Ashfield offers spaces to traders from Lincoln’s scrapped Christmas market

City of Lincoln Council has voted to drop the market after 40 years in favour of smaller events, following concerns about overcrowding leading at the event “becoming unsafe”.

It follows reports the 2022 event attracted 320,000 visitors over four days – 70,000 more than its 250,000 limit.

During the latest council executive committee meting, members heard the market became “uncomfortably” busy, leading to an impact on the visitor experience.

The authority also reported an expected £80,000 loss on the 2022 event and now wants to spread the wider £260,000 budget across a series of smaller Christmas events instead.

More than 3,500 people signed a petition to save the market and a public meeting last week saw 100 people gather to air their concerns.

However, the controversial move was approved and led to opposing politicians labelling the Lincoln authority as “Grinches” and “Scrooges”.

But now Ashfield Council has confirmed it plans to write to all the affected Lincoln traders and offer them a place in the district.

The authority says it plans to upgrade its own market offering and would welcome any of the affected stallholders.

Coun Jason Zadrozny, council leader, told the latest cabinet meeting Ashfield Council will pull together a list of all traders and ask if they want to come to the district.

He said: This market bought more than 250,000 people to Lincoln over four days.

“It has been a huge success for the city and for economic regeneration.

“I’ve met with officers this morning at Ashfield Council and have asked them to begin work on options to see if there is any way we may take on a larger Christmas event in Ashfield.

“This could incorporate a large number of the stallholders from Lincoln.

“Officers are going to look at options to see if Ashfield can accommodate what Lincoln now doesn’t think is viable there.

“I think it would be a great economic regenerator, probably for Sutton if we can work it out, as we have park spaces like Sutton Lawn or the town centre that could accommodate it.

“It’s short notice, so we might not get the full 500 stalls, but I’m hoping whatever we plan for Sutton might work into something bigger and better.”