Wonderland ups & downs
MIXED VIEWS ON IMPACT OF CITY’S RETURNING CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR
SHOPPERS and pubs in Nottingham city centre have mixed views about the Winter Wonderland.
Many businesses say the Christmas attraction in Old Market Square has not boosted trade while some shoppers criticised the high prices.
But one pub chain has felt a “good knock-on effect” from the Christmas market.
JD Wetherspoon has two pubs close to the Winter Wonderland – the Sir Joseph Else on Old Market Square itself and the Roebuck Inn on St James’s Street.
Wetherspoon spokesperson Eddie Gershon said: “The Christmas market is a great way of attracting people into the city.
“It is a great boon to the city and our pubs close by. Our pubs are very popular with those people visiting the Christmas market and it has a good knock-on effect for them.”
But pubs further away in the city haven’t benefited as much.
Six Barrels, on Carlton Street, Hockley, has “not really seen a change in footfall”.
Manager Warren Lindsey said: “We’ve not really seen a difference. We’re usually busier in the evening time and we haven’t put our prices up over Christmas but we’ve not really seen any change.”
Craft ale pub Hop Merchant, on Upper Parliament Street, also says the Winter Wonderland hasn’t increased footfall.
An employee there, who didn’t want to be named, said: “It’s just the same. We have picked up a bit because of Christmas and I have heard people come in speaking about the prices [at the Winter Wonderland].
“The prices are extortionate and it’s obviously cheaper here. Neck Oil [a type of beer] at the Christmas Market is £9 and here, it’s £5 something.
“There’s plenty of bars around here that charge less than a fiver for a drink so I can understand why people wouldn’t spend there [at the Winter Wonderland].”
Shoppers said that they liked the “aesthetic” of the Winter Wonderland but weren’t buying much.
Dinner lady Sue Cinder, 59, from The Meadows, said that the prices at the Winter Wonderland are “ridiculous”.
“It’s lovely to see the market up and running and traders out.
“The aesthetic of the market is nice – I’ve walked around it the second day it was open but it is really expensive.”
Sue added: “I think that people will definitely end up going into a Wetherspoon’s or maybe a restaurant after walking up and down the market and maybe going on a ride.”
Danni Smith, 25, of Strelley, added: “I think that it’s doable maybe spending a bit of money at the Christmas market just once and looking to see if you can get any presents but once you’ve been, you’ve been. I know that I definitely won’t be coming back to buy anything.”