one, Jo.
28:09Wow.
28:10That is gorgeous.
28:11This was a tip from Adrian, actually, wasn't it?
28:14Yeah, it was.
28:15He said to try and keep the same style of baubles in, like, a clump
28:20instead of putting one there and one there.
28:22Yeah.
28:23And it actually works really well, doesn't it?
28:24It does, yeah.
28:25And odd numbers, if you can.
28:26Threes, fives, or sevens.
28:27Same as flower arranging, apparently.
28:29Right, I didn't know that.
28:30Yeah.
28:31That one was lost on me.
28:33Oh, we'll learn in every year.
28:34We'll learn something new every year, don't we, Jule?
28:37There, nice, Julie.
28:40Make a nice set of earrings, don't we?
28:42Oh, they are lovely, aren't they?
28:43Yeah.
28:44Pat Butcher earrings, there.
28:49That phrase, more is less, is untrue.
28:51More is more at Christmas.
28:52Oh, that's nice there, Julie.
28:54Beautiful.
28:55Nice.
28:56So far, so tasteful.
28:58All different colour snowflakes.
29:00But visitor manager, Karen, has just received the shipment from Holland.
29:04This is just the best bit, because you've got all these boxes
29:07and you're wondering what on earth is in them.
29:10Oh, we've got a little, a little toucan.
29:13How sweet.
29:14It's very sparkly.
29:16Oh, look at these.
29:18November's wages, they're spent on things from the shop, aren't they?
29:23They are.
29:24Because we like that much of the stuff.
29:26The gift shop tops up Christmas takings here.
29:29And in this place, every penny counts.
29:33Bambra Castle is over a thousand years old and has been in the Armstrong family for five generations.
29:43But when they bought it in 1894, it was a ruin.
29:50Lord Armstrong revived it as a home and local landmark, pouring his fortune into the restoration.
29:58Frankie grew up here with his parents and sister, inheriting it when he was just 21.
30:03He's dedicated his life to preserving it.
30:06Dad's death was a sudden death.
30:08It wasn't expected.
30:09So I think my mum obviously took it badly, but you pick yourself off the floor and you've
30:14got to get on with it.
30:15There's no time to mess about mourning.
30:17Well, that's the sort of person you are, aren't you?
30:19You're very good at just sort of leading and getting on, rolling your sleeves up and
30:22that's it, and cracking on.
30:24And I just, you know, I'm so proud of you.
30:26I really am, and what you've achieved and done.
30:29Is it daunting?
30:30Yeah, it's terrifying.
30:32Well, it's a big responsibility, isn't it?
30:35You keep the place standing.
30:44It's the start of November.
30:47In just six days, a fairytale Christmas opens at Banborough Castle.
30:52But first it has to get there.
30:55Get the big scenery on, and then back him down to the containers and we'll start emptying
30:59the tent.
31:01The clock's ticking, and Theodora's still at work.
31:06I'm basically making a really quick Jack in the Beanstalk.
31:11I want to make a little outfit for him.
31:14But yeah, it's got to be a quick job today, hopefully to get it done.
31:20A lot to do, and not a lot of time.
31:22Three vans are waiting to be loaded, but Dave's spotted a problem.
31:29Is this 3.5?
31:31That's 11.2.
31:3311.2 feet?
31:35Yeah.
31:36A couple of years ago we had a van turn up for Banborough.
31:40I think it was two of them actually, and they didn't actually fit.
31:42There's a huge kind of a block gate that you go through, and they actually didn't fit through
31:47at all.
31:48This is one of those vans that won't fit through.
31:50There's no time to order a different van.
31:54We're going to have to load this one up, and then outside the castle we'll transfer everything
32:02that's in here into the smaller one so that can come through the gate and up.
32:07So it's never easy.
32:11When installation's finished, much of this will be beyond the reach of prying hands.
32:16Right now, months of handiwork is taking a battering.
32:24I think there's going to be a lot of zhuzhing of product today.
32:27Sorry.
32:28That's fine.
32:29Sorry.
32:30It's fine.
32:32Most of it's all right.
32:34It's falling to pieces.
