Business leaders are queuing up to criticise plans to include a ‘rest day’ at York Christmas Market this year.
A proposal to shut the market every Tuesday is one of the options put forward by City of York Council.
Plans to make the anti-terror road closures permanent during the six-week market have drawn criticism from disable people as it restricts their access to city centre blue badge spaces.
The rest day would offer weekly access to the heart of York.
But many businesses are unhappy with the proposal, being discussed at the executive of City of York Council tomorrow (Tuesday).
Managing director of Make It York Sarah Loftus told YorkMix: “Make It York believes that the proposed changes to the operating conditions of the York Christmas Market would have a significant negative economic impact on the city as a whole, particularly for York’s hospitality and tourism sectors.
“Feedback from stakeholders has highlighted the vital role the York Christmas Market plays in supporting their businesses, not only during the festive period, but in underpinning year-round stability.
“A one-day closure would have adverse effects, both in terms of immediate trading and the wider implications for the city’s reputation and levels of repeat visitation.”
Businesses have also outlined their concerns in letters to the council.
Executive director of the York BID (Business Improvement District) Andrew Lowson said he had sought the views of many groups, and they all feared “the negative impact on business trade and those small traders involved in the market”.
Rebecca Layton, writing on behalf of the Hospitality Association York and Indie York, said: “The overall feeling is one of concern, and confusion.”
Concerns included the “detrimental impact on trade, both market traders and other businesses. Many Indie York members take a stall at the Christmas markets expecting 7 days of trade, they will not recoup this lost day elsewhere.”
Brendan Paddison, chair of York Tourism Advisory Board, said the closure caused a number of issues.
“Firstly, the economic impact of a reduced operating schedule would be highly significant. The Christmas Market plays a vital role in driving visitor numbers during the winter period, supporting not only market traders but also hotels, restaurants, attractions, and the wider retail sector.
“A planned closure day risks reducing overall visitor spend, with limited evidence that this demand would be redistributed to other days.
“Secondly, from a visitor perspective, the proposal would result in a high risk of confusion and dissatisfaction.”
Samantha Ashby, general manager of The Queens Hotel & Victoria Cloisters, said: “As a hotel operator in York city centre, my business is directly dependent on the consistency, reputation, and reliability of the Christmas market.
“The proposed ‘rest day’ presents a material risk to bookings, visitor confidence, and the wider hospitality economy.”
Jane Guntrip of The Little Bee Hut said: “Business are struggling and York remains a much loved and visited area of the country. If businesses do not get the boost which the Christmas market provides, it may mean some can no longer continue with their businesses and have to shut down.
“It would be such a shame if more restrictions were placed on the opening hours of the market, as this would inevitably have a large impact of those which need and want to visit on quieter times and days.”
Regular stallholders the Celtic Knitwear Company said: “Tourists and locals would most definitely not expect the market to be closed and we would certainly get complaints following closures. We even had this situation when we had to close due to weather warnings in 2024.”
But Cooper King Distillery supported the idea. Events and operations coordinator Ben Brown wrote: “We’d broadly support the six-day model, though looking at our own takings from last year’s markets we’d choose Monday as the rest day.
“We’d also be keen to see a reduction in the amount we are paying to have a stand at the market given that the six-day model means we will be losing a day’s takings from each week of the market (albeit a quieter day).”
