3rd November 2015
Best ever food and drink selection at Harrogate Christmas Market

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The best ever range of Yorkshire food and drink will be on offer at this year's Harrogate Christmas Market,  together with the usual wide range of gifts, organisers have announced.

Home-made pork pies, chutneys, jams, cakes and sweets will be on offer, while other Yorkshire traders will be bringing locally-brewed ales, liqueurs, cheeses and puddings. Visitors will be able to find most things they need to fill their cupboards for Christmas, as well as other food and gifts for friends and family.

For the first time this year, Marks and Spencer – a national company with strong Yorkshire roots – will have a stand in the Food and Drink Marquee. Harrogate store manager Andy Crum and his team will be selling selected items from their range of sandwiches, snacks and festive food and drink.

Brian Dunsby, who leads the organising committee with his wife Beryl, said: "We're delighted to welcome Marks and Spencer to Harrogate Christmas Market in 2015. 

"The company's roots are in a traditional market in Leeds, so it's wonderful to see it continuing to support market trading more than a century later. In his previous role at the York store, Andy and his team took part in the city's annual Christmas fair, and we're very pleased to have their support in Harrogate now.

"Of course, the rest of the Food and Drink Marquee will be filled with other traders offering plenty of options for visitors, and there are many food stalls along the outside aisles too. We have worked hard to create our best ever range of food and drink and we can't wait to share the results with everyone throughout the four days of Harrogate Christmas Market."

Andy Crum said: “M&S is proud to support the Harrogate Christmas Market. You will find us in the Food & Drink Marquee.”

Among the food and drink traders taking part will be Baltzersen's, Harrogate's Scandinavian café which has taken part in the Christmas Market for the last two years. This time, its stall will be outside and will offer coffee and waffles to hungry visitors. Ampleforth Abbey will be returning with its cider, beer, brandy and juice and Daleside Brewery will be promoting their best local brews. Hot and cold pies and a variety of hot meat-filled rolls will be on sale from some of the most popular traders the Christmas Market has seen since it first took place in 2012.

For the perfect festive experience, there will also be roast chestnuts on sale, as well as mulled wine from the Harrogate Lions Club stand close to the shuttle bus stop on Montpellier Hill, near the Crown roundabout. The proceeds from the Harrogate Lions Club mulled wine stall will be used to support local charities.

The Market location is very near to the many bars, cafes and restaurants in Harrogate Town Centre for those visitors who need a longer rest during their Christmas shopping.

Harrogate Christmas Market takes place on St Mary's Walk in the heart of Harrogate from Thursday, November 19 to Sunday, November 22. It opens daily at 10am and closes at 8pm (5pm Sunday).

Now in its fourth year, Harrogate Christmas Market is proving more popular than ever with both traders and visitors. The 200 spaces for traders sold quickly when they were released, with only a handful of tables still available now. The number of coach parties booked to attend is already higher than in previous years.