Worcester City Council has taken the decision to cancel this year's Victorian Christmas Fayre, which was scheduled to take place from Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 December 2020.
The Fayre normally attracts an estimated 150,000 visitors to the city over the four-day period and contributes an additional £7.3 million to the Worcester economy (source: Victorian Fayre survey and EIA Report 2016 conducted by The Research Solution).
Instead a range of festive attractions to entice people to the city centre across the four December weekends will be arranged. They will include small scale arts and food markets; a Christmas trail for families to follow; acoustic musicians, costumed characters and entertainers. These will fully adhere to the latest COVID guidance from central government.
"This is not a decision that we've taken lightly; we don't take any pleasure in announcing the cancellation of this popular event," said Cllr Adrian Gregson, Deputy Leader of Worcester City Council.
"However with the COVID pandemic still at large, the risks incurred in allowing this winter event to go ahead were simply too high.
"We are developing a smaller scale programme of Christmas events which will help to attract visitors to the city centre across December, without focusing everything on one weekend as is the case with the Victorian Fayre."
200 market stalls were present at the 2019 Fayre, attracting 185 coach loads of people to Worcester. The event requires a high level of support from all emergency services due to the numbers attending.
Instead a range of festive attractions to entice people to the city centre across the four December weekends will be arranged. They will include small scale arts and food markets; a Christmas trail for families to follow; acoustic musicians, costumed characters and entertainers. These will fully adhere to the latest COVID guidance from central government.
"This is not a decision that we've taken lightly; we don't take any pleasure in announcing the cancellation of this popular event," said Cllr Adrian Gregson, Deputy Leader of Worcester City Council.
"However with the COVID pandemic still at large, the risks incurred in allowing this winter event to go ahead were simply too high.
"We are developing a smaller scale programme of Christmas events which will help to attract visitors to the city centre across December, without focusing everything on one weekend as is the case with the Victorian Fayre."
200 market stalls were present at the 2019 Fayre, attracting 185 coach loads of people to Worcester. The event requires a high level of support from all emergency services due to the numbers attending.
Christmas markets in Gloucester, Lincoln and Bath have also been cancelled and Birmingham is still reviewing the status of its market.
