Milsom Street bid for festive market
Move to expand into prestigious shopping street and shut road
Bath’s Christmas market could be bigger than ever if plans to expand it into Milsom Street are approved. Visit Bath wants to place 24 chalets and two food stalls along the popular shopping street for 18 days this winter and again in 2019 - with only ambulances, police cars and fire engines being allowed to drive through. The move has been prompted by major renovation works planned or under way in Abbey Churchyard, Kingston Parade and around Bath Abbey, as well as York Street and Swallow Street where some stalls are normally placed. The planning application says: “Whilst the Christmas market will have an obvious visual impact on this part of Bath city centre, this will be temporary and, given its location at the heart of the city’s retail area, appropriate to the festive season. “Visit Bath is committed to planning and operating a high-quality event in the city which continues to be a market leader of British Christmas markets and to maintain the benchmark for which others aim to aspire to.” The application states that by locating chalets in Milsom Street it will allow Visit Bath to: Further enhance visitor and resident experience of the event by extending the footprint and easing congestion; Support the Bath Abbey Footprint project; Support the Roman Baths Archway Project; Make way for essential road repairs; Further engage with independent businesses throughout the city. Visit Bath says an estimated 409,000 people visited the market over the 18-day period in 2017, bringing a £29.4million boost to the city’s economy - up 40 per cent on 2016. That success brings risk, with among the most serious being the use of vehicles as weapons. A truck was driven into a Christmas market in Berlin in 2016. The Visit Bath plans say: “As the market footprint develops and expands into new areas of the city, considerations will be made to all areas of vulnerability. “It is recognised that a vehicle offers a convenient delivery mechanism for a large explosive device as well as the vehicle itself being used as used as a weapon.” Visit Bath will be using physical barriers and a city-wide radio link to share intelligence about anything which may “pose as a potential threat or issue elsewhere in the city”. Bath and North East Somerset Council leader Tim Warren reiterated his message from last year, when defences were installed, that there is “no known threat” to Bath and the measures are purely precautionary. If approved, the market will be open from November 22 until December 9. Giving time to set up and remove the chalets, Milsom Street would be closed to normal traffic from November 19 until December 10. Visit Bath pledged to work to “maintain a strong working relationship with local businesses and residents” throughout the event. It was set to consult with Milsom Street residents and retailers, the Federation and Bath Residents’ Associations and B&NES Council’s highways team as the application was submitted. There will be further consultation with other key stakeholders and a series of drop-in events. B&NES Council will decide whether to approve the application. Visit Bath will also have to apply for premises licences and submit street trading and event applications.