A growing number of cities are cancelling their Christmas markets due to concerns over commercial and public safety regarding COVID-19.
In December 2019, VisitEngland's Christmas tourism survey showed more than 14 million Brits planned overnight trips during last year's festive season, and a third of those surveyed said they would be visiting a Christmas market.
This is estimated to have boosted the economy by nearly £3 billion and VisitEngland predicts a 49% decline in domestic tourism spending overall in 2020. That is before adding revenue loss to restaurants from not hosting larger groups and Christmas parties.
As a result hospitality businesses are cancelling planned activities and a third are scaling back.
York's annual St Nicholas Fair has been cancelled due to the city being in the more-restricted Tier 2 alert level. Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park is also cancelled, although other London-based festivals may still go ahead.
UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls points out that London has already taken a hit due to the decrease in inbound tourism and more people home-working, describing the city’s move into tier 2 as "catastrophic".
Other cities cancelling Christmas fairs and markets include:
Lincoln Christmas market, the UK's oldest, has been cancelled for the first time since 1982. Padstow's harbourside Christmas festival and Stratford-upon-Avon's Victorian Christmas fayre are also rescheduled for 2021.
Local authorities are searching for creative alternatives through smaller events to give opportunities to traders:
Some cities are still hoping to open their Christmas market, dependent on new restrictions and tier categories, with bigger spaces and open layouts to provide greater safety for the public to socially distance. Most are ditching the markets altogether and putting up additional festive lighting to spread the Christmas cheer.
