Christmas markets etc

[Orangeblossom78]

I notice my city are planning to host the Christmas market this year. Wondered about other places. The locals find it very hectic and busy, many busloads of tourists so was kind of hoping for a break this year!

www.somersetlive.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/bath-christmas-market-coronavirus-2020-4115116

They really shouldn’t be going ahead this year.

I suppose there are mixed messages from Government who have said open air markets can go ahead. It gets so so busy though. People come form as far as Wales and abroad. The locals find it difficult anyway. They charge the stallholders so much, thousands...maybe not many will sing up this year. To be honest, we don't go anymore as it tends to be the same ones every year now.

I know this would be hard for the Bath one given its location but they should be implemented with pre booking so that numbers can be managed. It might actually prove a benefit to stallholders as people might be able to get close enough to stalls to browse!

The one in York is chaos... I believe they're thinking about relocating it and cutting it down.

Can't see how it would work otherwise - at present it's a row of stalls facing each other over a fairly narrow area and is a bit of a crush.

Having said that, I'm not sure if people will fancy it come December assuming social distancing is still in place.

Lincoln Christmas Market confirmed as cancelled www.visitlincoln.com/blog/lincoln-christmas-market-2020-cancelled

It does say they are planning and awaiting to see if it will go ahead- I presume it would be pre-booked and managed. The Roman baths is opening but with 30% capacity and pre-bookings only

Never know might be a more pleasant experience. We did have the Bath half marathon go ahead right before lockdown so not sure.

The other thing is we already have buskers back, and it attracts them and also street preacher types as well which all attract crowds and it is right in the city centre.

It should be pre-bookable and cut down on the number of stalls, more enjoyable for everyone then. It should be like that every year tbh.

I've never been a fan of christmas markets, All the stalls sell the same overpriced old tat from China and I think it's all a bit of a con tbh

My son has to walk through the city centre on his way to school - so if it was ticketed that would be difficult as it is right through the city centre. Otherwise would mean catching a bus which would prefer not to do if he can walk.

they need to think of locals really. Most of the locals get fed up with it anyway

www.examinerlive.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/york-christmas-market-go-ahead-18324132

York planning to go ahead as well

As is one in Harrogate www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/news/people/plans-harrogate-christmas-market-go-ahead-year-still-track-organisers-say-2868905

I'm wondering if it's a better option, rather than been in an overpacked store and massive queues.

I am not far from Bath. I tried going to them twice, nightmare. I think I've only ever bought one thing as I couldn't get near to the stalls at all!
Yes people come from abroad etc...
I dont think it will happen as you tbink. The article doesn't even say it is going ahead.

our local one is uncomfortably busy on the main site in a square, and then we have little satellite rows of stalls down the side shopping streets, which make those already busy streets really hard to get through. I hope that this year at least the satellite stalls are scrapped.

I expect that a number of Christmas events, currently still in various calendars, will be cancelled. Some pantos are already off, as I expect many indoor events will follow pretty swiftly. Outdoors ones may need to be scaled back and changed (timed tickets, one way systems) and may even be cancelled too

It’s going to be a much simpler Christmas

I always go to Manchester and another one, wherever I'm doing a theatre break.

I don't see how that would work, unless all of the food/drink stalls are together and you enter at your own risk.

They've got to plan for them, incase a vaccine, or we know that immunity happens, they will then always have the option to cancel. If they didn't plan now, they definitely couldn't go ahead.

People aren't wearing masks on the buses I'm using. The government isn't going to force businesses to comply. The police can't control parties in Manchester, so I can't see mask wearing happening and we'll just have to make our own decisions and risk assessments. We will all suffer of course because the NHS will be stretched, once again.

I don't think it will happen, it even says not he article they do not know.

It cannot be run safely, the streets are narrow, the crowds come from miles around. The transport issues, packed trains etc. You literally cannot move some days around the streets because of the people who have come to see it. It would be absolute chaos, better giving the actual high street shops a fighting chance this year.

Our local one was cancelled way back in March

The lincoln xmas market has been cancelled.

Bath Xmas market has been cancelled now. Rightfully so as in normal times it’s like being a sardine, people literally crammed together, you can’t walk, you have to shuffle your way around. How anyone thinks that is a pleasurable experience is beyond me, went one year, wouldn’t go again.

I think most Christmas events should just be written off this year.

Yes it is cancelled now, and replaced with something smaller. Besides corona, I am glad (most residents get a bit fed up with it taking over every year)