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16

Mar 2022

Last Updated: 15/03/2022
Business
Business

Businesses surveyed on Harrogate Christmas market preferences

by Thomas Barrett

| 16 Mar, 2022
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The organisers of Harrogate Christmas Market, which attracted almost 200 stallholders to Montpellier Hill annually until 2019, are asking businesses what they would like to see this year.

harrogate-christmas-market-and-brian-dunsby
Brian Dunsby, organiser of the original Harrogate Christmas Market on Montpellier Hill.

Businesses are being surveyed on what kind of Christmas market they would like to see in Harrogate this year.

The organisers of Harrogate Christmas Market, which attracted almost 200 stallholders to Montpellier Hill annually until 2019, is conducting the survey.

Brian Dunsby, co-organiser and founder of Harrogate Christmas Market Ltd, handed out questionnaires at Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce's monthly meeting this week.

He told the meeting his company was "in discussions with Harrogate Borough Council about bringing back the Christmas market in 2022".

As part of this, it has been asked to find out what businesses think.



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Speaking to the Stray Ferret after the meeting, Mr Dunsby said:

"The council said 'find out what the business community thinks'. So that's what we intend to do.
"The council have said they only want one market. We were thinking two or three would be better. So we are asking businesses what they think and will then look at the results and talk to the council."


Andy Pidgen, operations manager at Marketplace Europe, at the start of last year's fayre.



The questionnaire gives businesses four options to select from. Options A, B and C are for Harrogate Christmas Fayre, Harrogate Christmas Market and the artisan market in Valley Garden.

The fourth option is for all three "in a planned programme of Christmas events through November and December".

All change last year


Harrogate Christmas Market Ltd was in advanced planning stages when the council declined to accept its event management plan.

It had 170 traders and 53 coaches booked to attend the annual event on Montpellier Hill in November when their plans were scuppered in July.

Harrogate Christmas Market was held on Montpellier Hill until 2019.



Instead, the council staged an alternative 10-day Harrogate Christmas Fayre in the town centre in partnership with Market Place, a specialist market company from Greater Manchester. It included about 40 stalls, a free road train, a carousel, helter skelter and ferris wheel.

There was also a two-day artisan market in Valley Gardens, organised by the company Little Bird Made.