The start of both the Footprint and Archway projects this year means that the Christmas Market with have to move off its traditional footprint.
Their are two proposal on the table at the moment:
One is to move a sizable part of the market to Milsom Street which would be closed for the duration of the market and some days either side. This will:
- bring considerably more nuisance and inconvenience to town centre residents particularly those living on Milsom Street
- take out of operation a large number of city centre parking spaces several of which are residents only
- disrupt deliveries and collections from Broad Street and Milsom Street businesses
- create more traffic chaos in George Street and the rat runs north of George Street for the entire duration of the market
The other proposal is to move the entire market to the Royal Avenue and the area around the Bandstand. This would reduce the nuisance and disruption caused by squeezing the event into the restrictive and heavily used city centre spaces and put the event in a space where it can be redesigned as a 21st century event and where it will impact relatively few residents.
We just hope that this time BANES will put the best interests of city centre residents at the forefront of their decision making.