St Andrews to reveal its first Hidden Markets this Christmas BID’s Big Ambition for Small Businesses

St Andrews, one of Scotland’s most popular towns, is set to host a Christmas Market with a twist this year. Reminiscent of the popular Hidden Gardens initiative, the Hidden Markets will feature stalls hidden in the ancient wynds, braes and gardens of the royal burgh and shall celebrate the very best of festive Scotland. Hidden Markets St Andrews will run for a month, and will combine Christmas celebrations and events to mark St Andrews Day.

In a bid to increase Winter tourism in the town, events management company No. 18 and BID St Andrews have teamed up to create a month-long event with St Andrews Day at its centre. Hidden Markets will be keeping things local, offering businesses from around East Neuk, Fife and Tayside the opportunity to showcase their products to a wider audience at such a competitive time of year.

Hidden Markets St Andrews will be an event with a difference – as well as offering a unique shopping experience, visitors will also the opportunity to get involved and learn from the makers at regular workshops and classes offering everything from candle-making to cocktail-shaking! There’ll also be street food, live performances and tours.

“We didn’t want to create just another Christmas Market,” explained Jasmine Wheelhouse of No. 18, “Hidden Markets will celebrate all things local – and we’re especially keen to promote those small stay-at-home businesses with amazing, handcrafted products that wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend a large-scale event like this one.”

Set to launch mid-November, the Hidden Markets will become part of the St Andrews Winter Festival which already includes St Andrews Day Celebrations, winter lights switch-on and Santa’s Grotto.

It is anticipated that the Hidden Markets will significantly increase tourism to the already popular town - St Andrews already welcomes more than 650,000 visitors a year.

“St Andrews is one of the few towns with international and national appeal that could at least partly replicate Edinburgh’s success,” commented Rhonda McCrimmon, BID St Andrews manager.

Applications to trade at the Hidden Markets have not yet opened, but interested parties are encouraged to submit an expression of interest on the website www.hiddenmarkets.co.uk