By Harry Mottram: The dates for this year’s Bath Christmas Market have been announced alongside official visitor figures for the 2022 event – which boosted the local economy by an estimated £50 million said the Council.
Bath Christmas Market will open this year on Thursday November 23 and run for 18 days closing on Sunday December 10 with applications for stall holders opening mid-April.
Details from an independent survey of 900 people carried out by The South West Research company, revealed the 2022 market attracted an estimated 426,000 visitors over the 18-day event – which was up from 403,000 in 2019. The research also estimated the market boosted business in the city some £20 million pounds compared to the year before.
More than 900 people were questioned in the survey which revealed the proportion of visitors to the market, who stayed in the city as part of their trip increased during 2022, along with the amount they spent on their accommodation during their stay compared with 2019. The majority of staying visitors said they would consider returning for another short break at another time of the year. More than 200 traders and 36 charities took part in the market. Bath & North East Somerset Council took over the running of the event in 2020 with a layout of the 178 chalets selling seasonal gifts, food and drink plus last year new Christmas Carts were introduced.
More information for stall holders for the 2023 market will be added to the Christmas Market website in the coming weeks and those wishing to apply can sign up to the mailing list here https://bathchristmasmarket.co.uk/
However not everyone is a fan as some of these remarks left on Trip Advisor suggest. They include these less than five-star reviews:
“Very disappointed. The market is completely overcrowded, and you can’t actually even get to the stalls, parking around the area is also near impossible. Definitely won’t be going again.”
“After wanting to visit for years I was so excited to make the 2-hour journey to Bath specifically for the Xmas market. What a lot of tat, clearly bulk bought from China and being sold at over inflated prices because it was in ‘Bath’ nothing new to see on the stalls, and there definitely were not 170 stalls as advertised. Don’t bother going if you are planning to, overcrowded, dismal and disappointing.”
Also there was criticism of the amount of coaches coming to the market. Frome Nub News reported that Cllr Winston Duguid told the Council’s scrutiny meeting: “Those that I have known that have lived here for 30 years have never seen Bath so packed as it was on Saturday. I was called out to look at 26 coaches on Wellsway and when I went up to Odd Down park & ride, the extended facility for coaches was full. And for the first time in my experience of living in Bath, the Odd Down park & ride was full.”
Bath Voice Monthly Newspaper is distributed free to thousands of homes and some supermarkets – distributed from the first of the month. Harry Mottram is the News Editor
Email him at news@bathvoice.co.uk
Bath website: https://bathvoice.co.uk/news/
Bath Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/bdtf2kep
Also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bath_voice
Read the newspaper online at :https://issuu.com/bathvoice
To advertise to thousands of Bathonians call Erica on 07402 441485 or email her on erica@bathvoice.co.uk
Harry Mottram is a freelance journalist. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube etc
Email:harryfmottram@gmail.com
Website:www.harrymottram.co.uk
Mobile: 07789 864769