SALISBURY outperformed national trends over Christmas when it comes to spending and footfall, and has been labelled 'an undeniable success' by the Business Improvement District. 

The Christmas offering across the city had come in for criticism, as there was no big lights switch-on event like in previous years, no late-night shopping on a Thursday, a much smaller chalet-style Christmas market compared to previous years, and old favourites like an ice rink and a big Christmas tree nowhere to be seen. 

There were a handful of Christmas stalls, as well as the Frost Bar on the Guildhall Square, Santa’s Grotto in the Maltings and events spread across the weekends leading up to December 25.

According to figures released by the Salisbury Business Improvement District (BID), Salisbury displayed "economic resilience and vitality".

Salisbury Journal:

Footfall data across the city collected and analysed by the BID, painted what it describes as an "incredibly promising and exemplary picture", with a "remarkable 5.2 per cent increase compared to 2022, compared to 1.8 per cent decrease for the South West and 1.2 per cent increase nationally.

The BID said: "Salisbury emerged as pioneering, significantly outperforming national trends."

It also says that its figures show that, relative to December 2019, the city experienced a "substantial" 17 per cent increase in spending, leaving comparator cities trailing behind with an average uptick of eight per cent.

Salisbury city centre's positive sales growth, up by an impressive 11 per cent in December 2023 compared to the previous year, was propelled by an eight per cent increase in customer numbers and a three per cent growth in Average Revenue Per Customer (ARPC).

Salisbury Journal: Salisbury City of Stars

Rachel Tribbeck from H R Tribbeck & Son, and a director of Salisbury BID, said: “These numbers really reinforce the impressive trajectory of recovery and revitalisation that Salisbury is on. And this success isn't just a testament to our economic resilience; it's a celebration of the spirit of our amazing business community.  

"Seeing Salisbury sparkle with stars last Christmas was wonderful, and we are as proud to be doing business in Salisbury today as we were in 1905.”

A much bigger Christmas Market in Salisbury could be set to be revived this year, with a festive market is planned for four weeks at the end of 2024.

Working with Salisbury City Council, Mynt Image Ltd are currently looking for stallholders to sell their goods inside a modern chalet that will be in Guildhall Square.