Christmas Market 2015 Options

[blackdog]

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/14...ge-come-to.html

A company wants to run a Christmas Market in Victoria Park - on a fairly grand scale it seems.

According to the NWN: Newbury Business Improvement District (BID) managing director Russell Downing said that nothing had been confirmed and that any official announcement would be made towards the end of the year. Just after Christmas I suppose!

So it seems that the BID is determined that Newbury shall not have a successful Christmas Market. They must take a decision quickly - yea or nay, it doesn't worry me. But, if it is yes, any organiser chosen will need months to put a market together, not a few weeks.

[On the edge]

Perhaps we see the start of a local Christmas tradition; the Christmas fair is always an expensive disaster!

[Simon Kirby]

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/14...ge-come-to.html
So it seems that the BID is determined that Newbury shall not have a successful Christmas Market...

Huh? A great Christmas Market would be a good thing, no? Do you have an issue with the BID's involvement?

The 2013 market wasn't too shabby, the main problem was with the town council's management of the booking - waiving nearly £4k of booking fee was not a great start, and then not giving any thought to the likely state of the ground. But the market itself was something to build on.

The 2014 job was worse as it didn't have the traders to make a great Christmas Market, but it was also sited in a rubbish location.

2015 could be great if the organiser can assemble the right traders, but the powers that be also need to cooperate and facilitate a great location. The Park would be fine if trackway of some kind is used, but I figure the market square would also be a great location.

[HJD]

but I figure the market square would also be a great location.

+1, lets face it there does seem to be plenty of room there !

[blackdog]

Huh? A great Christmas Market would be a good thing, no? Do you have an issue with the BID's involvement?

I do if, as reported, they are not prepared to make any decisions until 'late in the year'. IMO it is already rather late to decide whether we are to have such a market or who is to run it. Delaying the decision so late simply serves to ensure it is a failure.

[Simon Kirby]

I do if, as reported, they are not prepared to make any decisions until 'late in the year'. IMO it is already rather late to decide whether we are to have such a market or who is to run it. Delaying the decision so late simply serves to ensure it is a failure.

Yes, I agree that the uncertainty of the message doesn't do anything to encourage stall to commit.

[Don]

Howdy,

I used to love Christmas and how towns decorated their towns or villages. Nowadays I just take my grandchildren out and they love what people do to their towns and villages.

Don

[Exhausted]

+1, lets face it there does seem to be plenty of room there !

Problem here is that there is a town market Thursdays and Saturdays, so unless the two agree space, bit of a non runner. It may be that the market traders might be persuaded to set up in Northbrook Street especially if the pitch rental was waived when they are not in the Market Place. It seemed OK to waive the park rental for an outside company so why not do something for our own regular traders. It's Christmas after all.

I'm not sure why a Victoria Park venue is down to the bid unless they see it as a way to bring trade to their members. If that is the case, then a market place venue would be much better for them as the whole town could be jumping, especially on the Christmas market days.

Let's have a disco, (low key) in one of the huts with speakers around the campus. Loads of coloured lighting (to supplement the town lights) and an illuminated saluting dais for the mayor and town criers and anybody else who wants to dress up or perform. Karaoke corner perhaps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f1OGWQG9wc

[HJD]

Problem here is that there is a town market Thursdays and Saturdays, so unless the two agree space, bit of a non runner.

Not much of a market nowadays though is it ! That is what I meant by there does seem to be plenty of room there !!

[Simon Kirby]

Problem here is that there is a town market Thursdays and Saturdays, so unless the two agree space, bit of a non runner. It may be that the market traders might be persuaded to set up in Northbrook Street especially if the pitch rental was waived when they are not in the Market Place. It seemed OK to waive the park rental for an outside company so why not do something for our own regular traders. It's Christmas after all.

I'm not sure why a Victoria Park venue is down to the bid unless they see it as a way to bring trade to their members. If that is the case, then a market place venue would be much better for them as the whole town could be jumping, especially on the Christmas market days.

Let's have a disco, (low key) in one of the huts with speakers around the campus. Loads of coloured lighting (to supplement the town lights) and an illuminated saluting dais for the mayor and town criers and anybody else who wants to dress up or perform. Karaoke corner perhaps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f1OGWQG9wc

Yes, cooperation is key, and it hasn't always happened in the past. I'm pretty sure the charter marketeers would be overjoyed to relocate to Northbrook Street where the passing trade is far better than in the market square.

