Christmas Markets 2020: Which cities are still going ahead?

CHRISTMAS markets are the highlight for many Brits during the festive season, with shops, food stalls and attractions open to the public. However, with coronavirus forcing parts of the country into lockdown, some cities have been forced to cancel their events. Bath, Edinburgh, Leeds, Cheltenham, Birmingham, Winchester, Oxford, and Bristol are just some of the […]

CHRISTMAS markets are the highlight for many Brits during the festive season, with shops, food stalls and attractions open to the public.

However, with coronavirus forcing parts of the country into lockdown, some cities have been forced to cancel their events.

AFP or licensors

Which Christmas markets are still going ahead in the UK this year?[/caption]

Bath, Edinburgh, Leeds, Cheltenham, Birmingham, Winchester, Oxford, and Bristol are just some of the places which have already cancelled their Christmas markets while London’s Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park has also been cancelled.

However, while Dr Giuseppe Aragona, GP and medical advisor at Prescription Doctor, told Woman & Home that while it was “highly unlikely” they would be able to go ahead, they added it would “depend on the area and size of the market”.

They continued: “Smaller more localised markets [may be] allowed to go ahead providing social distancing measures are in place.”

The following destinations currently have Christmas markets going ahead, at the time of writing.

• Cardiff (November 12 – December 23)
• Plymouth (November 26 to December 20)
• Darlington (December 4 – December 6)
• Essex (October 22 – December 10)
• Truro (November 23 – December 13)
• York (dates TBC)
• Manchester (dates TBC)

Rex Features

Many of the big events have been cancelled such as Bath and Edinburgh[/caption]

Other cities such as London, Exeter and Liverpool are yet to confirm or cancel their Christmas markets.

To be able to open, the attractions will most likely have to follow social distancing guidelines as well as face masks to remain safe.

Limited capacity may also need to be followed, although will be difficult to regulate in large outdoor spaces.

If you want a hot Christmas, TUI is restarting long-haul holidays to Caribbean destinations Cuba, St Lucia and Antigua next month.

Kids can also get a magical experience this Christmas with a ride on the Polar Express train in York with hot chocolate, cookies and even a gift from Father Christmas.

If you don’t mind quarantining when back in the UK, you can also visit Disneyland Paris, who has announced their Christmas event this year.