December 7, 2011 4.00 pm This story is over 146 months old

City businesses reap benefits of Lincoln Christmas Market

Bumper trade: Businesses uphill said the Lincoln Christmas Market gave them a good trade boost this year.

Local businesses in the Bailgate area have reaped the benefits of the busiest Lincoln Christmas Market to date.

Over 200,000 people are estimated to have attended the market this year, after it had been cancelled in 2010 due to heavy snowfall.

Business owners have said that this year’s market brought some of the busiest days of trade that they have ever known.

Nick Ridout, Owner of The Whisky Shop, said: “From a commercial aspect, it’s been a great year for me, for other traders around the area and for the stallholders themselves.

“I think a lot of people were coming out to show their support for the market because it was missed last year.

“There were absolutely packed crowds throughout the three and a half days of the market. It was excellent.”

Nichola Bell, Manager at Grayz Tearoom, said: “All the local businesses do really well out of the market.

“I’ve never seen it so busy in my life, and I’ve never worked so hard! We’re a new business, so nobody knew what to expect.”

Annie McKenzie, from the Bailhouse Hotel, said: “It was mental. We were fully booked from Thursday to Sunday, and people were still ringing [to book] on the day.

“We’ve already started taking bookings for next year.”

The 2012 Lincoln Christmas Market will take place between December 6-9.