Bath Christmas Market begins today!

25th November 2010

25 November – 12 December

The anticipated Bath Christmas Market begins today at 10am with much to look forward to this year.  Bigger and better than ever, the event will be celebrating its tenth anniversary in true festive style with extended dates, entertainment - sure to delight both young and old - and more chalets than ever before.

A very special highlight for this year’s Christmas Market will be on the opening day at 4:30pm with two real-life reindeer and Father Christmas in the centre of the market’s festivities on York Street.  There will also be performances by local schools and choirs throughout the event providing a wonderful festive atmosphere, and the Snow Queen on stilts and her elf will be making a welcome return too. 

Charlotte Buckley, events manager at Bath Tourism Plus, said: “It’s a first to have reindeer at Bath Christmas Market and we’re delighted to have them here to kick start our celebrations. The carousel will also be returning to Stall Street this year so there’ll certainly be lots of entertainment to keep the little ones amused!”

The Bath Christmas Market has been extended by an extra week into December giving shoppers more time to enjoy the festive atmosphere and top quality shopping.  There will also be 12 additional retail chalets for the 2010 event with the site being extended around the front and north west side of Bath Abbey.

As ever, Bath Christmas Market is keen to support local businesses and over three quarters of the traders are from Bath and the immediate area.  Local charities will also be trading at the market with one chalet dedicated to a different charity each day.  Bath Christmas Market’s official charity for 2010 is Help for Heroes. 

With around 225,000 visitors attracted to Bath Christmas Market in previous years, it is expected to be very busy on the opening day and throughout the event and Bath Tourism Plus is encouraging visitors to use public transport (the Park and Ride has been extended especially).

Trading will begin at 10am today and the market will be open until 9pm this evening.  For further information on Bath Christmas Market including what products are for sale, dates and times, see www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk.  

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Notes to Editors: 
For further information please contact Lucy Weaver at Bath Tourism Plus on 01225 477441 or email: lucy_weaver@bathtourism.co.uk

Bath Christmas Market
Bath Tourism Plus is the company responsible for the marketing and operation of Bath Christmas Market, which attracts approximately 225,000 visitors per year to Bath.  For more information about Bath Christmas Market, visit: www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk.

Bath Tourism Plus
Working with the public and private sectors, Bath’s destination marketing organisation, Bath Tourism Plus, takes full responsibility for co-ordinating the work of a busy tourist information centre, the marketing of Bath and the surrounding area to leisure and business travellers, PR activity to attract the nation’s top travel writers, a conference office, and development of Bath’s official destination website www.visitbath.co.uk.  For more information about the services that Bath Tourism Plus offers to meetings, conference and incentive travel businesses, see www.bathconference.co.uk.