• Swindon & Wiltshire Culture
• Tuesday November 12 2024
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Bath’s economy-boosting Christmas Market named best in UK

Bath Christmas Market has been named the best in the UK by consumer champion Which?

The organisation polled 4,000 city break visitors to find its definitive Top 8.

The market, with 200 chalets around Bath Street, Milsom Street and Abbey Quarter, takes place between Thursday, November 28 and Sunday, December 15.

“Bath – voted Which? readers’ favourite medium-sized city this year – has one of the UK’s biggest and most established Christmas markets,” says the guide.

“The city got four stars for both its food and drink offerings and cultural sights in our survey – and things get even better at Christmas time, when more than 200 chalets will line its Georgian streets.

“Most stallholders are local, hailing from the South West, with a pretty staggering selection of goods – from garden sculptures to handmade wooden furniture, Bristolian knitwear to indie fragrances, and gifts for your furry companions.

“You can also expect local food, including foraged jams, festive baked goods at the ‘Flapjackery’ and more.”

Neighbouring Wells also makes the list, described by Which? as a “short, but very sweet,” market with 100 stalls around Bishops Palace Green.

Chester, Durham, Winchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, York, and Belfast complete the list.

The Christmas market is an important part of Bath’s economy. According to figures from Bath & North East Somerset Council, 451,000 people visited the attraction in 2023 – an increase on 2022 and 2021.

Approximately 323,000 are estimated to have been ‘unique’ visitors to the event and 72 per cent said the market was their main reason for visiting.

Over a quarter (27 per cent) made a night of their visit, staying in the city for one or two nights. Fifty-nine per cent o visitors came from outside the city, and 15 per cent were local to Bath.

Associated spend in Bath for those attending the market was estimated at approximately £47 million.

Latest: Bath Christmas Market gives city £60 million spending boost