Forget London or Manchester – the top Christmas market in Britain, according to consumer testing platform Which?, is in Bath. The historic city was voted readers’ favourite medium-sized city by Which? and is renowned for hosting one of the UK’s largest and longest-established Christmas markets each year, featuring over 200 stalls. Which? praised the Bath Christmas Market for its reputation for offering excellent food, drink, and festive activities.
Visitors can browse a wide variety of items, from handmade wooden furniture and garden sculptures to knitwear, fragrances, and gifts for pets, while sampling regional specialties such as foraged jams and seasonal baked treats. However, despite its popularity and picturesque setting, the market doesn’t seem to impress everyone. In a recent Mail on Sunday feature evaluating UK Christmas markets, Bath received an “OK” rating for a weekday visit.
Jane Fryer’s feature suggested that, although the market wasn’t as congested as previous visitors had reported, it fell short in one crucial aspect: the absence of Christmas spirit. This included a lack of music, limited lighting, and the omission of traditional seasonal elements such as Santa or entertainers.
She noted that many stalls sold everyday market items like bags, coats, and T-shirts, rather than the anticipated festive goods and crafts. While the occasional stall offering local arts and foods was described as “charming,” the overall impression was that the market felt significantly less Christmas-ready than it should.
Fryer also highlighted an emerging pattern among customers nationwide, raising concerns about steep costs, monotonous stalls, and excessive crowds at numerous Christmas markets.
Fryer documented varied responses from Bath’s visitors. Some had travelled specifically to experience the market and were charmed by the traditional mulled wine, regional cuisine, and the city’s picturesque setting.
Others, however, expressed dissatisfaction, describing the market as “not very Christmassy” due to the lack of music or live performances.
Across social media platforms and travel review sites, Bath has been widely labelled disappointing this year — not only because of organisational or layout issues, but primarily due to a perceived absence of festive spirit.
Elsewhere in her article, Fryer praised other festive markets she explored, particularly those featuring strong visual theming, live entertainment, and an overall more celebratory atmosphere.
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