A stunning new
‘Selfish Giant Maze’ summer attraction opened on the Eastern Lawns of the Royal
Pavilion, Brighton, today with whoops of joy from local children and their
parents [July 4].
Ten children
from Brighton’s Amaze charity, working with parents and children with special
needs, were amongst the lucky ones to try out the maze first.
Inspired by Oscar
Wilde’s ‘The Selfish Giant’, a fairy tale about a Giant who doesn’t want to
share the garden he loves with children, but learns the error of his ways, the
maze has been exclusively made for Brighton by the creators of the Royal
Pavilion Ice Rink.
Shella
Parkin, MD of Laine Ltd, said: “We wanted to create something amazing for the
school summer holidays on the Eastern Lawns, in addition to our popular winter
attraction.
“I’ve always
loved mazes and felt the Pavilion deserved its own one as there has been a long
history of association between historic buildings and mazes. Our aim is to
create a maze that looks as though it has always been there but somehow ‘out of
view’. Our design is inspired by a story I’ve loved since I was a little girl
and have read aloud to my own children.”
The 22m by
22m maze is based on a Roman design and made up of 360 metres of corridors and
beautiful hidden garden rooms, evoking the four seasons in the Giant’s Garden.
Sound
effects, giant gardening tools, riddles and traditional games, such as Nine
Men’s Morris and Fox and Geese, will startle and delight adults and children
alike as they try to find their way to the centre of the maze.
Giant
‘reverse graffiti’ footprints also mysteriously appeared overnight on Wednesday
morning, leading from Brighton Station down Queen’s Road and Church Road to the
Royal Pavilion.
Is there a
giant in the centre of the maze? You’ll have to visit to find out! The
attraction costs just £4 per person, making it affordable for families with
children of all ages to enjoy and hopefully come back to more than once.
Tickets can
be purchased from the box office on site only and opening hours are 11am to
7pm, July 4 to September 3, Eastern Lawns Royal Pavilion, Brighton, BN1 1EE.
Find out more at Facebook.com/SelfishGiantMaze