A CHRISTMAS market set up on Colchester’s former bus station has closed down after some stall-holders pulled out.

Organiser Don Quinn said contractors who provided around 30 of the 50 stalls packed up their equipment on Sunday saying there was a lack of interest from customers.

The market opened on December 11 and was due to operate every day until December 23. Around 20 local independent traders had also signed up to take part.

Mr Quinn, who also organises the Colchester Food and Drink Festival, said he had been approached by Colchester Borough Council to see if he could use the space off Queen Street for a Christmas event.

He said: “It wasn’t booming but it was surviving and we got everybody ready for next week which I think would have been busier.

“We had a good weekend but then I noticed some of the traders were pulling down their stalls on Sunday.

“Everyone apart from two stall-holders agreed it wasn’t going to work without 30 of the stalls.

“For us this is the only time we’ve done an event that hasn’t worked.

“The borough council wanted to do something dynamic. It was an empty site and they came to us and asked if we can help, so we thought it was worth doing. But it didn’t get the crowds.

“We’ve had a kicking but we’re still here. Nobody is spending money at the moment, everyone is buying online.”

Mr Quinn said he is planning on running more events at the same site in the new year.

“We would like to thank Colchester Borough Council, who had the vision to see that there is great short-term potential to provide some entertainment on this site rather than see it just remain empty,” he added.

“Other more successful events will undoubtedly take place.”