A Christmas Market at Queen Maeve Square could face financial and weather challenges

By Philip Rooney, The Sligo Champion

Hosting a Christmas Market at Queen Maeve Square could cost in the region of €160,000, it has been revealed.

It was one of a number of areas which Sligo BID has pointed to in response to calls to have a Christmas market at the new square. The possibility of storms lashing the market is another consideration to be taken into account say Sligo BID.

Following on from the success of ‘Sligo on Ice’ which sees an ice rink installed in Queen Maeve Square for the duration of the festive period, calls were made to explore the possibility of a Christmas Market being installed in the square as is commonplace in many European cities.

After a motion from Cllr Thomas Walsh was passed at a meeting of Sligo County Council, a letter was written to Sligo Business Improvement District (BID) which operates Queen Maeve Square.

The letter outlined that the Council “fully supports the provision of a Christmas market to increase footfall, build atmosphere and improve the visitor experience in Sligo town centre for Christmas 2025 and ask them to consider the provision of a Christmas Market in or around Queen Maeve Square/Rockwood Parade this year.”

The proposal was discussed at a subsequent Sligo BID board meeting where a number of the obstacles and challenges to hosting such an event were outlined.

The correspondence from Sligo BID CEO Gail McGibbon which was subsequently forwarded to Sligo County Council states that enquiries were made with a number of local authorities in towns of similar population to Sligo who currently contribute financial support to a Christmas market and they discovered support ranges from €30,000-€160,000.

In its correspondence the Sligo BID CEO asked, “Has Sligo County Council made provision in 2025 budget to fund a Christmas market?”

Another concern expressed by the Sligo Bid CEO was the threat posed by the elements. It was noted that over the course of the 40 day season there is an average of eight storm alerts resulting in repair bills for tress, lights and cross street frames averaging €5,000.

It is envisaged that gazebos would not offer sufficient protection from the elements and the advice from other towns is the use of wooden huts. The additional footfall generated by 20,000 visitors to the ice rink would mean additional units would have to be installed on Rockwood Parade.

It was explained in correspondence by Sligo Bid to Sligo County Council that the rental of 10 Christmas huts for a 40 day period would be in the region of €700-€800 per hut, including installation and removal.

Sligo Bid gave an indication of the costs involved saying they, “Fully support and agree with the elected members that the animation of Queen Maeve Square promotes atmosphere, increases dwell time and footfall and indeed those three factors are regularly assessed and evaluated by Sligo Bid in determining return on investment on events in Queen Maeve Square.

“Consumers that visit Christmas Markets have an expectation of an immersive experience that can inform the perception of a destination. There are several examples in Ireland of seasonal markets that deliver on the three factors listed and Sligo Bid is currently gathering information that will inform future potential of a seasonal market in Queen Maeve Square.

"As the Irish consumer is very experienced in judging ‘a good market’, Sligo would need to deliver an installation of substance, variety, atmosphere and value to resonate with both residents and visitors. To be on a par with existing seasonal offerings in other destinations a preliminary estimate of a budget is circa €50,000 in year one.”