"Coventry Christmas market to rival Birmingham's"

[dutchman]

An international market will come to Coventry city centre this year in the month leading up to Christmas.


Councillor Bigham (right) the cabinet member for city services and development with Ridha Essalah (left) the International markets representative

The market, hoping to rival Birmingham’s popular German Market over the festive period, will see a 16-metre Tunisian bazaar set up in Market Way as well as a host of other stalls selling products from around the globe.

Belly dancers, Tunisian music, shisha pipes and spices will take over the city centre attempting to recreate the buzz of a North African street market.

Stalls representing France, Spain, Greece, Lebanon, Iran, India, Morocco and Egypt will also be spread out for shoppers looking for festive treats.

Councillor Linda Bigham, portfolio holder for city development, said: “I think it could rival Birmingham’s German market.

“I don’t think there’s anything quite like this going on anywhere in the West Midlands. It’s the international nature of this that makes it special.

“We’ll have the Bavarian beer, gluhwein wine and sausages people enjoy, but there will be a lot of other countries on show as well.”

Market Way will be opened up allowing more stalls down the Precinct linking into more traditional Christmas stalls elsewhere in the city centre.

The Tunisian bazaar will be manned by sellers dressed in traditional clothing and will include hand blown glass, wicker baskets, leather goods, olive wood ornaments and hand-painted artwork.

Coventry will still have its own German market area with a large traditional wooden chalet selling Bavarian beer and a bratwurst sausage house.

“It’s the highlight of a series of events we will have going on in the build-up to Christmas,” Coun Bigham added.

“It’s going to be a very colourful event much like people see while away on their holidays. It will lead through Market Way in to our market where we will be selling more traditional Christmas items.

“I think our market is the best in the country and this will be part of Coventry Market, even though it’s outside it.

“For some reason markets really resonate with people at Christmas.”