Dundee’s Christmas market is being scrapped this year – as council chiefs promise the return of “traditional” celebrations.
The city council is already making preparations for this year’s festivities.
The lights switch-on – which used to attract thousands to City Square every late November – is coming back for 2025.
The city’s Christmas tree will also return to its traditional home at City Square.
The Dundee Hooley – the St Andrew’s Day celebration – will also be back this year.
Market stalls and ice rink scrapped as Dundee Christmas plans revealed for 2025
However, it means that the Christmas village and market that was held last year will not be back – ending a run of events that featured an ice rink, stalls and rides.
The Christmas tree had been moved to Steeple Church in recent years – provoking a backlash from locals.
Council chiefs say their decision to return to a more “traditional” offering comes from feedback received during a recent budget consultation.
Council leader Mark Flynn said: “We’ve listened carefully to the people of Dundee and what they would like to see most.
“Christmas is a very important time of the year for many, and it brings people together.
“As a city, we want to provide the best opportunities possible for people to do just that.
“Through the budget consultation process for 2025/26 and from feedback in general, we’ve heard from a lot of people that they really value a traditional Christmas in Dundee with elements such as a tree placed in City Square.
“We want to make that happen, and bring families, friends and visitors together to celebrate during this year’s festive period and these activities will be free to attend at a time when the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis continue to be felt by all.
‘This will provide taxpayers with the best value for money’
“By taking this approach to the festive period, it will provide taxpayers with the best value for money as well as provide what so many people in the city have asked for from Christmas.
“We also recognise the success of the Dundee Hooley in its previous three years and due to its popularity, we will keep this as part of our Dundee Christmas offering for 2025.”
Councillor Fraser Macpherson, the council’s Lib Dem group leader, described the SNP administration’s decision as “better late than never”.
He added: “It hasn’t half taken the SNP council administration a long, long time to get the message and listen to the calls from Dundonians that the City Square tree and lights switch-on should never have been removed by them.”
More details on the Christmas programme will be revealed later this year.
Conversation