Minutes:
Simon Colburn, Assistant Director (Health and Environmental Services):
a) gave a verbal update on preparations being made for the Lincoln Christmas Market 2022
b) invited members’ comments and questions.
Question: Members asked if there was anything that could be done to encourage shops in the Bailgate area to open for longer and what more was being done to encourage younger visitors to the market.
Response: St Pauls in the Bail is to be illuminated this year along with the Lincoln letters and a small stage area. If this worked for this year, then more work would be carried out for future years. The fairground was being tweaked for the younger visitors. Shops were engaged with every year to encourage them to stay open during the Christmas Market.
Question: Members asked if colouring competitions for children could help promote our brand and whether more could be done in the day for children.
Response: The issue with more things in the day is that children are at school on the Thursday and Friday of the market. Colouring sheets and a treasure hunt were being looked at as a grotto would cost too much to run. We have to be careful that children don’t run off from their guardians.
Question: Members asked how much financial pressure and risk were the council taking on with this year’s Christmas Market.
Response: The Christmas market was not an event that is put in place to make money. The market is unique and brings a lot of money into the economy of Lincoln. Not all the costs for the contractors have been received so an exact figure is not known. The market works to a budget of £43k net cost and officers work hard to try and get the costs as close to this figure as possible. The markets performance would be reviewed as always after the event.
Question: Members asked if there was a good mix of stalls.
Response: There was a mix of stalls again this year at the market. The team try to arrange stalls that are similar to be in different areas around the market.
Question: Members asked if coach parking was being pursued at the moment.
Response: Coach parking would
be at the showground and work was continuing to promote
this.
Question: Members asked if sponsorship had been looked into to help with costs.
Response: A small amount of sponsorship had been secured this year. The amount of sponsorship secured would be forwarded to the committee.
Question: Members asked if it was hoped that profit would be made from selling the ‘Bailey Bear’.
Response: The bear will be placed in a branded paper bag which would cost 80p. Any bears that don’t sell this year can be used for next year. 200 bears have been ordered to see how well they sell for the first year and to reduce risk. The cost of the stock was to be forwarded to the committee.
Question: Members asked if the well in St Paul’s Square was being looked at as it mists up and there was a lot of growth that made it look untidy.
Response: The Perspex had been removed as it was creating condensation which leaves just the glass covering. A ventilation system had been put at the bottom and the vegetation was being trimmed back in time for the market.
Question: Members asked if a cost negotiation could take place to encourage more stalls at the market.
Response: The current stallholders have paid between £1800 - £3k per stall so to give spare stalls at a smaller rate would not be fair on stallholders that had already paid.
Question: Members asked that if merchandise was to be made into a profitable side-line whether we were narrowing our ability to sell it by only stocking it in the Visitor Information Centre.
Response: The Visitor Information Centre did have a stall at the Christmas Market, but it hadn’t been branded well in the past. A surplus was made at the stall last year.
RESOLVED that:
1. The cost of the ‘Bailey Bear’ stock be forwarded to the committee.
2. The amount of sponsorship that had been secured for the Christmas market be forwarded to the committee.
3. The report be noted.