Traders have spoken of their financial woes after the popular Boldmere Christmas Festival was cancelled following a reduction in council funding from £7,000 to £3,000
A buzzing Boldmere Christmas Festival in previous years(Image: Richard T Harris Photography)
Traders have revealed about their financial struggles after a Christmas market was scrapped over council funding cuts.
This year’s Boldmere Christmas Festival was called off when a grant from Sutton Coldfield Town Council was slashed.
The organiser, not-for-profit community interest company Boldmere Futures, claimed the council cut funding from £7,000 last year to £3,000 this year, leaving it unable to go ahead with the event.
One of the affected stallholders was David Bridgewater, owner of dessert business The Crumble Hut. He said: “I’ve lost everything. I’ve lost valuable income – abour £1,000. I’ll have to do two or three events to try to recover that sort of money. And I’ve lost publicity. If you’re not out there in the area, nobody knows your name and people soon forget you.
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Boldmere Christmas Festival: Families will not be making memories with the snow machine in 2025.(Image: Richard T Harris Photography)
“Boldmere has always been good for us, and good events to work at aren’t easy to find. These markets bring people into the area, and not only do I benefit, the community benefits. It has a big knock-on effect,” reports Birmingham Live.
Another trader, who wished to be identified only as Sarah, is the owner of Baked in Boldmere. She said: “My children loved it. It was a safe environment for them to get a few Christmas presents and socialise with friends.”
The Crumble Hut hard at work.(Image: The Crumble Hut)
Part-time pizza chef Joshua Beckreck, who runs Cart and Carriage Events, commented: “Boldmere High Street is a real hub for this area and it’s a loss when we stop investing in it. Local people bump into each other after not seeing each other for a while, and it builds that sense of shared experiences, history, and belonging. We always need to invest in collective opportunities – they are great fun too.”
Paul Long, Boldmere Futures chairman of directors, expressed his disappointment: “I’m upset for the volunteers because volunteering gives people friendships. We have people who are at the festival from 8am until 9pm because they love doing it and meeting new people. The local businesses don’t really make a lot, either. But they do it for the love of it. And these festivals keep Boldmere on the map.
“Every year it gets better and better. The people attending are so happy and so grateful, and it really makes our day. There are so many great music acts, and everyone is in the street dancing to the songs. Kids are on their parents’ shoulders. We have fireworks. It’s an event that makes memories.”
Cart and Carriage Events(Image: Cart and Carriage Events Joshua Beckreck)
The organisation expressed hope that the market would return next year and was collaborating with the town council to explore a more sustainable funding option.
The council stated: “We do not discuss publicly the detail in relation to individual applications, but there was no error or misunderstanding on the part of the Town Council in relation to the financial information submitted.
Sarah from Baked in Boldmere selling her homemade treats.(Image: Baked in Boldmere)
“If an application is declined or a grant application is not supported in full, this detail is outlined in writing to the applicant. The Community Grant Scheme is generally oversubscribed and there is no guarantee the total amount applied for will be awarded.
“Boldmere Futures CIC subsequently advised the Town Council it would not be taking up the funding for the festival this year, that volunteers are taking a break and instead concentrating on cultural action area projects and would be picking up the Christmas Festival again in 2026. The Town Council does not organise the Boldmere Summer or Christmas festivals.”