(Article updated 24 November)
Special preview evening for Saltford (and all B&NES) residents
The Bath Christmas Market special preview evening for B&NES residents, including those in Saltford, will take place on Wednesday, November 26 from 5pm to 7pm. For more information about the Resident’s Evening visit the Bath Christmas Market page at https://www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk/whats-on/residents-evening
Residents who hold a Discovery Card are eligible for discount at all chalets, Monday to Friday. Offers will be on display in each chalet and listed on the website. Don’t forget to bring it along with you!
Further information about visiting can be viewed on the Bath Christmas Market website at https://www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk/
Discovery Cards for Saltford residents
Discovery Card holders are also eligible for free heritage visits and discounts on a range of other purchases in B&NES, all year round. The Discovery Card gives Saltford residents (and all residents of Bath and North East Somerset) free access to Council owned Heritage Sites, including the Roman Baths and Victoria Art Gallery (book your free site visits at https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/book-free-heritage-visits), as well discounts with participating local attractions and businesses (and as above, at the Bath Christmas Market 2025); a full list of partners can be found here. So it’s well worth having!
Residents can order Discovery Cards online, and have the choice of ordering an e-card or physical card (made from recycled plastic). For details of the Residents’ Discovery Card, visit www.bathnes.gov.uk/residents-discovery-card and www.bathnes.gov.uk/discoverycard. For residents who are unable to book online, they can apply by calling Council Connect (01225 39 40 41) or applying in person at one of the council’s collection locations.
B&NES Council ‘Plan your Christmas Market journey’ – 24 November 2025
Bath and North East Somerset Council is advising visitors to plan their trips to Bath Christmas Market in advance and is encouraging people to use public transport, like the city’s Park & Ride service.
Bath’s Christmas Market runs from 27 November to 14 December and is expected to bring a large number of people to the city, with last year’s event attracting around 444,000 visitors.
To avoid delays to journeys, the council is advising visitors to consider all the different ways they can travel into Bath, especially on weekends. Bath is served by three Park & Ride sites, has a central train station and several bus operators providing services in and around the city.
Bath’s Park & Ride sites are situated in Lansdown, Newbridge and Odd Down. They have a combined total of 2,806 car parking spaces with additional overflow parking available at Lansdown. Bath’s Park & Ride will be running longer into the evenings with additional services for the Christmas Market during the following times:
Monday to Friday: Every 10/15 minutes between 6:15am and 9pm, then every 30 minutes until 11:30pm.
Saturday: Every 5 minutes between 06:15am and 7pm, then every 15 minutes till 9pm, then every 30 minutes till 23:30.
Sunday: Every five minutes between 9am and 7pm.
During peak times extra staff will be on hand at all Park & Ride sites to help oversee queuing and ticket sales. For more information on Bath’s Park & Ride visit the Travelwest website.
The Christmas Market is a short walk from Bath Spa train station, with regular train services from London Paddington, London Waterloo and Bristol Temple Meads. Great Western Rail will be running additional services on each Saturday of the Christmas Market.
To help ease traffic congestion in the city during the event B&NES Council has placed an embargo on all non-emergency highway works on key routes.
B&NES Council ‘Bath Christmas Market 2025’ press release – 22 Sept 2025
The following B&NES Council press release can be viewed on the B&NES Council Newsroom webpage here.
Bath Christmas Market returns to celebrate 25 magical years
There are less than ten weeks to go until Bath & North East Somerset Council warmly welcomes residents, local businesses and visitors from across the UK and overseas to the enchanting Bath Christmas Market for its 25th anniversary year.
People visiting the city centre between November 27 to December 14 will be transported to the scene of a winter fairytale with stallholders, charities and catering suppliers offering artisan food, drinks and gifts in twinkling chalets.
Bath Christmas Market was founded in 2001 and started as a collection of local businesses and artisans who all came together to welcome in the festive period.
Since then, it has evolved to become one of the UK’s most beloved festive events that last year saw an estimated 444,000 visitors create a £60.4m turnover for businesses, support for more than 500 jobs and a £48.9m associated spend in the city.
The council began running the Christmas Market in 2021 and this year, more than 250 businesses, 65% of which are from Bath and surrounding areas, will join the 2025 event with six Christmas Carts showcasing Bath and Bristol-based micro-businesses.
Sustainability measures are an important part of the market with stallholders required to use biodegradable packaging and re-use decorations wherever possible.
