By Ben Whitfield, Director of Communications at NE1 Ltd
The countdown to Christmas is well and truly underway in Newcastle. Festive plans and announcements are coming in thick and fast and seasonal pop-ups are starting to appear across the city.
One of the most exciting developments in this year’s festive calendar is the dramatic expansion of Newcastle’s Christmas Markets. An entire festive Christmas Village is being created in Old Eldon Square, with the area completely transformed for Christmas.
Traditional market stalls will be surrounded by a whole host of new family-friendly activities and seasonal experiences, transforming the area into a winter wonderland with lots of activities for families, including Elf Workshops, a Santa Stories Tipi, a performance stage for seasonal presentations and screenings, and a beautiful vintage carousel. Interactive and hands-on sessions including wreath-making masterclasses will be held alongside local crafters and makers selling their creations.
The new additions are designed to give families more reasons to visit, with more things for children to do at the market and in the city, one of the key recommendations from customer feedback in previous years.
Newcastle’s Christmas Markets will also take up their customary position on Grey Street, with stalls surrounding another new festive addition, the city’s own ‘North Pole’. Positioned at the base of Grey’s Monument, a series of luxury heated igloos will create a stunning installation and the swankiest spot for a festive pit-stop where visitors can sip mulled wine and nibble on a grazing board while enjoying the fabulous festive views down Grey Street and surrounding area. As well as looking amazing, the igloos will create a sensational seasonal experience for people to book a cosy dome and start a new festive tradition with friends and family.
With the Alpine-inspired Moosenwirt bar also returning to Grey Street for a third year, the area will be at the heart of the festive celebrations.
To deliver Newcastle’s Christmas, NE1 will again be assisting Newcastle City Council, and local operators EVNT Inspirations, and together we have worked hard to scale up the festivities.
There is a huge appetite for Christmas celebrations in the city and region and tremendous potential to expand and improve the city’s seasonal offer. Christmas is *the* key period for businesses in retail, hospitality and leisure and we are committed to creating and curating a high-quality, city-wide experience that celebrates and emphasises Newcastle’s key strengths and distinctive attributes while showcasing some of its most iconic and innovative businesses.
Over 1,350,000 people visited the markets last year, generating a total spend of nearly £57 million and providing a huge boost for the city.
Regionally, Newcastle’s Markets are a strong pull, with 60% of visitors travelling between 5 and 20 miles into the city centre, however, there is still scope to widen the catchment by providing an experience which draws visitors from across the country, something we know is possible.
Last year only 6% of visitors to the Markets were from outside of the region, compared to 52% in Edinburgh, which is renowned as one of the UK and Europe’s top festive destinations.
Working with local operators and the City Council to expand the appeal of the Markets, and with local traders to populate the stalls, we are confident we can produce a Christmas experience in the heart of the city that is unique to Newcastle and unlike anything you’d find elsewhere.
It will take a lot of hard work, ambition, careful planning and buy-in from across the city, but this year, we’ve taken a big step in the right direction. We can’t wait to unveil Newcastle’s Christmas 2024 and to start the celebrations, knowing that this is just the start and we are already planning what we can do bigger and better for 2025 and beyond.
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