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09
Sept 2024
Dates for Knaresborough Christmas market confirmed amid uncertainty
The annual Knaresborough Christmas market has confirmed its 2024 dates, despite the uncertainty surrounding the town’s markets.
This year’s market will take place from 10am to 5pm on Saturday, December 7, and Sunday, December 8.
The market falls on the first full weekend in December. Last year the event saw around 65 stalls, food and free entertainment descend on the town.
It is centred around Knaresborough Market Place, but there are festive events, independent shops and eateries throughout the town.
North Yorkshire Council has confirmed that the event is set to go ahead this year.
Knaresborough Christmas Market
In July, North Yorkshire Council announced that Knaresborough market is set to undergo some major changes, which campaigners have said are likely to negatively impact the town.
The council announced that it is to become ‘self-set,’ meaning traders will bring and set up their own stalls each week.
The council said the service was run at a significant subsidy, which was unsustainable.
Since the announcement, more than two-thirds of traders have said they will stop operating stalls if the proposed changes go ahead.
The move has been met with opposition by traders and visitors alike, with a campaign launched to secure the future of the market backed by MP Tom Gordon.
The idea of self-set stalls at the market was previously proposed by the abolished Harrogate Borough Council a few years ago.
The impact on the market remains uncertain.
Knaresborough Christmas Market fireworks. Pic: Charlotte Gale
The issue was discussed at length during this month’s Knaresborough & District Chamber meeting.
Charlotte Gale, executive member of the chamber and a member of the Christmas market committee, led the discussion.
She said:
The Knaresborough Christmas market uses those same stalls as the Wednesday market and when this happened with Harrogate Borough Council six or seven years ago, we looked into alternatives at the time.
We tried to see if there was an option to hire similar stalls from elsewhere – and it’s absolutely impossible in December to hire market stalls because of the demand from across the country and self-erect just isn’t viable in the market square in December.
If Knaresborough Christmas market can’t continue to use those stalls in future years, then it will cease to be viable, and I think it would be huge loss to the community if that event went.
Councillor Matt Walker, who represents Knaresborough West division on the council, said:
The Christmas market will go ahead this year as planned, we’ve got that in writing. There is no impact on that this year. Let’s focus on the positives.
There are stalls still available for the event, priced at at £140 for a day or £260 for the weekend.
Click here for more information about the Christmas market.
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