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Backlash against Christmas markets

Arts and heritage groups in some British cities claim Christmas markets have become tacky.

Arts and heritage groups in some British cities claim Christmas markets have become tacky. Stephen Bayley is chairman of the Royal Fine Art Commission Trust in the UK, and explains why he objects to a new market in London's Trafalgar Square. Judith Flanders is a Canadian social historian, and author of Christmas: A Biography, and traces the history of Christmas markets back to the 17th and 18th centuries. And Roddy Smith, chief executive of Essential Edinburgh, a business group which represents hundreds of retailers and food and entertainment firms in the city centre, points out that Edinburgh's Christmas market has already seen attendance 40% higher than the same time last year. Also in the programme, Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot parent PSA have confirmed plans to merge to create the world's fourth largest automaker. Rachel Burgess is deputy editor of Autocar, and discusses why the deal is being done. Plus we find out why Kenya wants to step up the production of movies in the country, and is asking Kenyans living abroad to help finance the production of new films at home.

(Picture: Trafalgar Square Christmas market. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

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27 minutes

Last on

Wed 18 Dec 2019 15:32GMT

Broadcast

  • Wed 18 Dec 2019 15:32GMT