The aisles could seem a bit empty at the Châteauroux Christmas market this Christmas Eve afternoon. And for good reason, it seems to have attracted fewer people than in previous years according to most of the thirty-five exhibitors. “I think it’s because of the cold but I would say that we had about 20% loss of attendance compared to last year, estimates Sylvie, manager of a stand. We also suffered from the competition of certain Christmas markets like that of Saint-Maur. It was very crowded on opening day but then it was softer. “
Lower attendance than last year but still correct
Michaël, another exhibitor, also founder of Brassbeez, also notes this drop in attendance but he puts into perspective: “In the midst of Covid, we should not expect to have the same market as last year with people coming out of containment and were more alive to buy and go out. But the average baskets are a bit higher than last year. The people who came bought more. So we made a little less sales but it’s not too bad either “.
Gaëlle, des bougies de Grigri even managed to find her way there at the last minute. “I was very scared until Friday morning “, she confides. After a very good first day, she too suffered the drop in attendance but was saved by last minute gift shopping: “Compared to last year, I was not in my numbers, but today I had a great day. Thanks to that, I sold as much as last year so I’m not complaining . “
Another reason that may explain this drop in attendance is the absence of an ice rink for the second year in a row. It deprives the market of an audience that came in large numbers but according to Octave, who has been in charge of the little train for six years, it is rather positive. “The rink took up a lot of space, there we have more ventilated alleys. It’s more like a Christmas market, he rejoices. I find the atmosphere more festive and pleasant. “
“We are doing very well anyway”
Anne-Laure Bodin, director of Châteauroux Events and organizer of the Christmas market prefers to retain the positive of this 2021 edition: “We managed to have a Christmas market in a context that is not obvious. We managed to do something very lively and very festive despite this health context. We may have a little less people than last year but it remains a positive result. The exhibitors praised the welcome and the quality of the daily entertainment. We’re still doing very well. “
The Christmas market was supposed to close its doors on the evening of Friday, December 24, but exhibitors finally obtained permission to stay an additional week. Most of them are scheduled to continue until December 31.