Established in 1743, St Nicholas Market is Bristol’s oldest market and one of the city’s most popular spots for shoppers looking for something different when it comes to Christmas presents.
Until Christmas Eve, St Nicholas Market has been extended to include some outdoor stalls every day and trading hours have also been extended.
The indoor market will be open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5pm, Saturdays from 9.30am to 6pm, Sundays from 10am to 5pm and 9.30am to 3pm on Christmas Eve.
But how has this affected trade for the stallholders and how is business this Christmas? We were able to chat with eight traders to see how the Christmas season was treating their business. Here’s what we found:
1. Fil Blanc
At Fil Blanc, Valeria said: “It’s getting a bit busier during the weekends but I don't see people going crazy, just really taking it really calm and really taking their time. They are not frenetic, but they are buying, which is good.”
2. Aardvark
At Aardvark, Steve said: “Every year is different, but this year is good enough. It’s nice and people are happy. It’s picking up now so I can't complain.”
3. City Animalz
At City Animalz, Max said: “I haven't personally seen too much difference. There’s slightly more foot traffic than usual, but not massively so. But I only work Mondays, and that’s probably the quietest day of the week, so I couldn't really give you a solid breakdown of the whole week.”
4. Beware of the Leopard Books
At Beware of the Leopard, David shared that Christmas had been very subdued. “My Christmas period is actually August, the summer holidays. I don't tend to do particularly well at Christmas time, it has been very, very quiet, and the atmosphere is just very subdued.”