Wimbledon Town Centre today accepted responsibility for the planning issue that led to the last-minute cancellation of this year’s Christmas Market.
By David Jamieson
Wimbledon Town Centre today accepted responsibility for the planning issue that led to the last-minute cancellation of this year’s Christmas Market.
The market was planned for December 16-19 in the Piazza but planning permission was held up by the Town Centre’s miscommunication with the land owners.
Current permission currently limits total annual market days in the Piazza to 15, which the three-day market would have exceeded.
The Town Centre could not get its application for an extension through in time.
“It’s my fault above anyone else’s,” said Town Centre Manager Tracy Francis.
“I should never really have gone forward with the market, although it was well intentioned.”
She added: “The traders all knew that it was not going to be confirmed until the very last minute and that they must take the booking with that in mind.”
The land owners initially declined to sign the application as they believed it would lead to an indefinite number of markets.
The Town Centre has clarified it is only seeking up to 35 market days a year and the paperwork is now being processed.
“I feel bad because having publicised it, people might’ve been looking forward to coming and doing their shopping and for the traders themselves,” said Mrs Francis.
Stalls booked for the market included Mexican food, Turkish delight, books, DVD, and jewellery traders. Traders have been fully refunded.
The 15-day allocation is renewed on the January 1 so it hopes to reschedule the market in the new year.
The company usually responsible for the market pulled out this year and this is the first time the Town Centre has tried its own arrangements.
Raphaelle Simmons, owner of Simmons Creperie has enjoyed success in the Piazza before and was keen to take part in Christmas Market.
She said: “I’m very disappointed. We knew there was a chance it could be cancelled because it was organised kind of last minute.
“We’ve done the Winter Wonderland in November and we did one in September, and it’s just the location is absolutely brilliant because there is so much footfall.”
