The highly anticipated Manchester Christmas Markets have officially been canceled due to the impossibility of meeting health standards amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite efforts by the city’s council to avoid this scenario, the decision was deemed inevitable, particularly with the surge in Covid cases in the North of England.
In addition to canceling the Christmas markets, Manchester has also called off its Christmas lights switch-on event, New Year’s Eve fireworks, and Bonfire Night celebrations.
Pat Karney, Manchester’s Christmas spokesperson, had initially proposed setting up smaller markets to bypass public health standards. However, this solution was not deemed feasible. He stated, “We’ve canceled everything. It’s not met our commercial and public health tests. The health of all of us, we could not take any risk with that.”
Despite the cancellation of the markets, the city will still be adorned with Christmas lights and seasonal installations, including a giant glowing Santa at Piccadilly Gardens. Karney added, “It’s going to be a very unusual Christmas in Manchester, but what we’re going to do is put up additional lighting throughout the city center and more static lighting attractions. I don’t want Manchester to have a North Korean Christmas.”
However, there is hope that people will still visit the city center during the holiday season, as Christmas traditionally brings prosperity to Manchester’s retailers. Liverpool, which is also under new restrictions, has yet to make an official decision regarding its Christmas market. The city council is evaluating the feasibility of a Christmas market on St George’s Hall plateau, while the River of Light event has already been canceled.