Mixed feelings as festive Stratford market given Christmas weekend dates

CHRISTMAS markets will now take place in Stratford over the weekend immediately before Christmas Day itself.

The decision to hold the markets in the thick of the festive season came after the first of such events – planned for last weekend (7th and 8th December) – had to be cancelled because of Storm Darragh.

The markets will now be put on next weekend (Saturday and Sunday 14th and 15th December) – originally envisaged as the second of the two events – and on Saturday and Sunday the 21st and 22nd of December.

Although the decision may be welcomed by market traders, longstanding retailers in the town, such as Claire Wright of Gemini in Wood Street, are not so keen.

She told the Herald this week: “I think we would like Christmas markets minimised not maximised. They should be held just this coming weekend. I think they will be a distraction just before Christmas.”

And she added: “I think enough is enough. We don’t want two markets. There will be a lot of frustration about this.”

Ms Wright argued that many people who came to the Christmas markets were from far afield. They didn’t come to the markets in Stratford to spend a lot of money in the town – apart from in pubs, restaurants and cafés. They came “just to look”.

She described some of them as “serial market people” who visited markets all over the country, in places such as Bath and York.

Last weekend four women from Wales came into her shop. They’d booked into a hotel – which had cost them £1,000 – but they hadn’t been able to cancel when the markets were called off because the notice was too short. So they had to come to Stratford anyway rather than forfeit their hotel fees.

As far as the markets were concerned, Ms Wright said: “It’s a distraction for clothing retailers like us. It was not intended to be the weekend before Christmas. It should have stayed as it was.”

Ms Wright’s reservations were shared by Susan Nicolas of Mosaique – also in Wood Street. She told the Herald: “It will mean less parking and make it more difficult to get into town. But I have had to accept it, because that’s how it is, year on year.”

But Aaron Corsi, newly-appointed manager of Stratford BID, which represents businesses in the town, told the Herald: “Anything that brings extra footfall is a bonus for everyone in the town.”

The cancellation of the first of the two Christmas markets prompted a meeting early this week between officials from Stratford District Council and Stratford Town Council.

The two authorities decided to introduce the immediate pre-Christmas markets on 21st and 22nd of December to make up for the loss of last weekend’s event. The stalls will be along Waterside and in Henley Street. However, on this occasion – unlike the preceding weekend – Bridge Street will not be closed.

According to LSD Promotions, which runs the markets, the decision not to close Bridge Street during the second of the two weekends will have an effect on the traders.

In a statement to the Herald, LSD Promotions said: “Due to the Bridge Street road closure application not being approved, this has naturally impacted a number of traders for the rescheduled dates. To support our traders, we have worked collaboratively with the Sutton Coldfield BID as LSD Promotions are currently operating a Christmas market in Sutton Coldfield. We have been able to offer any trader impacted by the non-approval of the Bridge Street road closure application the option to transfer their pitch fee and trade at Sutton Coldfield, where they will be welcomed. For any trader who is unable to trade on the new dates, they have the option to either transfer their pitch fee to Stratford Christmas market 2025, or use as credit on any two-day event operated by LSD Promotions.”

This weekend (Saturday and Sunday, 14th and 15th December) will involve both Bridge Street and Waterside being fully closed. And there will be changes to traffic flow in High Street (one way towards Barclays Bank and no parking) and in Union Street (no parking).

One by-product of last weekend’s cancellation was some quick-thinking enterprise by Cox’s Yard in the town – much praised by Stratford BID’s Mr Corsi. When manager Aggie Keegan and her co-manager Callum Killarney heard of the cancellation on the Thursday evening they decided they had the space in their premises to offer distraught market traders the opportunity to ply their trade there, away from the wind.

Aggie told the Herald: “We had ten different vendors who were supposed to be at the Christmas market. I put it on Facebook and we scrambled it together within 48 hours.

“For the traders it was a roaring success – 100 per cent!”

Visitors to the markets are being urged to use Stratford Park & Ride at Bishopton. Warwickshire County Council said it was increasing capacity on 14th-15th December with an extra two double-decker buses dedicated to the service.

Charges will be in place.