Find York’s Special Paddington Statue on the UK-wide Trail

If you’re in York this autumn you might spot a friendly face on a bench—a face you know and love from your childhood. That’s right, Paddington Bear has arrived in town! As part of the Paddington Visits trail a special Paddington statue is sitting in Dean’s Park before he heads to the big screen in Paddington in Peru.

What is the Paddington Visits trail?

The Paddington Visits trail is a fun adventure across the UK and Ireland where 23 statues of everyone’s favourite marmalade-loving bear are being placed in different cities, towns and iconic spots. From John O’Groats to Land’s End, families can go and find and take photos with these lovely statues all to celebrate the upcoming film, Paddington in Peru, out in cinemas on 8th November 2024.

York is one of the many stops on this trail. Locals were delighted when Paddington arrived in Dean’s Park, sitting with his red hat, blue coat and of course a marmalade sandwich in hand. It’s not every day you see a celebrity bear in your local park!

Why york?

So why did Paddington choose York as one of his stops? According to Rachel Bean, project manager at York BID, it was a no brainer. “Paddington is in all our hearts” she says.

“This bench will bring warmth to both residents and visitors as we head into the colder months.”

With York Minster right on his doorstep, Paddington has found a lovely new home.

Paddington’s Trail

As well as York, Paddington statues are appearing in all sorts of places across the UK and Ireland. Here are just a few of the locations:

• London: Connaught Village and Westfield White City
• Liverpool: Liverpool ONE
• Manchester: Hardman Square
• Edinburgh: St Andrew Square Garden
• Birmingham: Medicine Terrace
• Westport, Co. Mayo: Westport Town Centre

Each location has its own character and seeing the bear in these famous spots is the cherry on the top. For Paddington fans it’s a great way to combine sightseeing with a bit of childhood nostalgia.

A Bear’s return to the big screen

The trail comes before the new Paddington film, Paddington in Peru. In this film Paddington heads back to his roots in Peru to visit his Aunt Lucy who is now living at the Home for Retired Bears.

Of course things don’t go according to plan and a mysterious disappearance throws Paddington, the Brown Family and Mrs. Bird into a thrilling adventure across the Amazon rainforest and the mountains of Peru. Expect warm moments, comedic mishaps and all the classic Paddington magic we love.

Get Involved!

Feeling inspired to join in on the fun? You can use Ordnance Survey’s website to help track down where your local Paddington statue is hiding. Whether you’re in a bustling city or a quaint village, there’s bound to be a Paddington statue nearby waiting for a photo opportunity.

So, grab your coats (and maybe a marmalade sandwich), and see if you can spot Paddington on his grand tour. It’s a great way to enjoy the autumn, make memories, and get excited about Paddington’s next big screen adventure!