Crawley supermarket on site of old graveyard gets into Halloween spirit with free pumpkin patch

Spooky season is officially here, and Brits are going all out for Halloween, from show-stopping front gardens to family trips to pumpkin patches.

But as the celebrations get bigger, so does the bill, with new research commissioned by Asda revealing Brits spend an average of £209 celebrating Halloween, covering everything from costumes and decorations to food, treats and experiences such as days out and pumpkin picking.

Pumpkin picking has become a firm favourite for families, with almost half (46 per cent) of Brits having taken their children to pick a pumpkin. It’s particularly popular among 30 to 44-year-olds, with two thirds (66 per cent) having visited a pumpkin patch, while almost three in ten (29 per cent) Brits make it an annual tradition.

But it seems no trip to the pumpkin patch is complete without the perfect picture, with more than half (51 per cent) of visitors snapping a family photo every time they visit, while one in three (33 per cent) Brits feel under pressure to get “THAT pumpkin patch picture” for social media.

And the perfect autumn outing can come at a price, with a quarter (25 per cent) saying they have paid more for a pumpkin at a patch than they would for one of the same size in a supermarket.

To help families enjoy a frightfully fun Halloween without the frightening price tag, Asda is bringing the pumpkin patch to the supermarket car park.

On Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24, its West Green store in Crawley will rise from the dead as Asda Creepy Crawley – a suitably spooky transformation for a store built on the site of an old graveyard.

The Asda superstore in Crawley – located on Pegler Way – was built on the site of the former Bethel Chapel and its churchyard and graveyard.

Families can pick their perfect pumpkin, with Asda pumpkins at low prices as part of its latest price drop and enjoy a fun day out with Halloween crafts and spooky activities for little ones.

Visitors who purchase a large pumpkin at the Crawley store pumpkin patch can take away a free pumpkin carving kit on a first come, first served basis.

And with 1.25 million pumpkins hitting Asda shelves this season, the supermarket is helping families get in on the Halloween tradition for less.

The experience comes as Halloween celebrations continue to grow, with 42 per cent of Brits saying Halloween has become a week-long event and four in five (80 per cent) treating the whole of October as “spooky season”.

And it’s not just about the festivities, but how they look, too, with 40 per cent buying extra decorations purely because they look good in photographs, while almost a third (31 per cent) admit to trying to outdo a neighbour, friend or another family with their Halloween displays.

But the cost of celebrating can soon add up. Brits spend an average of £15 on pumpkins, £18 on Halloween food and drink, £20 on decorations and £20 on pumpkin patches and days out.

And the spending doesn’t stop at the entrance: 42 per cent typically pay for food on Halloween days out, 39 per cent pay for hot drinks and 21 per cent pay for parking. Almost one in five (18 per cent) say a family trip to a pumpkin patch or Halloween attraction costs £40 or more in tickets alone.

An Asda spokesperson said: “Halloween has become a season rather than a night, and the costumes, decorations, treats and days out all add up.

“The pumpkin patch photo is now just as essential as the carving, but at Creepy Crawley we want to take the pressure, and the price, out of it.

“Families can pick a great value Asda pumpkin, get the photo and do their Halloween shop in the same trip, without paying for a ticket.

“At Asda, customers can get everything they need for Halloween at Asda prices, and we're helping families get back to what Halloween is really about – having fun together, making memories and creating simple traditions without breaking the bank”.

More than half (56 per cent) say the cost of Halloween puts extra pressure on household finances, while almost a third (32 per cent) believe the occasion is getting out of control.

Asda Creepy Crawley offers families the chance to enjoy the pumpkin-picking tradition, get creative with Halloween crafts and capture a seasonal family memory, with a pumpkin patch experience right on their supermarket doorstep.

The Pumpkin Patch will be open at Asda Crawley Superstore, Pegler Way, Crawley, RH11 7AH on Friday, October 23 from 1pm to 5pm and Saturday, October 24 from 11am to 3pm.