This coming Saturday, 12 December, is the day that Hexham would normally host the popular Christmas Market, but you will not be surprised to learn that a market which sees cars queuing on the A69 to get into town and people thronging in the streets of Hexham is something that we cannot entertain this year.
However, we welcome your support for local businesses both at the market and in Hexham itself, so we will have our usual farmers’ market this weekend, Saturday 12 December. As has been the case since we reopened in June, stalls will be well spaced out and we’ll have volunteer stewards on hand to help manage any queues and remind people to stick with their social distancing. Many stallholders will be wearing their masks or other face coverings and many of our customers now also wear their mask when they come to shop. The market will run between 9am and 1.30 pm, so our usual time. Beaumont Street (from the Abbey Dental Clinic) and Market Street will be closed to most traffic while the market is on, so you will have plenty of space to keep your distance. We’ll have stalls on the Market Place itself, around the Abbey and in the Abbey Car Park on Beaumont Street. If you’re unsure about where to find any particular stallholder, please ask one of the stewards. You can also find a plan of the market on the 12th of December here.
I’m sure you hardly need reminding that all the independent shops in Hexham will welcome your custom at this important time of the year. All our town centre shops have had a difficult year so your shopping pounds will be doubly welcome this Christmas.