Christmas market's return to be debated by council

The return of Lincoln Christmas Market will be debated next week, almost two years since it was last held.

The annual event was scrapped by the Labour-led City of Lincoln Council due to safety concerns at the 2022 event, which saw record crowds of 300,000 people attend.

The Liberal Democrat group described the cancellation as “hasty” and has called for a consultation on how it could be brought back, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The market's potential return will be discussed at the full council meeting on 3 December.

It was one of the UK's longest-running Christmas markets and was held for 40 years.

Liberal Democrat councillor Clare Smalley said the market was cancelled "without proper consultation of stallholders, local businesses, residents and visitors".

"The previous incarnation of the Christmas market was not perfect and had issues around overcrowding and safety.

"However, events of a much bigger magnitude are run across the country and there are lessons to be learnt on how to run such an event in a safe and secure manner," she added.

According to the LDRS, the motion calls on the council’s executive to consult with those groups on what they would like to see in a future market, and to vote on bringing the festive attraction back.

The council said the four-day market was no longer viable due to the huge crowds it drew. It has been replaced with a series of year-round events.

Labour councillor Joshua Wells previously said: “Our first year of events in the Lincoln programme was a great success for the city, bringing in thousands of people to experience the culture, history and community spirit that Lincoln has to offer."

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