Closed for Christmas: street may shut for festive market

NEWCASTLE’S Blackett Street could be closed to vehicles again this winter in a bid to boost the city centre’s Christmas market.

The busy route was pedestrianised for 10 weekends this summer so that it could host a series of family fun events during the Great Exhibition of the North.

That move proved popular with many visitors to the city centre and council bosses are hoping to replicate that success over the festive period.

Council leader Nick Forbes told a scrutiny committee meeting on Tuesday that Blackett Street can be “a very different place without vehicles” and that plans are in the

works that could see it closed during this year’s Christmas market. However, it has not yet been confirmed exactly when Blackett Street would close or for how long, or what events and stalls the space might be used for.

Coun Forbes also confirmed that the local authority’s long-term ambition remains to permanently shut Blackett Street to traffic, though that will be dependent on working with bus companies to ensure that a reconfigured transport loop around the city centre can function effectively.

Bus company Stagecoach has previously criticised plans to pedestrianise the street, which

connects Pilgrim Street and Percy Street, because of the disruption it would cause to its bus services.

It was confirmed earlier this month that a bumper festive market – incorporating both the city’s usual International Christmas Market and a separate Christmas Market with local traders – will be held around Grey’s Monument from November 16 to December 16.

Coun Forbes said that this year’s event will be a “different kind of Christmas market” for the city.

He also cited the pedestrianising of Blackett Street as one tactic that could improve air quality in the city centre.