Newcastle’s Christmas market attracted 385,000 more visitors than the previous year and boosted the city’s economy by £90 million, according to a new report.
An evaluation of the city centre’s festive offer found that the 2024 attractions received 1.76 million visits to the market, a 28% increase on 2023. That is despite the travel chaos that engulfed Tyneside in the run-up to Christmas thanks to the closure of the Gateshead Flyover and the resulting suspension of Tyne and Wear Metro services across the River Tyne.
Independent analysis released by Newcastle City Council and business improvement district company NE1 said that an estimated £90 million spent at Christmas markets stalls and across the wider city centre by people who visited specifically because of the market was a 60% increase on the £56.8 million figure from the previous year. The average spend by a Christmas market shopper was £29.86 per visit, again up from £23.44 in 2023.
The report, produced by research firm Eljay, added that over three-quarters (76%) over Christmas market shoppers it spoke to lived outside Newcastle. It said that, of the 300 people surveyed over 15 days in December, 89% said the Christmas market was better than the 2023 offer and 88% rated it positively overall. The market, which ran for five weeks in November and December, had a new family village on Old Eldon Square and a collection of luxury ‘igloo pods’ around Grey’s Monument.
Eljay’s analysis said that the market was “busy for all five weeks of its duration”. However, figures show that there was a dip in footfall in its final seven days up to December 22 – coinciding with the Gateshead Flyover and Metro disruption. Its final week produced the lowest number of visits of the five, with only 304,153 compared to a peak of 449,641 in week two.
Travelling by bus (32%) or car (22%) were the most common ways that people accessed the market, with 20% journeying by Metro and 12% by train. However, shoppers did suggest a number of improvements for 2025 – including having more stalls selling Christmas-themed items and handmade goods, more music, and additional attractions and rides for children.
Coun Abdul Samad, Newcastle City Council’s cabinet member for culture, music and arts, said: “I am delighted with how positive the results of this report are. We knew that the 2024 Christmas market offered something particularly special, and it was clearly very popular. We now have the figures to evidence this and will build on this success to ensure Christmas 2025 is even better, with preparations starting this month.
“We remain committed to providing free and accessible events for local people all year round and want to encourage more visitors into our wonderful city. This not only presents an opportunity to showcase what we have on offer in Newcastle, it also means these visitors spend their money here, benefitting local businesses, the local economy and in turn everyone who lives here.
“Newcastle’s Christmas offering obviously has a key role to play in this, with the market being the key attraction. So, it is very encouraging that the economic impact of the 2024 Christmas market has been calculated at nearly £91million and attracted so many people from outside of the city. I would like to thank those people who took part in this research and look forward to hearing more about our plans for Christmas 2025 in Newcastle.”
NE1 Ltd chief executive Stephen Patterson added: “This Christmas represented a step-change in our collective, city-wide approach to Newcastle’s festive offer and Christmas Market. With the primary focus on local produce, traders and a family friendly offer, the results perfectly illustrate this best-in-class Christmas experience, delivering a significant uplift in visitors, perceptions, and economic impact for the city.
“Christmas is a key priority for Newcastle, and we look forward to continuously improving the offer next year, and over the coming years, with the aim of the delivering the country’s finest Christmas experience, to the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors alike.”
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