We run UK’s most bizarre Christmas market – selling dead animals & odd creatures for £185 from Fred West’s prison cell
THE UK’s most bizarre Christmas market sells kinky lingerie, sex toys and dead animals from inside Fred West’s old prison cell.
The festive fair at one of Britain’s most-haunted jails – HMP Gloucester – proved both a spooky but also successful attraction with crowds of visitors.
Cells at the historic institution, which opened in 1791 but closed 10 years ago, were turned into a shopping destination.
The free event apparently offered a “lot of delicious evilness” and was described by organiser Jules Farr as an “eerie, sensory experience”.
Among the cells unlocked to the public was one occupied by reviled West.
He was caged while awaiting trial for the murders of 12 women, but killed himself before facing justice.
Many people have now been lured to a stall called Boo With Attitude run by green-haired trader Chenal Watson, based in the scariest spot – the B-wing cell once occupied by West.
Mum-of-two Chenal said: “It’s interesting trading from the cell where one of country’s most notorious killers was once banged up.
“Look at the size of the cell – it’s huge and has two windows.”
Chenal was selling a range of items from “naughty-but-nice 18-plus stuff” such a pink flower vase shaped like a pair of ladies’ breasts, as well as ghoul-shaped sex toys.
She also showed off an array of dream-catchers displayed in the cell, saying: “It’s a fitting place because they’re designed to catch the evil spirits and bad dreams and bring goodness.”
Volunteer charity worker Victoria Addison eagerly looked inside the top-floor cell, telling The Sun Online: ‘I love it here – it’s great.
“Usually Christmas art and craft fairs are boring, but this is a bit different.”
Victoria, 32, from Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire, enthused: “I can’t believe I’m standing in the cell where Fred West was.
“It’s wicked – the next minute I’m buying presents.”
Curious library worker Nadia Perdisatt from Gloucester, peering inside, said: “I couldn’t resist coming to a festive event inside a prison and now I’m behind bars where Fred West was – I can’t believe it.”
Nadia, originally from Siberia in Russia, added: “It sends a tingle up your spine.
“The jail’s a great place to look around and the stalls are incredible.”
It’s got an eerie, spooky vibe – we love it
Visitor Jen Rudman
Teacher Emma Auston-Goodall, from nearby Cheltenham, was also among the visitors – along with a pal, NHS volunteer Jen Rudman.
Emma said: “We both have a sadistic streak and couldn’t resist a day in an institution.”
She also brought along her six-year-old twin daughters, adding: “We were intrigued and had to come and have a look, like many others.
“It’s an historic place and we’ve never been to a prison before.”
Jen said: “It’s got an eerie, spooky vibe – we love it.
“And at the same time, we’re doing out Christmas shopping.”
Trader Senel Seymour, from Newmarket in Suffolk, runs erotic stall Mintt in the market’s popular adult-only section.
The admin worker, 40, said said: “People are in for a treat here – we’re very busy, and it’s an intriguing curious place for those starting off on their kink journey.
“It’s specifically for 18-plus and we sell everything from sexy lingerie to spread bars.
“This is my fun thing to do, not my normal job – it’s quite a different vibe in prison, it’s not your average trading place and it’s proving very popular.”
Zach Ellison, who crafts bondage wood bars, said: “People are buying them to help spice up their sex life.”
Ghostly goings-on spilled into the jailhouse corridors where visitors were greeted by trader Steve, dressed in costume and with a stuffed Siberian dragon Konrad perched on his shoulder.
He said: “People are coming here because of the notoriety of the prison and the vast array of unusual and untraditional stalls.
“The place is rammed, the footfall is amazing and they’re buying Christmas gifts with a difference – and Konrad is causing quite a stir.”
Another stall – this one named Wyred Art – is run by ex-Army medic Steve, 56, alongside his fiancée Liz.
Royal British Legion training manager Steve makes goblin and fantasy figure-sculpted creatures, with the priciest on sale for £185.
Jodi Dowse, 34, a drug and alcohol support worker from Bristol, spoke to The Sun Online as she queued for a tarot card reading with psychic medium Melody.
She said: “The prison is a brilliant place for this event and and the fact Fred West was locked up here makes you want to explore the building and learn its history.
“I’m obsessed with cats and have just bought some ear-rings made from a spanner – I’m meant to be Christmas shopping for my other half, but so far have ended up buying for myself only.
“It’s an amazing event, so different, and we had to come to have a look around.”
‘UINIQUE PRISON VENUE’
She was visiting with hairdresser sister Katie Sandall, 43, who also waited for a reading – keen to know “what is going to be said”.
Tarot card reader Charlotte Yeates was holding her sessions in another cell along a corridor – aimed at “helping people confront whatever is going on in their lives with positive energy”.
The motorsport health and safety adviser, from Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire, said: “This is my muggle job and I don’t do bad news, just good.
“It’s a great venue and proving popular but I had to move into another cell because the first one I set up in next door – but not the Fred West one – I couldn’t use because it had a bad vibe.”
Meanwhile, another trader Jules runs Chocolate Curiosities – offering sweet treats shaped as horror knives, skulls, jaws and bats, as well as bars decorated with spiders.
She said: “Creating this event from the ground up has been such a thrilling and rewarding experience.
“I’m excited to take over this incredible venue for alternative traders to come together and for the community to benefit.”
She told how the 95 traders there welcomed more than 2,000 visitors in the market’s opening three hours.
Jules added: “It’s fantastic and everybody thinks it’s awesome and are loving the eerie, sensory experience.
“People are intrigued by the fact it’s a prison and there are alternative stalls, and they’ve come for a bit of a nosey – and the 18-plus area is a big attraction.”
The event was held as a one-off on Saturday, billed as an “Alternative Christmas Market showcasing quality non-conformist traders in a unique prison venue”.
It featured psychic readers, gothic and vintage clothing and jewellery, body piercings, taxidermy plus music and food.
The prison in Barrack Square, built on the site of a medieval castle in the city centre, previously saw 123 prisoners executed within its walls.
It is now a tourist attraction and TV film location for crime thrillers including the BBC’s Silent Witness.
Evil West carried out at least 12 murders, the majority with second wife Rose, between 1967 and 1987.
The dismembered bodies of their victims, all young women, were found buried at their home in Cromwell Street, Gloucester – known as the “House of Horrors.”
West killed himself by asphyxiation while awaiting trial and detained on remand at HMP Birmingham on January 1, 1995.