Christmas market opens for business

10:38am Thursday 29th November 2012 in News By Elizabeth Kemble

Christmas market opens for business Christmas market opens for business

THE eagerly-anticipated Christmas market has opened in Salisbury, with shoppers keen to see what it’s like and start their Christmas shopping.

A wide range of local, national and international producers have decorated their chalets and are offering a variety of festive gifts from handmade bouncing puppets and winter woollies to mulled wine and tasty treats. Linda Harvey, who came from Andover to have a look round, said: “There are some lovely stalls with lots of interesting things.

“There’s a really nice atmosphere.”

Food producers include a saucisson and mulled wine chalet from Lyon and one from the Alsace region with pretzel sticks and tarte flambées.

Nathalie Frank, from Alsace, said: “We normally go to the Christmas markets in Germany and France so this is our first time at an English Christmas market - we’re really looking forward to it.”

Adrian Dolan, owner of Bath Aqua Glass, added: “The weather is ideal for our opening day, blue skies and bright sunshine – what more could you want?

“The Christmas market here has got a lovely feel and it’s definitely got the potential to be very successful.”

The official opening is at 7pm tonight, with a celebration lantern parade, and the market will remain in the Guildhall Square for the next 18 days.

The market will be open from 10am to 6pm daily, with late nights until 7pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

For more information visit salisburychristmasmarket.co.uk or call 07436 266560.

Comments(19)

benakron says...
2:30pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Dear sirs/madam
surley im not alone in thinking you put a collection of wooden garden sheds together and call it a xmas market,? And you restrict the access to the war memorial how crass can the organisers Be to dump the 'sheds' in front of the memorial.
Bad decisison one thinks.!

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macogan says...
4:15pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Poor Christmas lights, poor Christmas market & some of the most expensive parking in Wiltshire...... Bath or Winchester it is.

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Bramcotekid says...
9:35am Fri 30 Nov 12

Sadly I only have one thing to say, it was a complete and utter disaster for me and my family!! Whoever thought that you could put a selection of wooden huts in a small restricted AND enclosed area, then coral hundreds of people into that space with a view to enjoying the atmosphere needs their head looking at!. I lost count of the amount of elderly men/woman and young children who were pushed and shoved in that small space and if the Health and Safety Executive had been on hand, some heads within the Council Offices would have been rolling down the Guildhall steps this morning. To add insult to injury, the so called Salisbury Traffic Enforcement Officers (Parking Attendants) were particularly proficient last night, lots of Christmas cheer from them!!

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Donna Pearce says...
11:11am Fri 30 Nov 12

I was rather looking forward to visiting the Chistmas Market, but sadly after having to be driven around the whole one way system only 5 or 6 times, I quickly realised that Salisbury hadn't made proportionate parking requirements for wheelchair disabled visitors (spaces where a wheelchair can be placed next to a fully opened passenger door, and NOT on a busy road)
4 Wide wheelchair spaces in Brown street were full, and what seemed to be 5 spaces in New Canal were also taken.
The disabled bays outside McDonalds are unsuitable for most wheelchair users as the path makes the seat of ones wheelchair Too high for safe and comfortable transfer, and the Disabled bays on the road near Boots in New Canal are unsafe as persons are vulnerable as the wheelchair has to be utilised on the busy road, with NO Kerb lowerings to get up on the pavement,
I couldn't even park in the Maltings disabled bays as they too were all full.
Come on Salisbury, do you genuinely think think that only 9-11 proper Wheelchair spaces in the close proximity to the Christmas Market are enough?
I am unable to comment on the "sheds" as others have, as I had to be driven away from Salisbury, so did not get to see them.

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reasonedhuman says...
11:36am Fri 30 Nov 12

Donna for future reference there are more wide disabled parking spaces in the College Street car park - probably one of the most underused car parks in the city.

This is near the arts centre and short distance from the market square.

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Donna Pearce says...
12:36pm Fri 30 Nov 12

Thankyou very much for this info :-)

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jivin g says...
1:50pm Fri 30 Nov 12

Location,location,lo
cation
Oh dear me Salisbury - If it can't be done to the standard of Bath or Winchester then why bother. Nothing wrong with the standard of goods on sale but the location is just so wrong - cramped chalets in such a small space. I realise the full area of the Market Square couldn't be utilised but it was just an awful experience last night with the volume of people trudging around the chalets - one poor lady fell over, failing to notice the "hump" in the pavement concealing an electrical cable. School children singing carols outside the guildhall caused a blockage with people stopping to look. Maybe it's first year teething problems & I do hope there will be a welcome boost to the other traders & shopkeepers of the city and believe it or not I'm not a "bah humbug" person!

