A GARDEN centre’s traditional Christmas grotto will be missing its Father Christmas this year — because not enough Santas have had their Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks done.

For the last nine years, children have been thrilled to meet Father Christmas in his fund-raising grotto at the Stephen H Smith garden centre, Bradley Fold.

But this year, with their regular Santa taking a break to visit family in Australia, the centre has been unable to find a replacement who has already had the necessary CRB checks.

A new Home Office-backed scheme came into effect last month which means anyone who comes into regular contact with children in a work or volunteer capacity should be CRB-checked by July 2010.

“It is very sad that we don’t have Santa, but it is the legal CRB check thing that is the bugbear,” said manager David Yewdall.

Although not legally required to have a CRB-checked Santa until next year, Mr Yewdall explained: “We didn’t want to have a person who didn’t have a CRB check because if anything was to go wrong then it would be a huge bad advert for us.”

He added that over the years the style of grotto has been changed to make it open and on public view, and children are no longer allowed to sit on Santa’s knee.

“I think it does take some of the magic out of Christmas. Some people thought it was ridiculous, but I can see both sides,” said Mr Yewdall Each year, a volunteer from Bolton Hospice has played Father Christmas at the store and last year earned the organisation £1,500 in donations.

Matt Boyle, from the hospice, said efforts had been made to find a replacement Santa but it was not possible to find someone with the CRB check who was able to make such a large commitment so close to Christmas.

And Bolton Lions, who were also offered the opportunity of supplying a Santa, had to decline too as their members are busy with their annual toy appeal.

Other places have managed to find suitable Santas, including Crompton Place shopping centre, whose Father Christmas takes up residence on November 28.

Manager Malcolm Angus had sympathy with the garden centre.

He said: “We have had a good relationship with our Santa for a good number of years, but if he wasn’t there it would be very difficult to find someone else.”

Other places in Bolton with Santas this year include the Market Place, whose Santa arrives this Sunday, and Middlebrook retail park, who have Santa arriving at 5pm tomorrow and Barton Grange Garden Centre, who welcome their Father Christmas from November 28.

jrowe@theboltonnews.co.uk