Narnia Experience Comes to Bootle Strand for First Full-Scale Run 2026

Key Points

• The Narnia Experience returns to Bootle’s Strand Shopping Centre after a nine-year gap.
• The experiential and walk-through theatre show is produced by In Another Place.
• It will run from Saturday, October 17 to Saturday, November 7, 2026.
• The show features C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
• The visitors will be taken through an icy Narnian forest and introduced to characters like Mr Tumnus, Mrs Beaver and the White Witch.
• There are two ways that guests can take – one, Lucy’s path and another, Edmund’s way.
• Organisers have stated that both routes present different scenes and perspectives of the story; therefore, they would have to visit two times to understand the story completely.
• The full-scale Narnia Experience will make its debut in Bootle after its earlier success with The Little Narnia Experience at the Strand.
• Tickets are priced at £7 for adults and £5 for children and are available for booking on the internet.
• It is pertinent to mention here that the original production started in 2009 at Old Christ Church in Waterloo, then moved to St George’s Hall in 2011 and 2013, and last performed in February 2017.

Bootle (Liverpool standard) October 16, 2026 – The Narnia Experience is returning to Bootle’s Strand Shopping Centre this month, bringing C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to life in an immersive, walk-through family production.

As reported by the Liverpool Echo, the event will run from October 17 until November 7 and is presented by In Another Place, a charity based at the Strand Shopping Centre. The production invites visitors to “leave the ordinary world behind and journey into a magical forest” as Narnia arrives at the Bootle shopping centre.

The event follows a nine-year break since the full Narnia Experience was last staged in February 2017. Its return marks the first time the full-scale version has been presented in Bootle, although a smaller adaptation, The Little Narnia Experience, has previously been held at the Strand.

How Will Visitors Experience Narnia?

Audiences will not watch the story from a conventional theatre seat. Instead, they will be guided through a wintery forest setting designed to place them directly inside the world of Narnia.

According to the Liverpool Echo, visitors will encounter characters including Mr Tumnus, Mrs Beaver and the White Witch. The production follows the narrative of Lewis’s best-known Narnia novel, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

In Another Place describes the experience as a walk-through theatrical production. Its own event page states that audiences will be guided through the forest setting and meet the same central characters from the story.

Why Are There Two Different Narnia Trails?

Visitors will be able to choose between two distinct routes through the production: Lucy’s journey or Edmund’s path.

The Liverpool Echo reports that each route reveals different scenes and perspectives from the classic tale. Because of this, the organisers say the only way to experience the full story is to visit twice.

The two-path format gives families a choice over which character’s journey they follow. It also means that a single visit will present one version of the story rather than every scene included in the production.

How Much Are Tickets and When Can Families Attend?

The Narnia Experience will run from October 17 to November 7 at the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle.

Tickets are priced at £7 for adults and £5 for children. The Liverpool Echo states that tickets are available to purchase online.

In Another Place has also confirmed the dates and ticket arrangements on its official event page, inviting audiences to book in advance for the October and November run.

Why Is the Narnia Experience Returning Now?

The return follows the success of The Little Narnia Experience at the Strand Shopping Centre. According to the Liverpool Echo, that smaller-scale version encouraged In Another Place to bring the full production to Bootle for the first time.

The organisation’s event page says it is “delighted” to present the full-scale experience in Bootle after the earlier success of The Little Narnia Experience at the shopping centre.

The production’s return also comes nine years after its most recent staging. The Liverpool Echo reports that the full Narnia Experience was last presented in February 2017.

Where Did the Narnia Experience First Begin?

The Narnia Experience began in 2009 at Old Christ Church in Waterloo. It was later invited to St George’s Hall, where it was staged in 2011 and 2013.

The production then returned in February 2017 before the current hiatus. The Liverpool Echo describes this history as part of the experience’s return to Merseyside audiences this autumn.

In Another Place is now based at 85-86 The Hexagon in the Strand Shopping Centre, according to Companies House records. The charity’s history page says its move into Bootle Strand reshaped its daily activities.

What Makes the Bootle Version Different?

The Bootle staging will be the first time the full-scale Narnia Experience has been held at the Strand Shopping Centre.

Previous appearances in the area included the original 2009 production in Waterloo and later performances at St George’s Hall. The Bootle event follows the smaller Little Narnia Experience, which was designed to fit smaller venues such as church halls and shopping units.

The full-scale production is expected to use the Strand as the setting for a more extensive walk-through version of the story. In Another Place says the event will bring the complete experience to Bootle for the first time.

Who Is Behind the Narnia Experience?

The production is presented by In Another Place, the organisation behind the original Narnia Experience and its smaller adaptations.

The charity lists its address as 85-86 The Hexagon, Strand Shopping Centre, Bootle, Merseyside, L20 4SS. Its website also lists contact details for ticket and event enquiries.

The Strand Shopping Centre’s own directory lists In Another Place as a business operating at the centre, with a web address and telephone contact listed for the organisation.

Background of the Development

The Narnia Experience is based on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the 1950 children’s fantasy novel by C.S. Lewis. The story follows children who enter the fictional land of Narnia through a wardrobe and become involved in its struggle against the White Witch.

The immersive stage version was first staged in 2009 at Old Christ Church in Waterloo. It later moved to St George’s Hall for runs in 2011 and 2013, before returning most recently in February 2017.

In Another Place later developed The Little Narnia Experience, a version created for smaller venues including church halls and shopping units. The organisation also operates The Narnia Road Show, which takes the production into schools.

The charity is now based within the Strand Shopping Centre. Its move to Bootle Strand is described on its history page as a significant development in its work.

The current production’s arrival follows earlier community activity at the Strand. Mencap Liverpool & Sefton has said that its members have been taking part in weekly preparation sessions with In Another Place, including craft and cardboard workshops for materials connected to the Narnia production.

Prediction: How Could This Affect Bootle Families and Local Businesses?

The Narnia Experience is likely to give Bootle families a low-cost, local half-term and autumn activity without needing to travel into central Liverpool. With child tickets priced at £5, the event may appeal to parents looking for an affordable family outing during the October-to-November period.

For the Strand Shopping Centre, the production could increase footfall during a period when shopping centres often seek seasonal events to attract visitors. Families attending the experience may also visit nearby shops, cafés and other businesses at the centre before or after their scheduled time slot.

For In Another Place, the return of the full-scale production could strengthen its presence in Bootle and build on the earlier response to The Little Narnia Experience. The two-route format may encourage repeat visits from households who want to see both Lucy’s and Edmund’s journeys.

The event may also provide a visible example of how community organisations can use retail space for cultural activity. With In Another Place based at the Strand and local groups involved in preparation workshops, the production could further connect the shopping centre with families, volunteers and community participants across Bootle and Sefton.