‘Christmas market must move or fold’ (From Oxford Mail)

Go and see how Birmingham do it.

People want one thing and one thing only from the Christmas market: ALCOHOL

Many proper Bavarian style buildings serving beer and selling frankfurters. No one buys trinkets, but everyone buys drink.

Sort it out, or I an everyone else will continue to go to London or Brum.

"“It would be a shame if there wasn’t a market in Oxford anymore but there’s only so much I can do.”"

There'll still be the covered market

Very contradictory statements - on the one hand, article says market attracts 1000s of visitors, then in the next breath, it's suffering from lack of 'footfall' (ie visitors). Anyway, it's a terrible market, really dreary - lots of stalls selling things that no-one wants. There's a fab one in Bournemouth, and yes they sell beer but that's not the only reason for its success.

The problem with the market this year was not the location but the fact that most of the stalls were selling overpriced rubbish that no-one wants to buy. Contrast to the Birmingham and York markets, which have a vast variety of gifts, food, drinks, handicrafts etc. Must Try Harder.

I found the Market to be totally uninspiring. No doubt a lot of hard work went into it but there was hardly anything there that I wanted to buy and not much appeared to be particularly German.
I don't go to Oxford centre very often so made a special trip just for the market but was so disappointed.

Not surprising that the Oxford Christmas Market is a flop. Unless traders sell goods at over the top prices, there is little chance to make a profit.

I was a market trader for almost 6 years. Unfortunately the following competition killed the traditional street market trade, as it is very difficult to compete with their prices.

1. Car boot sales
2. Ebay
3. Pound shops
4. Primark
5. Outlet stores

Add to that, petrol prices and expensive market pitches and it is plain to see that it is very difficult to make a living as a market trader today.

WitneyGreen wrote:
The problem with the market this year was not the location but the fact that most of the stalls were selling overpriced rubbish that no-one wants to buy. Contrast to the Birmingham and York markets, which have a vast variety of gifts, food, drinks, handicrafts etc. Must Try Harder.

Thanks for posting that; My sentiments exactly. When the wind's blowing it's a harsh walk to the Castle, to be rewarded with handmade free range organic tat. That and a poor cafe run by the Castle and some overpriced restaurants.

I started an origami market but that folded too...

I used to love the Christmas markets in Germany, and had often thought of pottering down to the Oxford one, but last year I had a look at the web-site, and was immediately put off.
If you're going to hold a Christmas market, make it just that, a market selling festive products, not overpriced tat that's available all year.
The market has German stalls, we're Twinned with Bonn, so why not hold it in Bonn Square and the surrounding areas?
It would certainly be nice to see Russian, Swedish, Canadian & Dutch stalls, in addition to the German & French, they all love Christmas.
Make it a multi-cultural Christmas market, and lease an industrial snow machine to give it the seasonal feel, if the market's offering something different, that's not available elsewhere, but is going to bring Christmas cheer, there'll be plenty of footfall.

Oh, and invite Lebkuchen Schmidt, they'll bring in customers, best Lebkuchen I've ever tasted.

Agree with most posts above. But if you look at successful ones, people mostly go to have a few drinks and maybe buy some overpriced sweets etc on the way home.

Totally agree we should be doing more with Oxfords twinned cities. Bonn has a good market, as does Leiden.

As it is now, its doomed to fail.

What a cynical, miserable, uninformed load of people have put comments on this page. Contrary to what Embox says, statistically the visiting public is not looking for alcohol at Christmas Markets. Yes, it is a small part of the event, but only a very small part of it. What visitors are really looking for is an antidote to the national chain stores and mass production one sees on every high street across Britain, in other words chalets that sell quality, interesting and unusual merchandise and today the emphasis is more about supporting British-made products than selling mass Chinese imports.
If the poor person who thinks Birmingham Christmas Market is a benchmark for others then they are sadly in a small minority because Birmingham Xmas Market is bottom of all the Christmas Market league tables and one to which no other towns or cities aspire.
I think the organisers of the Oxford Christmas Market should be commended for attempting to bring something potentially exciting and new to Oxford and doing something to improve your city at Christmas. Oxford is not an easy town in which to organise anything because they are so many restrictions, contentions and issues to address. At least the organisers should be applauded for trying to do something for the city and for the benefit of everyone.

