BUSINESS leaders and traders in Winchester are hoping for a bumper Christmas with around 400,000 visitors flocking to the city this festive season.

Last week saw the opening of the ever-popular Christmas Market and ice rink in the shadow of the cathedral, a week after the Christmas lights were switched on.

Some 114 exhibitors will showcase at the 60 chalets on site this year – the largest number yet in the Cathedral grounds.

Winchester has been vying for the crown of England’s Christmas Capital for the last four years seeing fresh, new campaigns pulled together from Winchester City Council and Winchester Business Improvement District (BID) to attract more and more visitors to the city.

This year’s initiative, The Perfect Christmas, could be the best yet, business leaders hope.

Last year saw footfall jump by more than 15 per cent in November, and a further 11 per cent year-on-year for December to 358,000 people.

This year christmasinwinchester.co.uk has seen a record 28,958 hits, up 73 per cent on last year.

To cope with the huge influx of coaches, Winchester City Council has turned its former site at Bar End into a temporary coach park for the duration of the festive period. It will provide parking for up to 28 coaches at a time.

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More than 160 coaches have been booked with the numbers set to rise to nearly 200 by the end of December.

Cllr Rob Humby, leader of Winchester City Council, said: “Winchester at Christmas is a phenomenal success story. We want to welcome visitors to our city because they provide a big boost to the local economy.

By making its former depot site available for temporary coach parking, the city council is doing its bit to help the festivities run smoothly.”

This year a number of measures have been taken to ease traffic congestion and access to the Christmas market.

Security staff numbers have been upped, there is full-time CCTV footage and last year’s gated single access point returns.

The Cathedral has also organised its own greeters to meet coach parties, and Stagecoach has implemented controllers to work at certain times.

For the first time, this year will see the parking bays in the middle of The Broadway suspended to allow for easier access for buses, though the taxi rank will still be available.

The park and ride bus service will be enhanced during the five-week period before Christmas, running at 10 minute intervals, and coach parking has been arranged at Hampshire County Council’s park and ride site at weekends.

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The council is also funding an express service on Sundays at the south park and ride, which runs via the M3 to The Broadway, and Winchester BID has funded a Sunday service for the east park and ride.

Transport and parking teams will liaise with arrivals via radio networks and CCTV to advise where remaining spaces are, and update changes as and when on the dedicated parking page on the council’s website.

Stephen Gates, chief executive officer for Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “For many traders in Winchester Christmas is a crucial time of the business year. So businesses across the city will be making sure that they have their Christmas offers and promotions absolutely right, so that they can benefit from the increase in footfall that Winchester sees at this time of the year. So it really is a joint effort – with the focus of the Chamber, Council and BID in promoting a perfect Christmas in Winchester and local businesses making sure that they’re putting on their best offers for new and existing customers.”

Catherine Turness, Winchester BID manager, said: “The reputation of Christmas in Winchester reaches far and wide, supported by the national marketing campaign – this has not only kept people returning but attracts many new visitors each year. The Christmas light display, which is admired by visitors and residents alike, has been extended encouraging visitors to explore the city beyond the High Street.

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Children from St Bede Primary School were among those taking part in last week's Lantern Parade to launch the Christmas market and ice rink

“Winchester offers a traditional Christmas experience, with its Christmas Market, pretty decorations and variety of shops all set against the beautiful backdrop of this quaint and historic city.”

Every effort has been made to ensure Winchester traders have a competitive advantage over rival cities. As well as free park-and-ride Sunday tickets, stores close later on Thursdays and a growing number are taking part in the new click-and-collect system which is expected to rise by 82 per cent by 2019.

Andrew Butling, assistant manager at Forme, said: “It’s the fact that we offer something different. Our unique selling point, if you like, is that we gift-wrap everything at this time of year. We do a maximum percentage of our turnover during the last six weeks of the year. This time of years is really important to us.”

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Sherborne House School pupils at the Lantern Parade

And it seems many traders work exceptionally hard to keep custom flocking in whatever the time of year.

Ellie Fisher, owner of Boudoir Blush, said: “Parchment Street is tucked out of the way and I have found that we have to be very proactive with promoting the shop all year round as there are no clear signs on the High Street indicating that there is boutique shopping down Parchment Street. A visitor to Winchester would simply overlook that there were any shops down there at all. I have had to employ a sign holder to hold my sign on the High Street four days a week which has dramatically increased the footfall through the shop.

“I think that the Christmas market is a very good way of getting people into Winchester. However, [I] feel that visitors to the market do not come here to spend much money. Having done the market myself several times, know that they are happy to purchase small, cheap souvenirs to mark their visit.”