A Christmas story

I have a festive tale to bring you. A Christmas story about something that has become a November/December fixture in Bath.

Something that helps light up the night sky and bring even more visitors into our Heritage city.

Do you know how our Christmas Market began?

Marian McNeir MBE is about to reveal all.

She’s a local lady who has filled her life with many local activities. From being a councillor and Mayor of Bath, she’s been involved in everything from town twinning to Bath in Bloom.

Well, settle back and read on. This is the speech Marian made last night at Bath Abbey – at a service to mark the market’s 25th anniversary.

“It all began 26 years ago when my fellow B&NES Councillor , Gitte Dawson , and I came out of a meeting at the Guildhall into the gloom and cold of a Bath November evening.

We had just heard the depressing news of foot and mouth locally which had had disastrous effects on tourism and the livelihood of local businesses including shops. guest houses ,hotels . catering companies .

What we needed , we all agreed , was something to attract visitors in November and not just in summer. But what ?  – why would anyone come to Bath in the depths of winter?

And as Gitte and I stared ahead at the Abbey in total darkness, it hit us like a thunderbolt — 

What we need is a Christmas Market !

And it has to be around the Abbey – the heart of the City!

And it has to be very special, with little wooden chalets with white lights and roofs decorated with pine branches.

It has to be like going into a forest and discovering magical sights and smells.

And there have to be children and music!

And so our vision was born.

But as we were soon to discover, it wasn’t everyone else’s vision!

We had lots of battles on our hands to get councillor colleagues and local residents to understand what it was we wanted to do. Today, the Christmas Market is an integral part of November in Bath – it’s become a tradition which, for Gitte and me, is like a dream come true.

It took a long year to have our business plan accepted and, moreover, funded with a sum of £30,000 to get the whole thing started – for which we, and the city, will be forever grateful.

Thank you for believing in us and in our vision, the B&NES  Council of 25 years ago.

We started with 60 stalls for a long weekend, and straight away, it was a great success. 

We worked with  Anne Bull, the wonderful Head of Weston All Saints Primary School, to bring 8 primary schools to perform in an Opening Night Concert in the Abbey, which was, of course, filled to its every corner with mums and dads, brothers and sisters, grannies and grandpas. We gave the children a paper lantern to process through the market with music and lights – and we were off!

We kept this tradition going for many years, and of course, every new generation will adapt and refine, but as long as the essence of our vision is still there – which it is – then Gitte and I are very happy.

In 2024, there were 173 stalls, it lasted for 18 days and brought in £40.5 million to the local economy.

The Bath Christmas Market has become a model for other cities, and Gitte and I are very proud of that.

Of course, as local councillors, Gitte and I didn’t receive a penny for all our hard work, which is as it should be, but we were, in fact, honoured by her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth, who awarded us MBEs for Outstanding Service to the City of Bath.

Nothing could be a greater honour and reward than that, and we are thrilled that our vision is in very capable hands with Tilley and Hannah and their team, and that it goes from strength to strength.

Thank You Everyone!

And thank you, Marian. Merry Christmas to you and Gitte.