RWS Group

[Ash]

Just seen this crop up on instagram.

11 days notice. (Has Xmas come around early?)

£140 a day.

No mention of any background checks.

Fascinating organisation.

Second to Disney.

Santa Claus | Virtual Submissions | Alton Towers Resort - RWS Global

RWS Global is seeking a Santa Claus for the upcoming holiday season at Alton Towers Resort. £140 per day November 28–December 23

www.rwsglobal.com

Now the main season has come to an end time to reflect on RWS performance this season…

 

[DiogoJ42]

I'm no expert, but my scam senses are tingling.

 

[Poisson]

Second to Disney.

The same RWS who do work for Disney?

 

[Hid]

No mention of any background checks.

Fascinating organisation.

Second to Disney.

Might be in their terms and conditions hidden. RWS Global work for Disney.

Now the main season has come to an end time to reflect on RWS performance this season…

They have done a great job thought the actor quality was at its best in a long time in the mazes. And Scare Zones had some that would be more in your face. Now I am only commenting on Towers aspect as haven't seen the southern parks performance yet

 

[Mick]

I don’t know enough about RWS to comment on how they’ve done, and this might also be standard practice, however I love the thought that all plans have been going through for the Christmas event and then suddenly there’s the realisation, ‘oh ****, we still need a Santa’!

 

[Bert2theSpark]

Less than two weeks notice for a temporary role is pretty poor. Those at Chessington did theirs a while ago, and I’m confused as to why those at Towers have left it until the last moment. Wasn’t the whole point of outsourcing so things could be centralised to save costs?

 

[Hid]

Less than two weeks notice for a temporary role is pretty poor. Those at Chessington did theirs a while ago, and I’m confused as to why those at Towers have left it until the last moment. Wasn’t the whole point of outsourcing so things could be centralised to save costs?

Could it be the person who was originally meant to fill the position pulled out few weeks before

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

Could it be the person who was originally meant to fill the position pulled out few weeks before

Father Christmas is notoriously busy at this time of year. It's not impossible that he's overstretched, overcommitted and spread himself too thin. Poor guy.

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

Just seen this crop up on instagram.

11 days notice. (Has Xmas come around early?)

£140 a day.

No mention of any background checks.

Fascinating organisation.

Second to Disney.

Santa Claus | Virtual Submissions | Alton Towers Resort - RWS Global

RWS Global is seeking a Santa Claus for the upcoming holiday season at Alton Towers Resort. £140 per day November 28–December 23

www.rwsglobal.com

Now the main season has come to an end time to reflect on RWS performance this season…

Double post, whip me.

Although you've only just seen this pop up on Instagram, auditions to play Santa Claus / Father Christmas at Alton Towers have been advertised at least since 3rd October 2025. Initial auditions were held on 7th October 2025 - https://www.openauditions.uk/theme-park-christmas-entertainment-rws-global

I'm not surprised at the lack of background checks being mentioned on an Instagram advert. It also makes no mention of being a breathing human, presumably male presenting, large, or any of the other physical characteristics we'd expect to see someone impersonating the real Father Christmas to have.

That being said, there's no legal requirement for Father Christmas impersonators to actually undergo a DBS check. This is because the position doesn't pass the frequency and intensity test, under DBS guidelines, which state that a person must have regular or extended unsupervised contact with the same child to warrant a check.

RWS, as the employers, can only request an Enhanced DBS check (the type used by schools, hospitals, etc) if required by law. As the Father Christmas impersonator position doesn't legally mandate one, they can't request an Enhanced check even if they wanted to. This will be the same for every organisation in the UK. RWS will still be able to request a Standard DBS check, but this will only show unspent convictions. It will not show arrests, or convictions which are now considered spent.

That being said, even without a DBS check, there are plenty of other safeguarding measures that RWS and Alton Towers can, and most likely are, taking. To suggest that they're not, without evidence, is grossly accusatory and potentially libellous.

Look at all of these job adverts for teachers, from the TES of all places. No mention of any background checks. Fascinating.

Teaching and education jobs in London | Tes

www.tes.com

TLDR, it's pretty standard to not mention in an advert that background checks will be required.

 

[Funcone]

This is really good. I was just walking past the Job Centre and I saw Santa standing in the queue. When I told him that he could be earning £140 a day, he was well chuffed.