Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Bath Christmas market

17 replies

Imustbemad00 · 28/10/2018 09:13

Has anybody been? I’ve heard good things. Would it be worth a trip? I’m on a budget though so would need cheap accommodation for one night, and would be browsing and soaking up the atmosphere more than spending a fortune. Is it worth doing it this way or better to leave it until a year when I have more money to do things? Would like to go to Edinburgh but can’t sfford the train fares.

OP posts:
GlubGlubGlub · 28/10/2018 09:25

I’m a bath resident and in my opinion, it’s really not worth it. Bath is expensive at the best of times and the market is so busy that you can’t really just browse and soak up the atmosphere unless you come midweek and go in the evening. All the accommodation gets booked up weeks in advance and if you want to go for lunch/dinner you can forget it unless you have pre booked, as everything is so busy!

Bath is beautiful and lovely at Christmas. Why don’t you visit after the market finishes in early December?

Lovemusic33 · 28/10/2018 10:17

I love Bath for shopping but it gets way too busy for the Christmas market, a lot of it is expensive homemade stuff which can probably be bought or made cheaper elsewhere. Yes some of the stuff is lovely but it’s too busy to mooch around looking and parking is a nightmare though you could travel by train as the stations in the city centre.

SoyDora · 28/10/2018 10:19

It’s nice for a wander round (used to live nearby) but if I’m honest I wouldn’t make a special trip, especially if money is tight.

GreyGardens88 · 28/10/2018 16:40

I don't get the hype surrounding christmas markets, too busy, overpriced, same stuff every year, most of it probably mass produced and shipped in from China. Probably can get the same stuff in The Range or B&M for half the price

NecklessMumster · 28/10/2018 16:46

I went with a friend last year, we stayed in a premier inn....it was actually lovely and not as crowded as I expected. But I only live about 90 mins away

DaffydownClock · 28/10/2018 16:47

Over busy, over-priced, over-hyped and not worth all the pushing and shoving.
It turns Bath into a nightmare with nowhere to park let alone stay.
I avoid Bath like the plague while the market's on, just like the majority of locals. There isn't a Christmas atmosphere until the market has gone!

SisterFrancisBeaverhausen · 28/10/2018 16:50

I wouldn’t. It’s one of my ‘never again’ activities. We made the mistake of trying to use the Park and Ride, waited about 40 minutes for one of the ‘regular’ buses before slowly crawling into the city centre. We couldn’t find anywhere with space for lunch and couldn’t get near the stalls because it was too busy. Cheltenham was much better if you have your heart set on a Christmas market.

ToEarlyForDecorations · 28/10/2018 16:58

I agree.

Went to Bath Christmas market one year. Never again. The choir that was there were so damn pleased with themselves that the carols they were singing weren't the usual run of the mill ones that everyone knows. The look on one shopper's face summed it up, 'what is this shit ?'

There was next to no atmosphere. A lot of the stalls weren't occupied or even decorated and the food stalls were elsewhere which IIRC was pretty much a hot dog van near the market café.

We got caught in a traffic jam on the way home - not the fault of Bath Christmas Market. I just remember sitting in the car in the car park eating lukewarm soup and chewing on a hunk of bread that we had bought in the motorway services.

Birmingham Christmas Market was far and away much much better.

Original poster
Imustbemad00 · 28/10/2018 19:58

Quite glad to read these responses as it’s made my decision easier. I could do without spending the money but felt I “had to” go to a Xmas market.

OP posts:
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 28/10/2018 20:56

We used to go to the one on the South Bank in London, we took the DC out for the day , looking at the lights , Hamleys, McD lunch.

The South Bank stalls were pretty but samey. There were loads of food stalls , decorations , not what I wanted to buy. Couple of carousels .

Winter Wonderland has similar stalls on the way in, then the rides but now its huge and busy . (and muddy )

Original poster
Imustbemad00 · 28/10/2018 22:37

I live near the southbank. I avoid it like the plague.
Used to love winter wonderland but it’s too commercialised now. Just wanted something a bit different. Maybe I’ll splash out and go to one in Europe next year.

OP posts:
Pinkroseuk · 28/10/2018 22:46

We have been to quite a few Christmas markets and bath is one to avoid! Lovely to go around Christmas but not when the markets on. We love worcester, Birmingham and chatsworth the best

IdaDown · 28/10/2018 23:15

thefromeindependent.org.uk/visit/

What about Frome Independent?

BarbedBloom · 29/10/2018 10:00

I went a few years ago and didn’t enjoy it, which was a shame as I love Bath. It was just too busy so you couldn’t get near anything and travelling back was horrific.

SuperSuperSuper · 31/10/2018 16:31

It's busy and crowded. For me, it lacks atmosphere. Some of the stalls are overpriced.

franksidebottom · 01/11/2018 10:47

Oh no, I've booked train tickets to go with my eldest dd to the Bath Xmas market. It will be the day before it finishes though so I'm hoping it might be a bit quieter!

StaySafe · 01/11/2018 16:09

horribly crowded and full of expensive tat. The shops in Bath are nice so I'd agree Christmas shopping best done after the market has finished.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page