Improve Christmas in St Albans
People with ideas on how major Christmas events in St Albans could be improved are urged to attend a workshop.
St Albans City and District Council is organising the meetings as it seeks to make enhancements to this year’s offering.
Two sessions are to be held with feedback about the 2018 festive season welcomed along with suggestions about the future.
Among the topics that will be discussed are the Christmas Market, which was held last year in Vintry Garden, and the Meraki Christmas Festival, which took place in Verulamium Park.
Issues that are likely be raised include the Market’s location, opening hours and format. Suggestions for new Christmas attractions can also be made.
Anyone interested in the issues is welcome to attend and representatives of particular groups have been invited to do so.
These include City Centre retailers, Christmas and Charter Market traders, local businesses and the Cathedral community.
The workshops will be on Tuesday 22 January from 7 pm and on Saturday 26 January from 10 am at the Civic Centre, St Peter’s Street. The first gathering will take place in Committee Room One and the second in the Council Chamber.
There will be a short presentation on the background to the 2018 events followed by an opportunity to contribute to the debate.
Feedback from the workshops will be carefully considered and may result in changes to this year’s events.
The Christmas Market, organised by the Council, was started in 2013 and has been held every year since.
Councillor Salih Gaygusuz, Portfolio Holder for Business and the Community, said:
These workshops will help determine the future of the Christmas Market which has become an annual attraction. It will also deal with the Christmas offering as a whole.
We are very open minded about how the market should be developed and will be receptive to ideas and suggestions that people would like to see.
We want Christmas events in St Albans to be successful and meet local needs, so we need to hear what people would like to see.
I urge anyone with an interest to come along to one of the workshops and contribute to this challenge.
Anyone planning to attend is asked is to let the organisers know by emailing Christmas@stalbans.gov.uk so they have an idea of what numbers to expect.
Those who cannot attend, but would like to give their views can do so by using the same email address.
Picture: Scene from last year's Christmas lights switch-on in St Albans City Centre.
Councillor contact:
Councillor Salih Gaygusuz,
Portfolio Holder for Business and Community at St Albans City and District Council,
Tel: 01727 858289,
Email: cllr.s.gaygusuz@stalbans.gov.uk.
Contact for the media:
John McJannet,
Principal Communications Officer,
St Albans City & District Council
Tel: 01727 296130
Email: john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk