Anger as key Christmas market axed in Nuneaton

'People will expect the market to be there and it is not going to be'



Furious traders have accused council bosses of having no festive spirit as they priced them out of having a Christmas Eve market in Nuneaton town centre.

They say that it has been something of a tradition that a market is held on Christmas Eve as many people complete their Christmas shopping at the last

But stall holders say that Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council will not facilitate a market on Monday, December 24 as it would cost too much cash.

The only way the Town Hall would agree is if stall holders paid £62 a stall and at least 50 set-up stall on the day to make it viable.

Stall prices vary but, even on a Saturday a licenced trader would pay for £36.10 for one stall and a casual trader £ 41.00, so the £62 charge the council says it would need is too steep for traders to pay

Market traders say it is the one time of the year that the council should show some Christmas spirit and give them a chance to make some money prior to the festive season.

"We get that it will cost them more to pay for the staff to work on that day as it is classed by them as Bank Holiday, what with the council closing on the Friday, but we asked them to reconsider the cost," said a stallholder.

"There was a meeting and we asked them to reduce the cost. They didn’t want to listen to us. It was done and dusted, black and white, there would be no Christmas Eve market.

"It is Christmas, it is ridiculous, they know people will be in town, people will expect the market to be there and it is not going to be.

"They have offered extra markets on the Thursday and Friday which is all well and good but that will not make up for Christmas Eve.

"It is like we are being punished because the council has decided to close on the Friday."

Jonathan White, town centre manager at the Town Hall, explained: “As in previous years, we will be running a number of extra markets in the run up to Christmas – these will take place on Thursday 20 and Friday, December 21.

“We consulted with traders about the dates with Christmas Eve being amongst the options, but there was insufficient interest to make running the market on this date commercially viable."

Councils need to remember that they work for us, not the other way round!

Councils need to remember that they work for us, not the other way round!

Rebbonk the councils now think they are gods as not enough people collaborates together often enough to chalange them any more like they did years ago so many laws have been bought in to prevent this.
I only know one stall holder who told me he head butted a councilor there for giving his stall place to another which he was arrested for doing so.

“We consulted with traders about the dates with Christmas Eve being amongst the options, but there was insufficient interest to make running the market on this date commercially viable."

I suspect it's more a case of council officials not wanting to work on Christmas Eve?

My thoughts entirely Dutchman

Plea to make a U-turn on decision to scrap Christmas Eve market

A plea was made to council bosses to make a U-turn on its decision to scrap the traditional Christmas Eve market in Nuneaton town centre.

They have been accused of pricing out stall holders by offering to host the market but the normal stall charge would rise from £36 to £62.

Councillor Sam Croft appealed to the ruling Labour councillors to have a rethink.

He said: “Will the leader of the council reverse the council’s decision to scrap a market in Nuneaton town centre on Christmas Eve and thereby support our hard-pressed market traders?”

As the council officially closes on Friday, December 21, for the festive period, it means that to host a market on Christmas Eve it would cost more money.

But Cllr Keith Kondakor says that the extra cost the council would incur would be made up in car parking fees as Christmas Eve is always a busy time for the town centre.

He went on to add that the decision to increase the costs for stall holders on Christmas Eve should have been part of budget discussions last month.

However, Town Hall leader, Cllr Julie Jackson said that, at a time when the council is strapped for cash, it is ‘unreasonable’ for them to incur an extra cost.

So, s*d the electorate!

I really hope that come the next local elections people remember this and vote accordingly.