Sadly this market will be doomed. Christchurch needs to drop the costs of let prices of the City Centre because Westgate, High Street, Cornmarket, George Street, Queen Street, and Broad Street are dreadful. The only businesses capable of affording the overpriced settings are bog-standard shops with a look of Death about it. They are intent on killing Little Clarendon Street and Walton Street.

I would prefer to shop in Witney, as it feels more welcoming. They just finished a lovely shopping centre and the vibe is better. Even the Templar Square/Cowley Centre is preferred over the bore of Oxford City Centre.

Christmas Market Fan wrote:
What a cynical, miserable, uninformed load of people have put comments on this page. Contrary to what Embox says, statistically the visiting public is not looking for alcohol at Christmas Markets. Yes, it is a small part of the event, but only a very small part of it. What visitors are really looking for is an antidote to the national chain stores and mass production one sees on every high street across Britain, in other words chalets that sell quality, interesting and unusual merchandise and today the emphasis is more about supporting British-made products than selling mass Chinese imports.
If the poor person who thinks Birmingham Christmas Market is a benchmark for others then they are sadly in a small minority because Birmingham Xmas Market is bottom of all the Christmas Market league tables and one to which no other towns or cities aspire.
I think the organisers of the Oxford Christmas Market should be commended for attempting to bring something potentially exciting and new to Oxford and doing something to improve your city at Christmas. Oxford is not an easy town in which to organise anything because they are so many restrictions, contentions and issues to address. At least the organisers should be applauded for trying to do something for the city and for the benefit of everyone.

You sound a bit rattled by this...

There are a number of very good independent outlets dotted around Oxford that sell quality merchandise. There is also a finite number of people who are prepared to pay for the merchandise.

Operating a "here today, gone tomorrow" outlet delivered from a wooden shed (chalet!) by many who don't even live in the area simply takes away from the local independent retailers who pay full rent and rates all year round from full service premises.

The Kidlington christmas market was good, lots of continental offerings on sale and no trinkets.

Bath christmas market is a good place to visit and set in a nice back drop. I live in Oxfordshire and know about Bath christmas market..... only knew about the one at Oxford when i was catching the park and ride bus. MARKETING.

http://www.bathchris
tmasmarket.co.uk/

Try Gloucester Green - people are used to markets there and may go out of habit. Christmas Market a nice idea but need reasonable goods to tempt people to spend.

I was struck by the high prices of goods, maybe a result of stall renters being in turn overcharged rents, and the rather modest number of stalls and variety of merchandise - at high prices. What's the daily stall rent at that market, please?

Agree that more affordable drink and foodstuffs need to be sold, as others suggest. Pungent herbal boiled winter bonbons, like those in German markets, are another crowd puller. The few food stalls that there were, impressed.

Have to disagree about artificial snow, though. They had that. The dogs were as puzzled by the foam "flakes" as me, and equally unimpressed.

I rate artificial snow about as little as outdoor heating and synthetic bird or cicada song. Wasteful and ghastly.

Finally, more free or cheaper Christmas car parking helps, if Oxford is to compete better against Witney, Swindon, Reading.

This exchange proves yet again that Oxford should is a lousy place to shop. Why oh why don't they close Broad Street to cars completely. It would be both a perfect site for such markets as well a lovely centre for outside restaurants, bars and, dare I say it, small independent shops. Wake up Oxford otherwise we'll all be going further afield for our Christmas shopping.

To my previous comment placed at 10.02. I should have added to the comment about closing Broad Street to cards: At the moment Broad Street is no more than a glorified car park and an ugly foreground for the college backdrop.

