Town centre Christmas market branded 'depressing'
BBCA new town centre Christmas market has been heavily criticised by residents.
Swindon Christmas Market has been open since November 23 but has failed to attract the footfall that was anticipated, with many stalls rarely opening and sitting near closed shops in the town centre.
"I'm a huge ambassador for Swindon and have never moaned about the town centre but it was just so bad I feel we need to do something about this" said PR expert and Swindon resident Fiona Scott.
"A half to two-thirds of the stalls are closed and only a couple sell products whilst the rest sell food and the overall effect is to drag the town centre down, it's almost better not to have it."
"It's shocking" said Kate Andrews, who runs the market's Yorkshire Pudding Wrap stall.
"We bought the chalet after being told that all plots had been sold and the market would be full but it's not.
"We've lost money by being here and we're not going to break even unless we take £5,000 before Saturday and that's not including wages."
This is the first year that the Christmas Market has taken place on The Parade.
It is managed by LSD Promotions which admits it would have liked to see a "much stronger start to the new Christmas Market."
It went on to say that the impact of Storm Bert on opening weekend "had a significant impact" and the subsequent delay of the town's Christmas lights also had a negative effect.
It said the market had been hampered by Storm Darragh on its third weekend and businesses had been offered incentives to stay, but "unfortunately for some traders, the impact of the storms resulted in their costs outweighing their potential revenue".
While the running of the market has come in for criticism, others believe the problems are more deep-rooted.
"You can't blame the market, you have to look at the whole context of the town centre," said Ms Scott, who wrote a Facebook post on Monday describing a trip to the market as "extremely depressing".
"If half the shops are closed and the footfall is poor because of it then you're fighting a losing battle," she said.
"We've got to come together as a town with the various interested parties to do something about it. Others are doing it better, so why aren't we learning from them?"
Ms Scott's thoughts were echoed by Swindon Borough Council.
"It's not as great as I would've liked it to be. There can't be two views about that," said Councillor Marina Strinkovsky, cabinet member for heritage, art and culture at Swindon Borough Council.
"I completely agree that the town centre is not where we want it to be.
"However, what I would say is this is a first attempt, going to take the learnings and move forward to bigger and better things.
"I empathise with the disappointment but if that's the only chance they will give Swindon they will be missing out because we have plans, ambitions and visions for the town".
Swindon Christmas Market is open until Saturday December 21.