UK's oldest Christmas market shuts down. What's the reason?

The country's oldest Christmas market in Lincoln, beloved by many since its inception in 1982, has been permanently closed, as reported by British media. This prompts the question: why was such a popular attraction shut down?

Lincoln, a city situated in east-central England, attracted crowds of locals and tourists for over four decades for its status as the oldest holiday market in the country. Alfes, this is now a thing of the past.

"The Mirror" provided data showing that more than 230,000 people visited the Lincoln market in 2022. Paradoxically, the sheer volume of these visitors has led to the closure of the Christmas attraction.

The city authorities expressed concerns over an even higher influx of tourists and locals visiting the market this year. They prioritized safety and, consequentially, instituted some changes. As part of their decisions, the market will remain closed this year.

Rather than hosting the usual, large-scale Christmas market, the city council plans to allocate its Christmas budget of around 260,000 pounds (approximately $349,827) towards a sequence of events dubbed "Christmas in Lincoln", scheduled for December.

The city's residents are discontented with the authorities' new arrangements. "It's very regrettable that the market is vanishing. It was the most significant aspect of the pre-Christmas season for me," a Lincoln resident revealed to "The Mirror".

Businesspeople are equally displeased by the shifts. "There were no consultations, so it came as a complete shock. I believe nothing will make up for the revenue generated by the market," said Paul Catlow, a hotel owner situated near the Christmas market venue. Other business owners concurred that nothing can replace the unique charm of the market that appealed to everyone.