Christmas Market Fan wrote:
What a cynical, miserable, uninformed load of people have put comments on this page. Contrary to what Embox says, statistically the visiting public is not looking for alcohol at Christmas Markets. Yes, it is a small part of the event, but only a very small part of it. What visitors are really looking for is an antidote to the national chain stores and mass production one sees on every high street across Britain, in other words chalets that sell quality, interesting and unusual merchandise and today the emphasis is more about supporting British-made products than selling mass Chinese imports.
If the poor person who thinks Birmingham Christmas Market is a benchmark for others then they are sadly in a small minority because Birmingham Xmas Market is bottom of all the Christmas Market league tables and one to which no other towns or cities aspire.
I think the organisers of the Oxford Christmas Market should be commended for attempting to bring something potentially exciting and new to Oxford and doing something to improve your city at Christmas. Oxford is not an easy town in which to organise anything because they are so many restrictions, contentions and issues to address. At least the organisers should be applauded for trying to do something for the city and for the benefit of everyone.

How many people travel to Oxford for the market, eh?

Birmingham is busy, bustling and fits all your criteria.

Face facts, people do their shopping on the internet now, and only that which you can't buy (socialising over a drink/food) is what people go out for.

Stop living in the past.

Have to agree with Embox - the market needs to offer more than just a few things to buy. Mulled wine and beer, fresh doughnuts, entertainment, and Christmas items for sale, along with some gift items. Not tat and trinkets!

I'd agree with the comments suggesting food/drink - mulled wine and sausages are a staple of a German-style Christmas market. Maybe the lack of those is down to the location though, and the fact that the castle is full of bars and restaurants that don't want competition?

I'd have to say though, the main reason I didn't go and have a wander around last year was the fact that it was advertised as shutting at 6pm most days of the week, which meant I'd get there just before it shut if I left work promptly, and I wasn't going to come in at the weekend just for that.

So for next year, stay open until at least 8pm and give people some nice mulled wine to keep themselves warm while they browse!

One thing I'd add to my previous comments, don't have stalls containing products pertaining to be foreign, they're never as good as the real thing.
If at all possible, have no English stalls, I know we're all for boosting the UK economy, but it's a once a year thing, and if all the stalls are selling 100% genuine foreign products, local retailers won't be effected, and more people would be tempted to attend.
I agree with the later closing, Christmas is all about families, so keep it open late enough for families to attend together.

As someone who has consulted on many of the Christmas Markets in this country and who has visited many abroad, I would like to add to the above comments that Christmas Markets are set up by towns and cities because they are statistically proven to attract very large numbers of visitors to these places and to be of considerable benefit to the local economy. They bring work to local people who staff the chalets, they employ carpenters, electricians, security staff,students,first aiders,printers,desi
gners and many others who help to create a Christmas Market. Moreover, good Christmas Markets attract huge numbers of tour operators, coach companies and the visiting public. The top two most highly rated Christmas Markets in the UK are Bath and Winchester both of which can attract 40,000+ visitors on an average Saturday or Sunday. When Ms.Rahimi commented on only getting a few thousand visitors to the Oxford Christmas Market that is why she said the footfall is low, because she hoped to attract 10's of thousands not a few thousand. In answer to someone else's question, the cost of chalets varies from one city to another; most good Christmas Markets charge between £130 -£150 a day for a chalet. It is rare to be able to hire a chalet for less than £100 per day which is the going rate for stands at good shows too. On a different note, many genuine British ( Designer) Craft exhibitors have seen a sharp rise in their takings in the recent years at Christmas Markets whereas cheaper stalls selling Chinese imported Christmas goods are not doing so relatively well.Apart from the British public seemingly making more informed purchases nowadays, there is a keeness to buy British.Too many shops are selling Chinese tat maskerading as vintage desirable goods.
I thinknow the organisers of the Oxford Christmas Market have had some huge obstacles to try to overcome and many issues such as not being allowed to put up AA signs around the city and give out fliers, so they really have struggled to make this event work against all the odds.

Steve00 wrote:
I'd agree with the comments suggesting food/drink - mulled wine and sausages are a staple of a German-style Christmas market. Maybe the lack of those is down to the location though, and the fact that the castle is full of bars and restaurants that don't want competition?

I'd have to say though, the main reason I didn't go and have a wander around last year was the fact that it was advertised as shutting at 6pm most days of the week, which meant I'd get there just before it shut if I left work promptly, and I wasn't going to come in at the weekend just for that.

So for next year, stay open until at least 8pm and give people some nice mulled wine to keep themselves warm while they browse!

