Exeter Cathedral has confirmed plans to hold its traditional Christmas Market this year.
The decision comes following extensive discussions to ensure appropriate safety measures in the light of current coronavirus concerns.
Plans for this year’s Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market, which is scheduled to run from 21 November to 19 December, include managed entry and exit points to control the number of visitors, a new layout of Christmas Chalets covering a larger area to avoid congestion, and much wider paths to enable safe physical distancing. There will also be hand sanitiser stations, and visitors will be encouraged to wear face coverings where possible.
By holding the event this year, organisers at Exeter Cathedral hope to provide a much needed boost to the region, as The Very Revd Jonathan Greener, Dean of Exeter explains:
“We are thrilled to move forward with our plans to continue the Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market tradition this year. Our wish is to provide a desperately needed boost for local traders at the end of an extremely challenging year, and also to lift the spirits of the people of Devon as we celebrate Christmas here in the centre of Exeter. We are enormously grateful to the local authorities and advisory groups for their help and advice to make this happen. Today’s news is exciting for all who work at and love the Cathedral.”
Alongside Christmas Market preparations, organisers will continue to monitor and reassess the safety measures in consultation with traders, Exeter City Council, the Safety Advisory Group and Public Health England.