Christmas market returns to Wigan township after two year absence

The organisers of Standish Christmas Markets have promised that the come-back event will be “bigger and better than ever before” when it is held on Saturday December 3 running from 11am to 8pm.

The fifth of its kind, the market is organised by neighbourhood forum Standish Voice and roads around St Wildfrid’s Church will be closed to traffic to allow festive stalls to line the streets.

Entertainment will be live on a stage marquee on St Wilfrid’s Church car park throughout the day, adjacent to a refreshment tent with local micropub The Albion serving beers, gin and traditional mulled wine.

A spokesperson for Standish Voice said: “We are so pleased to be able to bring Standish Christmas Market back for a fifth time after having to postpone it for two years due to the pandemic.

“It is such a joyous occasion and everyone in Standish gets involved to make is such a great day, bringing the whole community together.”

There will be around 60 traders present including a variety of food and drink stalls, with festive goods at three indoor halls at St Wilfrid’s Parish Hall Standish Methodist Church Hall and, new this year, Standish Community Centre.

The event tends to attract around 5,000 people from across the borough and the local social clubs and pubs join in the festive fun with spin off events.

A spokesperson said: “It really does herald the start of Christmas and we have been able to make the event bigger and better than ever before with more stalls and more live entertainment.

“We would like to thank all the volunteers who work hard throughout the day, our sponsors who have supported us financially and everyone who has helped us in any way to stage this.”