32:36Yeah.
32:37No, we're all good.
32:38It's all going on.
32:49This is very delicate.
32:53They're quite effective from a distance.
32:56It's only close up, you can see the polystyrene.
33:00Try and carry it by this, not the banister, because the banister will break.
33:06Exactly what I didn't want to have happen.
33:07Well, it's just a case you can't really lift them from the...
33:20I didn't.
33:21This year will be Banborough's biggest Christmas yet, but more decks means less space in the vans.
33:31We've had incidents where we just have underestimated how much van room we're going to need,
33:36and have had to then get an additional vehicle the following day, and I'm just touching words that that's not going to happen this day.
33:44Next up, the Little Mermaid's big pool.
33:51Little Mermaid's big pool.
34:02This could be an issue.
34:03We're going to ditch this piece of scenery.
34:13Right.
34:14Because we've got more important stuff to get on this last vehicle, and it's taking up too much space.
34:21Right.
34:22But will the sacrifice make room for this year's biggest installation?
34:31We're on the last vehicle for Banborough, vehicle number four, and it's going to be a tight squeeze.
34:38The last thing that has to go on is the beanstalk.
34:42This was meant to be one of the high points at Banborough, but it's beginning to look like it may never get there.
34:57Oh, we can just put her on a tiller and then just kind of till her down.
35:01Is that taller than two metres inside?
35:03That's her, yeah.
35:05So we've been talking about getting the beanstalk in the castle.
35:12The issue right now is will it get on the other hand?
35:21Go on, go on.
35:29In.
35:35Success.
35:36Now for the voyage to Banborough Castle.
35:52Five hours later, and every item of fairytale magic has to be unpacked again and carried into the castle,
35:59where it will wait under lock and key until morning.
36:05Then the team will have just four days to install this year's Christmas display.
36:18Christmas is in.
36:20Back up for the night.
36:22Night-night goes deep.
36:24Look after everything for me.
36:26And we'll let the fun begin tomorrow.
36:35At Banborough Castle, the vans have been unpacked and their contents piled high.
36:44With the last of the valuables being moved to safety, it's a race against time to work out where everything goes.
36:52We've got a tricky situation now because we've got several properties all happening at the same time.
36:59Which means we're very reliant on the team because Charlotte and I were just jetting in there.
37:04So we're completely trusting the team to get it right for us.
37:07It's literally so much. It's overwhelming.
37:12In the keep, Stuart is putting up a scaffold tower to help build the giant beanstalk.
37:24The smallest sections make the tight squeeze through the bottle door, up the steps and round the corner.
37:41Now it's time for the biggest piece.
37:47Now it's time for the biggest piece.
38:07Hang on, Tom.
38:08Are you all right at the end there?
38:10Yeah, I've got it.
38:14Just let me get on the right side of it.
38:24It's not going to go.
38:26It actually isn't going to go.
38:31It's easy.
38:32It's easy.
38:35And...
38:37It's through.
38:46Thank you, gents.
38:50Yeah.
38:51Now we've just got to make sure that we've actually made it the right size.
38:55In the rest of the castle, work is in full swing.
39:03Claire and Chrissie are trying to take the edge off the weaponry in the armoury.
39:09Tons of products are going so it'll be really full by the time we're finished.
39:12Just to try and soften things a little bit.
39:15In the King's Hall, there's the first signs of the Jolly Roger.
39:25Theodora's decorating a tree for the Emperor and the Nightingale.
39:30When I go home, my mum does it. I don't get her looking on my own Christmas tree.
39:35My mum takes over. She's not handed over the reins.
39:41Are you beneath me this side?
39:43Yeah.
39:45Right, we're going to start lowering it slowly.
39:47Back in the keep, Dave's drafted in Henry to help piece together the beanstalk.
39:52Yeah.
39:54Yeah?
39:55Yeah, that's good.
39:57It's meant to be 5.3 metres tall.
40:00Next one.
40:01Yeah.
40:03In a room only 5.5 metres high, they'd better hope Dave's got his measurements right.
40:13Well, it totally looks like it's not going to fit.
