Chester visitors and residents are getting used to seeing a statue of Paddington Bear on their travels, but they’re not the only ones on the move.
Recently, the beloved bear with a taste for trouble and marmalade arrived at the home of American barbeque in the city, Hickory’s Smokehouse.
After a recent stint at Chester’s Grade-listed Cathedral, the favoured character has appeared on a bench outside the eatery based beside the River Dee. Unmistakeable to fans, the statue features Paddington in his classic apparel of a bright blue duffle coat and floppy red hat and savouring a swallow of sandwich. Life-size, the statue is ideal for fans to capture a picture with the Peruvian mischief maker to post on their favourite social media channel.
Paddington’s stop at Hickory’s is part of the “Andean Adventurer Trail”, a free, fun, family initiative from Chester BID. Before the cathedral, past appearances have seen the statue turn up at the Grosvenor Shopping Centre and Storyhouse, the city’s cinema, theatre and library.
Enjoying a river view, Paddington now sits alongside an old-fashioned smokehouse cart. From diners at the Smokehouse enjoying ribs and fried chicken to passengers of ChesterBoat disembarking at The Groves after a river cruise, the statue is perfectly placed for fans to find.
The Paddington bear statue first came to Chester in 2024 to promote the film Paddington in Peru and will be in residence outside Hickory’s Smokehouse until Monday, June 30. The restaurant can be found on Souter’s Lane and is open seven days a week between 10 am and 11 pm.
