Brighton’s fledgling Christmas fair is to be relaunched this year after the original operator pulled out because of rising costs.
E3 Events launched the Brighton Christmas Festival in 2021, but in the first year it was plagued by storms, leading it to close for days.
It was also blamed for a sinkhole which opened up on the Old Steine, where fairground rides and an observation wheel were set up.
Last year, a rejigged market and relocated fairground rides were more of a hit – but still not enough to make it worth while for traders.
While E3 Events says it still has big plans for the Brighton Christmas Festival brand going forward, it will not be bringing a market and fair to Valley Gardens this year.
Instead, the council is hoping to launch its own fair with brass bands, choirs and local market stalls.
David Hill from E3 Events said: “The market looked great last year and we were very happy with how the site worked.
“But it was very tough trading conditions for the traders, and without the traders, you won’t really get a market.”
He said as the organisers of the city’s biggest pantomine, which this year will be Cinderalla at the Hilton Brighton Metropole, E3 wants to build an arts festival around it, using the Brighton Christmas Festival brand.
He said: “We didn’t call it a market, we called it a festival, with the idea of creating a much bigger and wider and more inclusive experience for tourists coming into the city.
“Last year we worked closely with the Brighton Pavilion, the i360, the Palace Pier and retailers. We are going to continue with that, just without the market.
“We are still going to idealise the brand as a marketing vehicle for the city and we will still be talking to the partners we were talking to before and still producing a festival guide.
“Our long term aim is that we create the biggest independent arts festival in the country at Christmas.”
Lead councillor for culture Alan Robins said: “We’re excited to announce our plans for a different type of Christmas fair this year that will be community-focused and centred around our fantastic local artisans and performers.
“We’re thinking brass bands, choirs, gifts, crafts and fun for all the family.
“Rising costs have meant that the current operator has decided to withdraw from the event planned for Valley Gardens this December.
“We think this is a welcome opportunity to reimagine the kind of Christmas fair that we want in Brighton & Hove.
“We’ve not yet decided where this new fair will take place and who we will work with to take on this project.
“We will consult potential partners, artists and citizens about ideas and opportunities in due course.”
That’s a shame because I rather liked it. I thought it would be tacky but it wasn’t and the location at St Peter’s Church was great!
The only downside was I couldn’t afford anything.
In fact I could barely afford the parking charge!
And being unable to afford luxuries like this is the fundamental problem for myself and millions like me!
And until things change and the Conservative Party are gone (Well let’s face it! They’re responsible for people’s cost of living crisis!), a Conservative Party that truly wants people to live on nothing but fresh air………….. nothing is going to change and shops and businesses will continue to close because of it!
Another person who relies on the taxpayer to fund their desired lifestyle!
What makes you think he’s relying on the tax payer for his ‘lifestyle’? There is no indication of this in Simon’s comment. I suggest you are commenting from some kind of very skewed bias or prejudice.
Well said!
E3 is run by a bunch of provincial people. They’d be better off putiing on naff shows on cruise ships and Jet 2 holidays. They are naff and cheap beyond belief and I woudn’t trust them as far as I could throw them. They will not be back, that I am sure of!
Not some much pulled out but more likely didn’t pay the council bill
This is my neighbourhood in the new year and all through the year Valley Gardens looks awful patches of mud after the festive season #YuleMess
I don’t think it should be on the laws but the concrete by St Peters Church
But the council don’t have to live here like I do
Does anyone know who organises these markets, I’d love to apply to trade there but I can’t seem to find any info?