Hotels warn loss of York's Christmas Market would be 'devastating' ahead of council review

Oliver Stott, general manager of Middletons Hotel, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) the event which draws guests from across the world was cushioning the impact of rising costs

Andy Barnsdale, general manage of The Milner, told LDRS they may have to shed staff ahead of Christmas if potential visitors were put off by the absence of the market.

Coun Claire Douglas, York Council’s Labour leader, said they were aware of the event’s importance to businesses as work on a solution to access issues during large-scale events remains ongoing.

Warnings from the hoteliers come after this year’s market’s opening times were pushed back by half an hour to 10.30am.

The changes were among those approved by the council’s Labour administration on Tuesday, November 4 to try and ease the impact on Blue Badger holders.

Disabled drivers are among those barred from taking vehicles into the city centre during the event, which begins on Thursday, November 13, following a request from North Yorkshire Police.

The force’s Chief Constable Tim Forber said the Anti-Terror Traffic Regulation Order (ATTRO) was needed to deter vehicle attacks which have targeted Christmas markets and other mass gatherings elsewhere.

But the council is set to review the case for the market early next year and the way it and other large-scale city centre events are put on.

The forthcoming review was prompted by the impact the ban on vehicles using streets subject to hostile vehicle measures will have on disabled people who rely on their cars.

Labour Council Deputy Leader Coun Pete Kilbane said in October the situation had put the future of the Christmas Market in doubt.

But he said on Tuesday, November 4 the council would not stop putting on events and would work to make them accessible.

A spokesperson for the Hospitality Association York (HAY) said they welcomed the safety measures in place this year but added they should not signal the end of the Christmas Market.

‘It’s nationally and internationally known as a great Christmas Market’

Middletons Hotel General Manager Mr Stott said cancelling the event would be disappointing.

“It’s nationally and internationally known as a great Christmas market, it draws so many visitors to the city.

“People visit the market to come and have a great start to Christmas and they also spend money in the shops, on the Shambles and with local traders.

“I’m hopeful that the council can find a workaround because it would have a huge impact on us.

“During November and December we’re operating at more than 90 per cent occupancy and pretty much everyone staying then will visit the market.

“We get people coming from the length and breadth of the country and international travellers including people coming from as far away as the US and China.

“We’ve also got accessible rooms and I’m sure our guests staying in them will make their way to the market too.

“Should we not have such strong times during Christmas it would make things more challenging for us.

“I’m sure the council can find a way for disabled people to come and enjoy the market and get into the rest of the city.”

‘Surely there’s a solution’

The Milner’s General Manager Mr Barnsdale said the impact on their business would be serious if there was not a Christmas Market in future.

The general manager said: “We get thousands of guests coming to the city and spending money in shops and businesses, the feedback we get from them is that they’re coming for the market.

“We’re about 12 per cent ahead of last year and we’re expecting to be even busier.

“We employ 198 people but if it went we’d have to look at that because we wouldn’t need all those people during that period of time, that would mean job losses just before Christmas.

“We’ve already had minimum wage and National Insurance increases this year so to face another barrier to business during a busy time would be a challenge.

“The market’s such a draw, when the lights are up it blends with York’s history and makes it festive.

“Surely there is a solution to the Blue Badge issue, it’s a busy time for any market anywhere so perhaps we try to learn lessons from elsewhere to find a way to accommodate them.

“We’ve got to take the terror threat seriously, but it would be devastating to lose the market.”

‘The council will be working to find solutions’

Council Leader Coun Douglas said the police’s recommendation to close off the city centre to vehicles posed a challenge for all future large events, not just the Christmas Market.

The council leader said: “The council will be working through the implications with Make it York and with the police to find solutions.

“Those solutions need to ensure all of our residents and visitors can access public spaces where events are taking place in the city.”