Lincoln councillors have reignited the debate over bringing back the city’s much-loved Christmas Market.
The market was cancelled after 2022.
A motion to be brought forward on 3rd December 2024 by Councillor Clare Smalley and seconded by Councillor James Brown proposes a re-evaluation of the decision to cancel the market, citing its economic and cultural value.
The Lincoln Christmas Market, a festive event cherished by locals and visitors alike, was abruptly cancelled in February 2023.
This decision followed a successful 2022 market, which attracted over 320,000 visitors to the city, showcasing its popularity and the influx of tourism it brought. Despite the 2022 market’s evident success, the city council’s executive opted to replace it with a different events programme, which, according to the recent motion, has not garnered the same level of interest or publicity for Lincoln.
The motion argues that the decision to cancel the market was taken too hastily, without sufficient consultation with key stakeholders such as stallholders, local businesses, residents, and visitors.
Councillors Smalley and Brown emphasised that the Christmas Market has long been an essential part of Lincoln’s local economy, providing substantial income for hotels, restaurants, and retail shops across the city. The cancellation, they suggest, has left a gap not only in the festive calendar but also in the financial prospects of many businesses in Lincoln.
Historically, Lincoln’s Christmas Market was one of the first of its kind in the UK, having begun in 1982. It quickly became a staple event, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
The market not only highlighted the city’s historic charm but also supported numerous small businesses, contributing significantly to Lincoln’s cultural and economic vibrancy. However, in recent years, the market had faced challenges, particularly around overcrowding and safety concerns. The 2022 event, while popular, also saw reports of congestion, raising questions about visitor safety and the sustainability of the market in its traditional form.
The councillors behind the new motion acknowledge these issues but argue that they should not spell the end of the market. Instead, they suggest that lessons can be learned from similar large-scale events across the UK, and that with proper planning, a safe and sustainable version of the Christmas Market can be achieved. Events of far greater magnitude are successfully managed in other cities, demonstrating that the issues Lincoln faced are not insurmountable.
The motion calls for a thorough consultation process involving stallholders, local businesses, residents, and visitors to determine what changes could make a future Christmas Market viable. It urges the council’s leadership to place the matter on the Executive’s agenda within the next six months to formally consider “bringing back a safe and sustainable Lincoln Christmas Market.”
Local businesses have expressed a mixture of frustration and hope. Many recall the positive economic impact that the market had on the city, with bustling streets, full hotels, and an overall festive atmosphere that put Lincoln on the map for Christmas tourism. The replacement events in 2023 were seen as falling short of expectations, lacking the character and draw that the traditional market offered.
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