Leeds Christmas market to return after four-year absence

The Christkindelmarkt was last held in Leeds Millennium Square in 2019

A festive market is set to return to Leeds for the first time since 2019 after council leaders struck a deal with a new operator.

The city's German-themed Christmas market was cancelled due to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 and failed to return in 2022.

Leeds City Council said it had signed the deal with Market Place Europe for an event each year until 2025.

It has not said if the market will be similar to those held previously.

Councillor Jonathan Pryor, the council's executive member for economy, culture and education, said the deal would build on the outdoor ice rink with food and drink stalls offered in 2022.

"Whilst no decisions have been made about the precise locations or the exact nature of the offer, we will be specifically looking at how we can best use our streets and available spaces in the city centre to provide more fun, festive and affordable experiences for the people of Leeds," he said.

Council documents detailing the contract suggest the event will likely run between 24 November and 17 December.

The authority will be paid £336,000 across the three years as part of the deal, although the document said that extra costs are likely to bring the overall income down to around £240,000.

Market Europe is described as the "largest" operator of Christmas markets in the UK, with 5,000 traders on their books.

The previous Christkindelmarkt was co-organised with partners from Frankfurt City Council and was normally held in Millennium Square from early November to just before Christmas.

The decision not to revive it in 2022 was blamed by the council on the aftermath of the pandemic and rising travel and work visa costs.