Not sure if some of you are talking about the same Oxford Christmas Market? There was plenty of mulled wine to keep warm (German and English), there was German beer and there were gigantic yummy German sausages. And I tried some handmade German gingerbread (lebkuchen).

I agree that some of the products were really expansive, but others like Christmas decorations (yes, there were at least two stalls I remember that sold mainly Christmas decorations!) were a real bargain and not tat at all.

Our kids looooved the free trail for children and the carousel as well. We had a wonderful time and felt christmasy when going home.

We hope the Christmas Market returns this year.

Phillip Dove wrote:
This exchange proves yet again that Oxford should is a lousy place to shop. Why oh why don't they close Broad Street to cars completely. It would be both a perfect site for such markets as well a lovely centre for outside restaurants, bars and, dare I say it, small independent shops. Wake up Oxford otherwise we'll all be going further afield for our Christmas shopping.

Couldn't agree more with you, PD. The Broad isn't ideal as a thoroughfare, now, and we need that space for the purposes you give. Sooner, the better.

Christmas Market Fan wrote:
As someone who has consulted on many of the Christmas Markets in this country and who has visited many abroad, I would like to add to the above comments that Christmas Markets are set up by towns and cities because they are statistically proven to attract very large numbers of visitors to these places and to be of considerable benefit to the local economy. They bring work to local people who staff the chalets, they employ carpenters, electricians, security staff,students,first aiders,printers,desi

gners and many others who help to create a Christmas Market. Moreover, good Christmas Markets attract huge numbers of tour operators, coach companies and the visiting public. The top two most highly rated Christmas Markets in the UK are Bath and Winchester both of which can attract 40,000+ visitors on an average Saturday or Sunday. When Ms.Rahimi commented on only getting a few thousand visitors to the Oxford Christmas Market that is why she said the footfall is low, because she hoped to attract 10's of thousands not a few thousand. In answer to someone else's question, the cost of chalets varies from one city to another; most good Christmas Markets charge between £130 -£150 a day for a chalet. It is rare to be able to hire a chalet for less than £100 per day which is the going rate for stands at good shows too. On a different note, many genuine British ( Designer) Craft exhibitors have seen a sharp rise in their takings in the recent years at Christmas Markets whereas cheaper stalls selling Chinese imported Christmas goods are not doing so relatively well.Apart from the British public seemingly making more informed purchases nowadays, there is a keeness to buy British.Too many shops are selling Chinese tat maskerading as vintage desirable goods.
I thinknow the organisers of the Oxford Christmas Market have had some huge obstacles to try to overcome and many issues such as not being allowed to put up AA signs around the city and give out fliers, so they really have struggled to make this event work against all the odds.

That's not exactly true is it.

Anyone can hand out fliers in Oxford that meet ASA standards - they just have to pay a £100 per person per month fee for a licence to do so.

Christmas Market Fan wrote:
What a cynical, miserable, uninformed load of people have put comments on this page. Contrary to what Embox says, statistically the visiting public is not looking for alcohol at Christmas Markets. Yes, it is a small part of the event, but only a very small part of it. What visitors are really looking for is an antidote to the national chain stores and mass production one sees on every high street across Britain, in other words chalets that sell quality, interesting and unusual merchandise and today the emphasis is more about supporting British-made products than selling mass Chinese imports.
If the poor person who thinks Birmingham Christmas Market is a benchmark for others then they are sadly in a small minority because Birmingham Xmas Market is bottom of all the Christmas Market league tables and one to which no other towns or cities aspire.
I think the organisers of the Oxford Christmas Market should be commended for attempting to bring something potentially exciting and new to Oxford and doing something to improve your city at Christmas. Oxford is not an easy town in which to organise anything because they are so many restrictions, contentions and issues to address. At least the organisers should be applauded for trying to do something for the city and for the benefit of everyone.

Seeing as Broad Street is pretty much pedestrianised or Gloucester Green is why can't they have an ice rink, surrounded with stalls - one side selling gifts etc and the other doing food and drink. There's nothing at these things to keep you there. I went this year to the light switch on, it was rubbish. I wandered on to this market and they'd run out of crepes, there was an enormous queue for hot dogs. The mulled wine was about £4 a glass and there was no entertainment to keep me there. I went back to the pub!