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rantone says...
4:45pm Fri 30 Nov 12

Donna and Bram do make fair points. It was crowded on the first evening and the two choirs could not be heard. The busiest chalet was the one serving mulled wine opposite the Guildhall steps causing a holdup. The wooden appearance from outside the square needs reviewing and perhaps spread them around the city more. All are traders need to benefit from the 'extra' visitors to the city. The parking ambassadors doing the role for Trowbridge will always upset some - that is why they are employed. Until the rules on parking are uniform throughout Wiltshire, Salisbury will suffer. Even Weymouth now competing with Dorchester have free parking in the evenings and on Sundays. A resonable first event - positive in many ways, just a little more space around the chalets and a better sound system. 6 out of 10 City Centre Managers, but well done anyway.

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Donna Pearce says...
5:38pm Fri 30 Nov 12

Sorry, I failed to mention my visit was in the early afternoon of Thursday, we, along with many other cars were "seemingly" attempting to do the same thing, we were going around and around for about 45 minutes.
When it is cold weather, some people in wheelchairs are unable to add another 10 minutes each way to their shopping trip,( for dozens of genuine reasons) for parking further afield as all wide spaces are occupied, which also indicates to the Councillors the real need for them, meaning for most wheelchair users ( not all) close central parking is paramount.

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moralsusedtomeansomething says...
8:30pm Fri 30 Nov 12

I can't help but feel the term 'damned if they do, damned if they don't' could be 'fairly' placed here. Whilst I agree that the 'planners' in charge of attracting people to salisbury seem to be incompetent at the best of times, at least they are doing something.. yes they always seem to lose the plot in area's, parking availibility (always an issue anyway), stalls too close together etc, maybe next year they'll sort it out.. To come on here and slate it in the first 24h is not really going to help an already sinking city. Fair comments, but our city needs help! Two years ago I would easily say they'd thrown away the key where salisbury is concerned, but here they are, Trying to do something to make a difference. Perhaps next year when/if they make the same mistakes, by all means have them hung drawn and quartered, until then, give it a chance. Salisbury needs this. A chance. Christmas makets elsewhere in Europe are pricey, here (southampton anyway) more so to cover travelling costs etc, so if this helps our city shops in remain open by bringing Any extra trade, I'm all for it.

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S Pance says...
8:34pm Fri 30 Nov 12

Spend the money to go to the Southampton one.

It's a hundred times better than the Salisbury one and better than the Winchester one, come to that.

Spacious, easy to get round, no silly prices and a proper Christmas feel to it. There's even a temporary German style beer hall too!

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S Pance says...
8:36pm Fri 30 Nov 12

..oh, and the Southampton market features an Ice Rink too, made of real ice!

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sarumpete47 says...
9:02pm Fri 30 Nov 12

An attempt to get people into Salisbury is really good. Location seems to be a problem, understandable given the number of chalets. The Cathedral Close would be a better location perhaps. Plenty of space. Nice setting. Atmospheric. Cathedral shop could benefit. Worth a try next year perhaps?

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UKD003 says...
5:09pm Sat 1 Dec 12

Give it a chance! It's not that bad. Everthing has to start someway somehow.

To the negative posters on this thread, just shut up, and stay home with your miserable lives

For those who want look for the postives, Merry Christmas to you and enjoy it.

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karlmarx says...
12:12am Sun 2 Dec 12

It's a good idea and, to be fair it could have been a lot worse. At least the weather was kind, no torrential rain and high winds like the Christmas lights evening. The kids loved it and, I guess that's all that matters.

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reasonedhuman says...
8:48am Mon 3 Dec 12

Well having now visited the market I will comment -

I think its really nice, I picked up a few nice little things for xmas presents and enjoyed a pankcake from that particular stall.

This was mid morning on Saturday and yes it was busy, but there was plenty of room to look at the things my partner and I wished to look at. There is a good range of produce on offer.

There are a few small problems, but the sort of thing that can be rectified with hindsight - I think for a first time its good - experience will improve it!

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Morello says...
4:58pm Tue 4 Dec 12

Well done the City Centre Management for an excellent first Christmas Market. Situated alongside the regular Tuesday market it made Salisbury really come alive today.

Ignore the moaning minnies, let them go to Winchester if they think it's so marvellous. I went to the first one they had & it was rubbish.

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Sarum2012 says...
10:32pm Wed 5 Dec 12

Having now visited the so called Christmas market, I have got to say that I think it is an Embarrassment! It looks shabby, is too cramped and is in the wrong place.

Salisbury City Centre Management have obviously done their best. But sad to say, the result is a poor relation of other local markets. BTW, we are off to Southampton tomorrow shopping.

If you want this to be a success, it MUST be in the close. Also sack who ever chose the cheap B&Q sheds.

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reasonedhuman says...
8:41am Thu 6 Dec 12

I think the people saying it MUST be in the close are wrong.

I think the location is correct - and do you really think that the Cathedral would give permission to have it there? Its not like in Winchester - our close is very guarded in who/what it allows to happen there.

If you don't like it twaddle off to Southampton/Winchest
er/Bath, the rest of us enjoying Christmas shopping in Salisbury won't miss your negativity!

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