Chester's Christmas market is about to set up, and it's worth a bit of planning before you head in. The market runs from Wednesday 18 November to Tuesday 22 December, with construction starting on 12 November, so the centre will be busy well before the first stall opens. It takes over Town Hall Square and Northgate Street, right in front of the Town Hall and Chester Cathedral, and entry is free, though food, drinks and attractions cost extra.
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Expect more than 50 independent traders working out of wooden huts, with ceramics, candles, skincare, ornaments and accessories among the usual fare. A few names to look out for: Henry & Jenkins Cheese, Elevents with their coconut macarons, Gingerbread House Confections, UFO Fudge, Voysak for olives and Turkish delight, Humbugs on mulled wine and hot chocolate, With Sweet Company's honey, Cheshire Candle Company, Josh Johnson Ceramics, Crafted Stone, Digby & Champ for dog treats, Clover Zone, Woodshyne and Elegance Natural Skin Care. Drinks come in reusable souvenir cups with a £3 deposit, and there's live music on selected nights. For families, there's a Santa's Grotto in Chester Town Hall, plus selfie points and a sleigh. Opening hours are 10:30am to 6:30pm Sunday to Wednesday and 10:30am to 8:00pm Thursday to Saturday, with a separate opening event on 9 November from 11:30am to 5:30pm.
The parking is the part that catches people out. Cheshire West and Chester Council shuts down several streets around the market, and you can't park on the market itself or load and unload in the protected zone during trading hours. Town Hall Kiosk and St John's Street are restricted from 18 November to 22 December, opposite Storyhouse from 21 November to 20 December, and Princess Street closes 24 hours a day from 2 November to 24 December. Bridge Street and Watergate Street close daily from 10:30am to 8:00pm. Things change again on 23 and 24 December, so it's worth emailing parking@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk to confirm access. Blue Badge drop-off is on Northgate Street opposite Coachworks Arcade on weekday evenings, and at the upper Northgate Street taxi bay near Storyhouse at the weekend, from noon to 6:00pm.
Your best bet is New Market Parking on Hunter Street, with around 800 spaces open daily from 6:30am to 1:30am. Rates are £4.50 for up to an hour, £6 for one to two, £7.50 for two to four, £9.50 for four to six and £11 for over six hours, with a £4.50 afternoon rate from 6:00pm and a 2-metre height limit. Park & Ride runs from PR1 Wrexham Road, PR2 Boughton Heath and PR3 Upton, though the Sealand Road route is suspended; fares are £2.50 for adults, £1 for young people aged 5 to 18 and £5 for groups of up to five, with under-fives free. Chester Station is about 0.3 miles away, a 15 to 20 minute walk, and there's cycle parking with over 100 spaces near Storyhouse and the new Chester Market.
Published Date
9 November 2026