New for this year is a reindeer trail around the outside the footprint of the market, encouraging visitors to explore more of the double-UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bath and its wide-ranging retailers offering something for every budget.
Daily Park & Ride bus services will be running at an increased frequency during the Christmas Market and timetables will be published nearer the time. Staff will be present at all Park & Ride sites and central stops throughout the Christmas Market period to support queuing and ticket sales.
B&NES Council Councillor Manda Rigby, Cabinet Member for Communications and Community, said: “The 25th anniversary of Bath Christmas Market is a proud moment for the city as we reflect on how the event has grown in popularity. We know the event has an impact on people living in the city and would like to thank you for your cooperation and support each year.
“Although the market is a large-scale event with traders joining us from the wider region, it also helps local businesses with their growth and resilience. It’s a significant boost for the local economy, creating seasonal jobs and bringing extra vitality to the heart of the city.
“This year we’re encouraging local residents to explore the market at a more relaxed pace during weekdays when the market is quieter. Whether you’re shopping for gifts, sampling local food or simply soaking up the seasonal ambience, we look forward to welcoming you.”
People with sensory needs or who would like a calmer experience can take advantage of quieter shopping periods from 10am to 12pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with no entertainment scheduled between these times. There will also be a quiet and warm space available at Bath Central Library over the Christmas period.
Photo taken by Cllr Phil Harding at the Bath Christmas Market in 2024
Press release from B&NES Council – 30 November 2025:
Excitement builds in Bath with four weeks to go until the Christmas Market
Bath is preparing to celebrate 25 years of festive cheer, community spirit and local enterprise with just four weeks to go until Bath Christmas Market 2025.
The milestone event which runs from November 27 to December 14 highlights the market’s growth from its humble beginnings with 40 stalls in Kingston Parade in 2001 to more than 250 traders today, as well as the stories of the original stallholders who helped shape its success.
In 2001, Bath & North East Somerset Council worked with local traders to create the Christmas Market with principles that still stand in 2025: to showcase independent retailers in Bath at a destination event that encourages repeat visits to the city.
As still happens today, traders used the market to test the success of their products before expanding their business, some going on to rent shops from the council as a result.
Former B&NES Council councillors Marian McNeir MBE and Gitte Dawson were instrumental in getting the market off the ground. Marian said: “Locally, foot and mouth had had disastrous effects on the livelihoods of local businesses and we all agreed we needed something to attract visitors in November, not just in summer. The essence of our vision is still there today and the market has become a model for other cities – Gitte and I are very proud of that.”
Rachel Charlton of Cherry Tree Preserves is trading at this year’s market and was also an original stallholder in 2001. She said: “Over the years, Bath has played a key role in supporting our business and we have a larger following of Cherry Tree lovers due to – we believe! – them finding us at the market, year upon year. The market brings substantial benefits to the wider Bath area and adds a special atmosphere to the city, creating that magical sense of the start of Christmas.”
John Rennie of Silkwood Traders has traded at every Bath Christmas Market since 2003 and said: “We nervously came to the exhibitors meeting for the third Bath Christmas Market with no idea how it was going to go. We almost sold out after 11 days and it was the making of us. The market is a very special place to be and we feel very lucky to get in for the last 22 years. This year for the first time we will be in Milsom St, so see you there!”
The 2024 Bath Christmas Market saw an estimated 444,000 visitors create a £60.4m turnover for businesses, support for more than 500 jobs and a £48.9m associated spend in the city.
Alex Peters from Green Park Brasserie, Bath Pizza Co and Bath Sausage Co said: “As a local business involved in Bath Christmas Market since the early 2000s I’m delighted to see the event celebrate a landmark anniversary. The market has enabled us to reinvest in our business, creating sustained growth and permanent job opportunities. The £60m economic value the market generates for the region doesn’t just sit within the 18 days it operates – the event positions Bath as a globally recognised destination year round.”
B&NES Council Councillor Manda Rigby, cabinet member for Communications and Community, said: “Bath Christmas Market is cherished tradition that brings joy to residents and visitors year on year. A true celebration of our city’s creativity, hospitality and heritage, we’re proud to be marking 25 years of the event and honour the traders who helped shape its success.”
The special preview evening for residents returns on Wednesday, November 26 from 5pm to 7pm. Residents who hold a Discovery Card are eligible for discount at all chalets, Monday to Friday.
Visit the market’s social media accounts for updates about the Christmas Market:
Image courtesy of B&NES Council