Christmas market in jeopardy: Long-time organiser pulls out of running popular festive event in row with ‘hyperwoke’ council over cycle lane

• Oxford Christmas Market organiser Nicole Rahimi decided to pull out of the plan

A much-loved Christmas market has been put into jeopardy after an emblazoned row over a cycle lane caused the organiser to pull out of running it – with critics branding the council of ‘hyper-wokery of the worst kind’.

Nicole Rahimi, who has managed the Oxford Christmas Market for the past 14 years, said she would be stepping down from running the festive event slamming Oxfordshire County Council for ‘prioritis(ing) cyclists over small businesses’.

It comes after the council refused to give into demands to temporarily shut a cycle lane while the market is up and running throughout December.

The bike path is between two public spaces where the Broad Street market takes place and as a result will separate the stalls, which Ms Rahimi said is unsafe as market-goers could come into contact with cyclists. 

A different organiser has now been invited to run the market by Oxford City Council, with council adding that pedestrians would be able to move across the market through informal crossing areas.

Oxford Christmas Market is in jeopardy after its organiser of 14 years pulled out following a row over cycle lanes

Organiser Nicole Rahimi announced she would be stepping down from running the festive event slamming the council for priotising cyclists 

Oxford City Council leader Susan Brown (pictured) said a different organiser has now been invited to run the market 

Ms Rahimi told the Oxford Mail: ‘I’m devastated for all the traders, charities, and local businesses. This marks the end of my business, which existed to put on this festive market every year.

‘However, in the end I had to put cyclists and pedestrians’ safety first.’

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Councillor Eddie Reeves, who runs the local Conservative Party in opposition to the county council, told MailOnline: ‘Ms Rahmini has run the Oxford Christmas Market successfully for several years.

‘It is well loved across the both the city and wider county. Her position is clear: carving the market in two would affect the market’s financial viability and would create a health and safety liability that her business cannot reasonably afford to assume as a small limited company.’

He added: ‘The idea that sensible accommodations for cyclists cannot be made during the Season of Goodwill owing, presumably, to overriding climate change concerns is hyper-wokery of the worst kind. 

‘The majority of cyclists in Oxford are bright students and conscientious commuters. Many, if not all, would be willing to dismount and walk through the market or avoid Broad Street for three weeks while it is on.’

One cyclist Danny Chapman agreed. He said: ‘I get around Oxford almost exclusively by bike, and this approach by the council is utterly bizarre, unnecessary, and counterproductive. I would be happy to walk this small distance and see the market go ahead. I would expect the vast majority of cyclists would say the same.’

More than 60 businesses flock to the market in the city centre each year

Ms Rahimi (pictured) said she was ‘devastated for all the traders, charities, and local businesses’

Another cyclist Jill Corner added: ‘It’s not exactly onerous to get off your bike and walk the length of Broad Street. Ridiculous and unfair decision.’ 

Another local, Mo Mellowship said: ‘Shame on both this City Council and the County Council. They have destroyed this beautiful city. 

‘They have crucified the “ordinary folk”. Between the Council and the University they seem determined to get rid of all that don’t suit their idealistic traffic free utopia.’

More than 60 businesses flock to the market each year and for the last 13 years, the cycle lane has remained closed.

Locals have flocked online to question the decision, with one asking: ‘So the market is off due to a cycle lane?’

Another added: ‘Can you please fix all the potholes in Oxford, the overgrown verges and bring back the unity within communities because your no car policy is causing an aggressive divide. Oh and bring back the Christmas Market.’ 

City council’s leader Susan Brown, however, has said her authority is ‘keen to ensure Oxford continues to have a thriving Christmas market, providing a great opportunity for independent businesses and bringing extra footfall into the city centre’.

The councillor stressed that it was ‘always made clear throughout the tender process’ that the cycle lane would remain open alongside the Christmas Market.  

Locals have flocked online to question the decision, with one asking: ‘So the market is off due to a cycle lane?’

The council said that Ms Rahimi had more than a year to prepare for the change in tenure 

She added: ‘Nicole Rahimi has had more than 12 months to prepare for this change, and she submitted a proposal to the City Council that included the cycle route through the market. Subsequently, midway through the procurement process, she complained to the local media about the inclusion of the cycle route.

‘Both the City and County councils had continued to engage Ms Rahimi, as she was the preferred provider, and we are keen to get moving with the planning for this year’s event as soon as possible. However, now she has withdrawn from the procurement process, we will now move forward to explore alternative options for this year’s market.’

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A spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council said: ‘Following Nicole Rahimi’s decision not to bid to apply to hold the Broad Street Christmas Market this year, another interested party has been invited to submit an application to Oxford City Council.

‘The conditions regarding the cycle lane were in place when Ms Rahimi first expressed her interest in holding the Christmas market. Although an alternative route via St Michael’s Street was provided last year during the Christmas Market, that option is not viable this year. This was made clear to Ms Rahimi last year.

‘The east-west cycle path through Broad Street is a key route and is important to maintain. Thousands of cyclists use it every day.

‘We are looking at things we can do to improve safety, such as reducing the width of the entrance to the cycle path to reduce bike speeds.

‘Similar events have taken place in Broad Street with the cycle route in place, and these have not led to any reports of accidents.’

Oxfordshire has previously been branded Britain’s ‘wokest’ county by critics, after it introduced a ban of having meat at council meetings and has continued with a number of transport policies that priotise bikes over cars.

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