Businesses in the Bailgate and on Steep Hill in Lincoln say the return of a smaller, less commercial Christmas market would be welcome.
The event was cancelled after overcrowding in 2022, and City of Lincoln Council rejected calls for consultation on its return on Tuesday, 3 December.
It was claimed at the meeting that Lincoln had “moved on” and that retailers were happy with the new programme of year-round events.
Stephen Smith, owner of Bougie & Bijou on Steep Hill, said: “It could be brought back under a much different guise just for Lincoln producers.
“You don’t want market stalls in competition with local retailers. They come and go, but the market used to tide us over in January and February when we’re still open seven days a week.
“I’d like to see it condensed into a smaller area over a longer period.
“It brought returning customers throughout the year – they’d visit for Christmas, then come back in the summer. There’s nothing that substantial now.”
Nick Ridout, owner of the Whisky Shop on the Bailgate, said: “We take a lot less at Christmas since the market’s gone, but then we have to spend less on stock.
“I think it got too big for itself. When I moved here in 1993, the whole thing was in Castle Square.
“The traditional Christmas markets in Germany were nothing like what it turned into. They’ve reduced it to just Christmas gifts.
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“The funfair rides weren’t suitable for a Christmas market either.”
Katie, from Coffee Culture on the Bailgate, agreed: “We could certainly do with something.
“Lots of the businesses up here are missing the market – there’s not really been anything to replace it. The ice sculptures aren’t bringing trade in the same way.
“The last year of the market was atrocious, with the one-way system causing bottlenecks – it seems like really bad planning.
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“Is there no way to manage capacity in the castle with wristbands or something else?”
A Steep Hill shop owner added: “The market had a massive impact, and it’s quite noticeable it’s gone.
“We’ve gone from one extreme to the other. A smaller market would be nice – something’s better than nothing.”
Council leaders defended the decision to cancel the market at the meeting, saying it had become too popular for the authority to manage.
Councillor Joshua Wells (Lab), Portfolio Holder for Inclusive Economic Growth, said: “I have fond memories of the market, but it changed and grew too big.
“You only have to look at social media comments to see how the perception soured dramatically.
“The city has moved on from the Christmas market. Increasing the market’s size or length [to increase safety] would have come at considerable cost to taxpayers.
“If there is a private venture to hold a market, the council would support it – not financially, but with advice. If someone else wants to do that, they can.”
The council has redirected the money it would have spent on the market into a year-round series of events, including the Lincoln Live music festival and the Halloween Monster Invasion.
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