Councillors received details this week of an application to hold Oxford’s Christmas Market in Broad Street from 13-22 December 2013.  It has been held at Castle site in Oxford’s West end for a few years but has always struggled with the lower footfall there.  Last year there was an application to hold it in Broad Street but the council rejected it.  It was extremely disappointed about that as the market is great fun and really adds to Oxford at Christmas time.   One correspondent said

“To hear that the Council had turned-down your application to relocate to Broad Street just seems absolute madness. Not only was your event something rare, that many other Cities would be proud to host, but one that was particularly festive that brought joy and cheer and attracted people to visit Oxford itself. I simply cannot comprehend the Council’s decision, particularly in this time of economic hardship when such an event could only boost visitor numbers and trade to the City of Oxford.”

And I do rather agree! As far as I could tell there were several objections, some of which I’ll try to address:

1.  Colleges on Broad Street don’t like the disturbance and traffic disruption.  I reply that the Market is out of Term Time so although prospective students are being interviewed in the proposed weeks of the market they hardly are going to bring removal vans and I suspect the market will not make any more noise than the normal traffic on Broad Street during the day.

2.  Local traders will lose business to the Christmas Market.  This is I think is just nonsense.  Looking at the Broad Street traders, they are things like bookshops, a newsagent, Boswells, Bravissimo and the tourist information centre – the Christmas Market would hardly compete with them and I think the increased footfall it would bring would actually boost their businesses.

3.  The Covered Market would suffer.  Again I think more people in the area will be a good thing for the Covered Market traders, not a detriment.

I think the area would be more vibrant in December with a Christmas Market and more profitable for everyone.

I am pleased to say that my colleagues on the LibDem Group on the City Council have agreed with this position this week so, Christmas Market, I am delighted to tell you that you have the full support of the Oxford City Council LibDem Group.  You heard it here first!

You can read more about the Oxford Christmas Market at http://www.oxfordchristmasmarket.co.uk/ and don’t worry about the message on the front page – it refers to 2012, not this year!  If you want to make comments on the application you can contact info@oxfordchristmasmarket.co.uk and I ask you please to copy in events@oxford.gov.uk

One message I have sent is that if the Colleges are concerned about noise then one thing they could do it arrange electrical power supplied between then for the market.  That would avoid the need for a smelly and polluting generator and would presumably provide some income for the colleges during the period.

I would be great to see lots of messages of support so please do get emailing and tweet and facebook this blog post!