Swanage’s annual Christmas market went ahead a week after being postponed by Storm Darragh – and proved a huge success thanks to the town’s community spirit.
The event was called off at short notice at the beginning of December 2024 when weather forecasts – which turned out to be accurate – predicted 60 mile an hour gusts of wind for Swanage in Dorset.
Top team Helen Hardy (left) and David Pike (right) of Swanage and Purbeck Rotary
The AllSort’d choir entertained market visitors with Christmas songs
Shopping experience was improved
The organisers Swanage and Purbeck Rotary Club pulled out all the stops and with help from Dorset Council managed to get the necessary permissions to rearrange the market for Saturday 14th December 2024.
And apart from one brief shower, the rearranged festive fair was blessed with blue skies and little wind, an excellent number of stalls and traders, and attended by hundreds of shoppers looking for inspirational, locally made Christmas gifts.
The shopping experience was improved as Rotary spread out the stalls and expanded almost to the end of Institute Road, and many visitors remarked on how much they enjoyed and appreciated the day.
Entertainment was provided by Keith Lockett, the AllSort’d choir, Bruce Evans, the Kelp sea shanty choir and the Churches Together choir.
Of the 60 stallholders who were due to take part on the original date, eight were unable to attend the rescheduled date but six new traders contacted Rotary and asked if they could join the market instead.
Carve Coffee with cakes, providing breakfast on the go for the first shoppers
Rob, of Swanage based Willow Creations, with his amazing Christmas wreaths
Swanage and Purbeck Rotary President Maggie Hardy with Liz LeFevre, making sure the rearranged market was a huge success
“I can finally feel grateful!”
President of Swanage and Purbeck Rotary Maggie Hardy said:
“We have been very lucky with the weather today, but last week it was a very different story and having to postpone the market was a major blow as a lot of hard work and organisation had gone into setting it up.
“Because we are all local, we know how the wind conditions affect Swanage when it arrives from different directions – sometimes we can get away with it and sometimes we can’t, but last week it was straight down Station Road and there was no way we could have held the market safely.
“But I am really grateful that almost everybody has returned and that the weather is on our side today – after our summer fete when it just rained continually, I can finally feel grateful that someone is looking out for us!
“As President of Rotary, I have been delighted by the level of help and support we have received this morning. Some of our helpers were unable to rearrange their plans but we have pulled through thanks to the great Swanage community.”
Wareham author and illustrator Linda Webber promoted her new book The Cute Green Octopus with help from the star of the story
Purbeck Chocolate had plenty of takers for their tasty products
Taking a team approach
Maggie Hardy added:
“We always give precedence to local stalls and traders and in the end, we have almost had a full quota of Purbeck and Dorset traders, and have also taken the opportunity to spread stalls out and go almost to the end of Institute Road to make it a better shopping experience for all our visitors.
“The set up has been well organised by Helen Hardy and David Pike and went just about as smoothly as it could – they have been stars and it absolutely shows!
“We have tried to establish a team approach to organising and reorganising the market, and reached out to the community for help, so there was a united approach and work wasn’t just down to one or two people.
“Rotary has worked closely with the emergency services this year and with Dorset Council to make sure that the rearranged event went off without a hitch.
“We would like to pass on our heartfelt thanks to stall holders who have recognised the importance of new safety regulations. There has been a lot more bureaucracy this year, but it has been necessary and we think the market is better for it.”
Award winning underwater photographer Maria Munn showed off some of her work
Jurassic Coast Mushrooms sold some of their exotic fungi – and also kits for customers to grow their own
“No doubt that we made the right decision”
Chris Le Fevre from Swanage and Purbeck Rotary said:
“It was disappointing that we had to cancel last weekend especially as we know that some people had made special arrangements to come and see us, but the weather has been a lot kinder this week and it looks like we have a very good turnout.
“An application had to be made to the government to rearrange the Christmas market, but Dorset Council was able to do that on our behalf at short notice last week and we needed to know that we had that approval before we could publicise it.
“It was really good work all round to get everything rearranged ahead of time, but anyone who was in Swanage last weekend would be in absolutely no doubt that we made the right decision, there wouldn’t have been many marquees still standing otherwise!”
Guitarist Keith Lockett got early shoppers into the festive spirit
Swanage based Waves and Whimsy with their eco friendly, vegan and smoke free candles and wax melts
“Amazing independent businesses”
Chris added:
“We did have a look at the possibility of expanding our event into the Heart of Swanage shopping area behind Station Road, but there is just not enough space to put stalls in.
“We would have loved to do that, but there was absolutely not the space to allow people to circulate around there safely with stalls on the roads.
“However, we are doing as much as we can to make visitors aware that there are some amazing independent businesses down those roads.
“We are hoping that a lot of the visitors who have come for the market will also visit the Heart of Swanage and we will do all we can to make it clear that there is plenty to see and buy around the corner.”
Further information
- More about getting involved wirh Swanage and Purbeck Rotary
More pictures
Swanage Coastwatch raising awareness of its vital work
The ever popular children’s roundabout was once again taking young customers for a spin
The Italian Bakery had a huge array of tempting bread and pastries
One of the latest TikTok sensations, freeze dried confectionary, was available to try
Durlston Sheddies filled a stall with their latest Christmas creations
