ON OUR RADAR

Christmas at the Custom House

A series of festive events including craft workshops, midwinter poetry and a performance by a local choir.

Leigh Curtis

Exeter Custom House presents a series of festive events including craft workshops, midwinter poetry and a performance by a local choir from Tuesday 5 to Saturday 16 December.

The events begin on Tuesday 5 December with a willow star making workshop from 7-9pm led by participatory arts duo Vik and and Hannah of Weird Sticks CIC.

On Thursday 7 December Devon artist Helen McCormick will lead a lino printing from 6.30-9.30pm during which attendees will create their own hand-made Christmas cards.

Then from 11am-3pm on Saturday 9 December the Art Work Exeter team will hold a series of hour-long drop-in workshops for participants to make tree ornaments with recycled and scrap materials using glitter, decoupage, metal embossing and more. Each session begins on the hour.

Christmas at the Custom House Tuesday 5 to Saturday 16 December 2023 Exeter Custom House

On Wednesday 13 December from 6.30-7.30pm a Midwinter poetry and harp interactive event hosted by Literature Works will feature poet Caleb Parkin and harpist Scarlett Smith, both from Bristol.

Then on Saturday 16 December from 2-3pm Mum’s Choir Exeter will sing carols and Christmas songs outside the custom house building.

Exeter Custom House Exeter Custom House

Exeter Custom House was built in 1681, the first in England constructed for this purpose. It was in use by HM Customs until 1989, with building access only available on Red Coat guided tours.

Exeter Canal and Quay Trust and Exeter City Council jointly opened the building as as visitor centre in 2015.

Exeter Custom House now hosts arts and cultural events via rolling three-year “cultural partnerships” residencies. These are currently held by Art Work Exeter and Literature Works.

Subscribe to The Exeter Digest - Exeter Observer's essential free email newsletter

Your personal information will be processed and stored in accordance with our Privacy Policy

The Christmas at the Custom House willow star making workshop and lino printing session each cost £30, plus a £1 booking fee.

Midwinter poetry and harp event tickets cost £10, or £5 for concessions.

The tree ornament workshop and Mum’s Choir Exeter performance are both free to attend.

For more information visit the Exeter Custom House website.


Democracy doesn't work when people don't know who is deciding what on whose behalf and what the costs and consequences of those decisions will be.

Exeter Observer is proving that reader-funded media can deliver the independent public interest journalism our local democracy needs.

Upgrade to a paid Exeter Observer subscription to support our work and get access to exclusive premium content and more.

More stories
Northbrook swimming pool

City council holds sham Northbrook swimming pool closure consultation

£600,000 Exeter Leisure services budget cut signed off two weeks before pool consultation opened as St Sidwell’s Point drains other council leisure sites.

Met Office building at Exeter Science Park

Met Office to sell Exeter Science Park supercomputer and office buildings

Disposal motivated by replacement of nine year-old supercomputer with £1.2 billion government-funded off-site Microsoft facility.

St Petrock's outreach workers with a rough sleeper

Annual city council rough sleeper count “consistently underestimates” extent of Exeter rough sleeping

Homelessness charity St Petrock’s calls on council to change count methodology which identifies fewer rough sleepers than those known by outreach workers and reflected in government figures.

Devon County Council budget meeting 20 February 2025

Devon County Council reveals perilous financial state with SEND spending having “significant impact” on cash balances

5.9% budget increase for 2025-26 conceals £22 million cuts and £66 million cost increases with “inevitable” impact on “vital” services.

Grace Road Fields March 2025

Exeter Energy insists Riverside Valley Park only viable heat plant site but fails to explain Marsh Barton brownfield rejection

Company admits River Exe water source connection merely “potential” after 2036, incinerator connection only “possible” after 2030 and solar array “will not” meet plant electricity demand while statutory objections challenge Grace Road Fields plans.

Exeter Community Lottery revenue distribution FAQ

Exeter Community Lottery income spent on gambling licence fees and costs despite council marketing and point of sale claims

Materially misleading claims that 60% of ticket sales revenue goes to good causes repeatedly made on lottery website and in official council communications as Australian multinational profits from local voluntary and community sector support.