[On the edge]

Problem here is that there is a town market Thursdays and Saturdays, so unless the two agree space, bit of a non runner. It may be that the market traders might be persuaded to set up in Northbrook Street especially if the pitch rental was waived when they are not in the Market Place. It seemed OK to waive the park rental for an outside company so why not do something for our own regular traders. It's Christmas after all.

I'm not sure why a Victoria Park venue is down to the bid unless they see it as a way to bring trade to their members. If that is the case, then a market place venue would be much better for them as the whole town could be jumping, especially on the Christmas market days.

Let's have a disco, (low key) in one of the huts with speakers around the campus. Loads of coloured lighting (to supplement the town lights) and an illuminated saluting dais for the mayor and town criers and anybody else who wants to dress up or perform. Karaoke corner perhaps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f1OGWQG9wc

That shows some imagination at least Exhasted and yes, likely to do what's wanted, increase footfall. I love the saluting base - a 'dressing up contest' could be held too, where shoppers could dress up and take selfies. NWN could offer a small prize for the best selfie of a 'home made mayor'. Well done, there isn't anything there that is expensive or too hard. Dare you send it in formally and see what happens......!

[nerc]

Icthus Solutions have been approached to participate in the Newbury Christmas Festival from 2015 onwards and are currently investigating the possibility of a high profile Christmas Village in the centre of Newbury at Victoria Park full of attractions and of course including a Christmas Market. If you are a trader, please register your details on our Market Trader Registration Form for early booking opportunities.

[blackdog]

Icthus Solutions have been approached to participate in the Newbury Christmas Festival from 2015 onwards ...

Approached by whom? What guarantees are there that it will actually happen?

Who actually has the power to decide? Thinking about it - what has it got to do with the BID? If the venue is to be Victoria Park then the town council will approve or not the rental. WBC will control any licensing issues. I know both are involved with the BID, but, if they are happy to go along with it what could the BID do to stop it?

Victoria Park is almost as bad a location for it as the area around the church (almost) - if we are to have a Christmas market then I agree with those who want it in the market place - seems a far better solution. A reasonable alternative would be on the Wharf in front of the museum.

[Exhausted]

. A reasonable alternative would be on the Wharf in front of the museum.

Impacts on WBC parking profit and reduces the lack of space for shoppers at Xmas time.

The more I think about it, the more I believe we should have it in the market place.

[On the edge]

Impacts on WBC parking profit and reduces the lack of space for shoppers at Xmas time.

The more I think about it, the more I believe we should have it in the market place.

Agree, the secret is in the name; MARKET Place. Arguably, given we have so few traders these days, even if it was 'too hard' to use Northbrook Street, they could be squeezed together to accommodate Christmas!

[Simon Kirby]

The market place does seem to be the right place.

[blackdog]

Impacts on WBC parking profit and reduces the lack of space for shoppers at Xmas time.

The more I think about it, the more I believe we should have it in the market place.

The impact on parking profits should be minimal - there are not many spaces there and most of those that would have parked there will still pay to park elsewhere. Would 30 or 40 spaces really make that much difference to shoppers?

The Market Place is fine from 10-5 but sharing it with traffic in the evening will raise H&S issues and, probably, shrink the available area. There is also the lesser issue of the Friday/Saturday night stagger out of the surrounding boozers and into a closed up market - I can imaging a few problems.

The Market Place may well be the best place, but the Wharf is surely better than anywhere else?

[Simon Kirby]

The impact on parking profits should be minimal - there are not many spaces there and most of those that would have parked there will still pay to park elsewhere. Would 30 or 40 spaces really make that much difference to shoppers?

The Market Place is fine from 10-5 but sharing it with traffic in the evening will raise H&S issues and, probably, shrink the available area. There is also the lesser issue of the Friday/Saturday night stagger out of the surrounding boozers and into a closed up market - I can imaging a few problems.

The Market Place may well be the best place, but the Wharf is surely better than anywhere else?

We could close the market place to traffic for the duration.

[blackdog]

We could close the market place to traffic for the duration.

We could if we wanted to increase the evening snarl-up. The best move for Newbury traffic in recent years was the opening of the through town route at 5 rather than 6.

Personally I'd rather not have a Christmas Market.

[Berkshirelad]

We could close the market place to traffic for the duration.

More sensible might be to close the market 'square' and direct traffic out to the Wharf - might slow the buses down a bit though.

Or simply close the market place and allow all traffic to use the bridge instead of just buses