40:16That's all right, doesn't I agree?
40:21It's just catching as well everywhere.
40:27Two mil. Honestly, just a tiny bit.
40:31That's it? That's it.
40:43That is literally touching the ceiling.
40:45It's just 18 hours until Bambrough Castle's fairytale Christmas opens to the public.
40:56And it's been a busy day.
40:58Theodora's been trying to remember how to lay Captain Hook's banquet.
41:03Just ridiculous difference in what he's willing to give to his crew.
41:09Ultimate gluttony.
41:10The Little Mermaid is all clam glam, even without her rock pool.
41:22The Emperor's Nightingale's ready to burst into song.
41:28And even the banisters are getting glittery.
41:32In the King's Hall, Dave's rigging the Jolly Roger.
41:38Why does that look so bad?
41:40It looks like a bed sheet.
41:42The team's making great progress.
41:45And Adrian and Charlotte have arrived to help finish their creation.
41:48It originated thus, doesn't it?
41:49So you've got to see it through and you've got to sign it off.
41:55Because at the end of the day it's got, you know, your name.
41:58You've got to have the final, final tweak.
42:02It's late.
42:06But finally the Jolly Roger is looking ship-shape.
42:09Heave.
42:10And no fairytale pirate ship would be complete without a skull and crossbones.
42:19Ideally a glittery one.
42:22I mean I can hold it here.
42:25Aye.
42:26Can you get it there?
42:27Get a wee bit further under so I can push it in.
42:29Get it off the skull so you're safe.
42:31Put your hand.
42:32Right, you happy there?
42:33Happy, yeah, yeah.
42:34Right, you're going to move a wee bit.
42:35They've just got to get it up without breaking it.
42:39Oh, there he is.
42:40Easy, easy.
42:44Hang on.
42:45Hang on, hang on.
42:47Stuart, wait, wait.
42:48Yep.
42:49Wait.
42:51What's happening there?
42:52Hang on, wait, Stuart.
42:54Wait!
42:57Wait, Stuart!
42:58Alright, sorry.
43:00I thought you were saying no key.
43:01No, it's caught, it's wrapped round itself.
43:03Do you want me to back off?
43:05No, there you go.
43:07Bit higher.
43:11Yeah.
43:13Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's it.
43:20That looks really good.
43:24Skulls at Christmas.
43:27Hey, you did good.
43:28Morning.
43:29November the 8th.
43:30The thousand-year-old fairy tale castle now has a new set of treasured stories to tell.
43:48After 11 months designing, building and installing, it's nearly ready to open to the public.
44:02At the end of the day, we couldn't do any of this without our incredible team.
44:04Um, they are, yeah, they're amazing.
44:08We love the work that they do, but the big thing is, will the client love it?
44:15This is a piece to Rizzi stores.
44:17Oh, my, wow!
44:20Crikey.
44:21Oh!
44:22Oh, I love it.
44:23Look at this.
44:24It's going to crossbones.
44:25Oh, I love that.
44:26Oh, it's very good.
44:27Oh, look!
44:28Brilliant, isn't it?
44:29Do you know those coins of chocolate?
44:30You can't have one.
44:31Oh, that's incredible, isn't it?
44:33That's quite impressive, isn't it?
44:34That's, I mean, it's just bonkers.
44:35How'd they get it in here?
44:36Oh no! Brilliant isn't it? Do you know those coins of chocolate? You can't have one.
44:50That's incredible isn't it? That's quite impressive isn't it? I mean it's just bonkers.
44:55How'd they get it in here?
45:01Christmas at Banbra is officially open.
45:07Enjoy.
45:23When I came in I just thought, wow, absolutely amazing. Best, best yet.
45:29The attention to detail is just wonderful.
45:35The attention to detail is just wonderful.
45:39The awareness of the crisis is, the color of the people, and the Move of Attention.
45:45The attention to detail is just wonderful, is that it has to be the best you could to deal with?
45:48The way the matter, you know?
45:49The way the light is supposed to be the most beautiful, is to adjust the size of the power of the race.
45:52The way the star is supposed.
45:54The path that is just monumental is to be a bit small.
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