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05

Apr 2023

Last Updated: 05/04/2023
Community
Community

Christmas market on Harrogate's Montpellier Hill bids to return this year

by John Plummer

| 05 Apr, 2023
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harrogate-christmas-market-and-brian-dunsby
Brian Dunsby, organiser of the original Harrogate Christmas Market on Montpellier Hill.

The original Harrogate Christmas Market on Montpellier Hill could be set to make a comeback this year.

Brian Dunsby, co-organiser and founder of Harrogate Christmas Market Ltd, confirmed it had submitted an event management plan to North Yorkshire Council to stage the event from November 2 to 5.

The event was held annually from 2012 to 2019 until it was halted by covid.

Harrogate Borough Council then scuppered its prospects of returning by refusing to grant a licence and organising its own town centre Harrogate Christmas Fayre in conjunction with Market Place Europe, a specialist market company based in Greater Manchester.

But Harrogate Borough Council was abolished last weekend, with the new North Yorkshire Council taking its place.

The original Christmas market, which was organised by local people, had 170 traders and 53 coaches booked to attend in 2021 when the rug was pulled from under its feet.

By contrast, last year's town centre fayre only had about 50 stalls, and some people have said there were too many food outlets and not enough craft stalls.

The fayre was accompanied by a giant Ferris wheel near the war memorial, an ice rink in Crescent Gardens and the Candy Cane Express free road train, which were popular with many visitors.

Some people welcomed the decision to hold the event in town rather than on the muddy Stray. Others said the new event lacks charm compared to Montpellier Hill.



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Destination Harrogate, a tourism organisation within North Yorkshire Council, issued a press release yesterday saying this year's fayre would be extended from 10 days to 18 and run from December 1 to 17.

Because the dates for the seasonal events do not clash, there is the possibility that both could take place this Christmas.

Mr Dunsby declined to comment beyond confirming Harrogate Christmas Market Ltd had submitted its event management plan for what he hoped would be a similar event on Montpellier Hill to those staged up to 2019.

Too many food stalls?


Yesterday's news release by Destination Harrogate announcing this year's market extension did not mention North Yorkshire Council.

The Stray Ferret asked Destination Harrogate who was in charge of the market now Harrogate Borough Council no longer existed, who authorised the fayre extension and what response it had to claims that last year's event had too many food stalls.

It said in a statement:

“The Harrogate Christmas Fayre has always been an event owned and operated by Market Place Europe and Destination Harrogate will continue to support them at a local level.
“The decision (to extend) was based on feedback from many of the town centre retailers, hoteliers and hospitality businesses, following the impact that the market made on their December trading. After taking on board the feedback from those sectors in particular, and following discussion with Market Place Europe, we’ve been able to agree the addition of the extra week and weekend.
"The market is open to any trader that wishes to apply to have a stall. We would actively encourage any local traders that would like to be part of the Christmas fayre to apply – as we have done since the new event was introduced in 2021. The variety and volume of stalls are dependent upon those traders that come forward and want to take the opportunity to be involved."