East 17 and Winter Wonderland aglow!
NOTTS PEOPLE FLOCK TO WEEKEND CHRISTMAS EVENTS
IT was a festive weekend in Nottinghamshire as people flocked to events across the county.
In Nottingham city centre, huge crowds packed into Winter Wonderland on Saturday and Sunday, with a number of stallholders claiming it had been one of the best yet.
In Mansfield, a crowd of around 10,000 was in the Market Place to watch 90s band East 17 switch on the town’s Christmas lights.
After the event, a Mansfield District Council spokesperson said on Facebook: “Our Christmas lights are now lighting up the town. Thank you to everyone who came to our big lights switch-on event, we hope you had a lovely time.”
In the city, many visitors praised the success of Winter Wonderland, with some stallholders suggesting the new aerial ice rink feature had added to the success of event.
Stallholder Lucas Coughlan, 21, of The Cherry Tree, which sells a variety of jams, chutney, preserves and marmalades, said there had been a massive difference in sales this year.
“I wasn’t here personally last year but looking at all the figures from last year we have almost tripled what we did last year.
“There’s been a lot more cash other than cards, so it’s been nice to see people revert back to normal. It’s been good.”
When asked about the return of the ice rink, Mr Coughlan said: “It’s been good. It’s kept people out more, before they clear off to the pubs.”
Bill Marlow, another stallholder, described Nottingham’s market as one of the best in the country. He is running the China Mugs stall at the market and said: “The Nottingham market is very good. I have come here for four or five years now.
“It is great to see people out enjoying themselves after the Covid fiasco.
It is a very good market.
“I have been to many markets around the country, and this is one of the very good ones. It has been very good so far, for people and businesses.”
Jucy Glass stallholder Lucy Hall, who owns a local artist business in Sherwood, says that there is more excitement this year compared to last year.
Lucy said: “It’s been very busy. People are coming from shows and there’s a real buzz about it this year. Loads of people are coming from out of town. There’s a lot of shows going on at the Concert Hall.
“If you want the buzz of Winter Wonderland come late afternoon evenings – the lights and the music.
It’s always a real buzz. The difference is really, really remarkable.” Sean Johns, 37, was working on Imajineers, a new stall for Winter Wonderland which sells customised items, the most popular item being a personalised bauble. Mr Johns told the Post that the stall had been really busy. He said: “It’s been tiring. I have only been here for a week and it’s generally busiest when the weather is dry. “Lunchtime is quite busy. Monday was the quietest day when it rained. Lunchtime and after work are the busiest.
“We’ve got lots of customised items – we’ve got a niche of what people want. Lots of people want customised Christmas presents.”
Looking at the figures from last year, we have almost tripled what we did last year Lucas Coughlan, The Cherry Tree