Christmas came early to Wandsworth this year, as Ram Quarter hosted its annual Christmas market on the last Saturday of November. Almost 50 stalls welcomed visitors from South London and beyond, featuring a wide range of handmade, sustainable fashion and crafts, as well as food, drink, and entertainment. The stalls filled Bubbling Well Square and Ram Quarter’s boulevard, set among the historic buildings of the former Young’s brewery.
The market was particularly tailored for families enjoying a winter’s day out, and there was plenty on offer, from crafting workshops, to teacup rides, bumper cars and bungee trampolines. Mickey and Minnie Mouse even arrived as surprise guests to greet local children. For those of all ages searching for sustenance and stocking fillers there were also hot food stalls, jewellery, fashion, art and accessories on offer.
The market was part of the wider Christmas festival across the town centre, and Councillor Sana Jafri, Mayor of Wandsworth, launched the festive season by switching on the borough’s Christmas lights. She praised those who have worked hard to make the festival a reality, and spoke of the importance of community and togetherness. Mayor Jafri also helped to give out raffle prizes alongside Deputy Leader of Wandsworth Council, Kemi Akinola. The raffle was held to raise money for this year’s charity partner Mind (Brent, Wandsworth & Westminster) - one of London’s leading community-based mental health charities - which was fundraising on the day. Exciting prizes were up for grabs, including a Nintendo Switch games console, a Garmin smart watch and a Kindle e-reader.
Ram Quarter has hosted Wandsworth Town's Christmas market for the last six years in a row (excepting the first year of the pandemic), and the market has become a fixture of the local festivities. This year the market was managed by Go Inspire, a London-based organisation that supports local talent and particularly female entrepreneurs. A representative of Go Inspire said, "Go Inspire and our community of female entrepreneurs were very happy to be at Ram Quarter for the Wandsworth Town Christmas Festival. We all loved the development and the amount of space it offered. Everything was seamless and enjoyable, and we hope to work again with Ram Quarter in the coming year."
Taotao Song, CEO of Greenland UK, said: “Ram Quarter continues to play a central role in the life of Wandsworth Town. The Mayor spoke at Saturday’s market about the importance of community, and that’s something about which we at Greenland feel very strongly too. Ram Quarter’s success is built on Wandsworth’s unique spirit, the independent brands and local talent cultivated here, and the warmth of our residents. The market was a wonderful way to begin the festive season, and we wish everyone a very merry Christmas.”