Crowds of families throng to York Christmas Market

Shoppers, visitors and stallholders said this year’s festive shopping centrepiece was off to a good start.

But not everyone was in a celebratory mood.  Palestinian supporters staged a protest march along the line of chalet stalls in  Parliament Street and through the shopping crowds, some of whom did not approve of their presence.

“We’ve come to enjoy the Christmas spirit,” said Paul and Lesley of Lincolnshire. “They introduce the wrong type of atmosphere.”

Palestinian supporters march through York Christmas Market (Image: Newsquest)

Long queues of traffic built up on roads into the centre as the crowds gathered.   But  there were still parking places for cars available in city centre car parks well after midday. 

All of St George’s Fields Car Park is available for cars unlike the rest of the year after coach parking was restricted to Union Terrace and out of town locations for the duration of the market.

Stallholders reported steady trade as the crowds built.  Food stalls were doing a roaring trade with pies and festive drinks such as mulled wine being particularly popular and generally chalets were never empty because as soon as one customer left another entered.

All together now, the Pierce, Giles and Anderson families (Image: Newsquest)

The Pierce family of Oswestry, the Giles family of Castleford and the Anderson family of Sherburn-in-Elmet met up to enjoy the Christmas Market together. They were enjoying themselves so much they have already decided to meet up to come to future Christmas markets, because York is a beautiful city and their children were having fun.

Elsewhere, there were visitors from mid-Wales who voted the York Christmas Market better than the Liverpool Christmas Market nearer their home.

Among coach firms running weekend visits to the market are E Coaches of Alfreton, Derbyshire, and national coach holiday firm Shearings, both of whom are already advertising bookings for the 2025 York Christmas Market.

Ready for action - YorkMed Ambulance (Image: Newsquest)

YorkMed private ambulance, which is providing first aid for the duration of the Market, had to deal with one patient before lunchtime on Saturday and a Yorkshire Ambulance vehicle was able to make its way along Parliament Street under blue lights. 

VisitYork, which runs an information and help stand at the Piccadilly end of the rows of chalets reported that all was running smoothly.

In general, although the city centre was very busy, it was possible to move freely around the market, though progress was slower on the Marks and Spencer side of the market where the already narrow walking area was made narrower by works close to the Church Street end.

The Hyde Family Jam buskers in action (Image: Newsquest)

Even the presence of the Hyde Family Jam buskers at the top of Market Street did not block movement and the group was careful to encourage the small crowd enjoying their music to keep a path clear for those in wheelchairs and with child buggies.