YEP Letters: October 25

The annual Christkindelmarkt German market will be taking place in Millennium Square as usual this year, but without its Bavarian-style beer hall.

Thor’s will feature linked canvas tipis with wooden tables and benches and will be serving local draft ales, mulled wine and hot cider.

The new arrangements have been put in place to try to ensure the Millennium Square event is as family friendly as possible, but your response to the news was mixed on Facebook.

Queues will be ridiculous

Gemma Scotney-Smith, on Facebook

Looks even smaller than the beer tent and the queues to get in that were ridiculous!

Embracing the Viking theme

Kerrice Knowles, on Facebook

Looks like we’ll be going to the Viking tipi instead. Looks good to be fair

It needs a bigger space

Daniel Stothard, on Facebook.

It looks tiny, Millennium Square isn’t the right place for it either, Roundhay Park would be better

Nationalities confusion!

Rosemary O’Leary,on Facebook

I THINK someone has confused Vikings with Native Americans! Vikings drink in drinking halls, not tipis!

It’s about time it was changed

Davind John Birkenshaw, on Facebook

Good! That beer tent was way past its sell by date. It needs something new and something you can get into without having to queue for three hours. Also good for the local businesses and bars who will now get some of their custom back I reckon.

It will be more family-friendly

Beverley O’Brien, on Facebook.

Thank god for that it might be more family-friendly now with fewer leary drunks being vile to people and putting people off visiting after dark

It has an identity crisis

Sophia Cosmo, on Facebook

As authenticity is clearly not the aim, it should be called everything but ‘’Christkindelmarket’’ (which has a very specific meaning and nothing in common with the Vikings I believe).

Victoria Gate opens its doors

Leeds’ Victoria Gate shopping centre finally opened its doors last week, to the delight of Leeds shoppers. Thousands of people swarmed into the city’s newest shopping destination to get a first look at the spectacular £165m development, whose anchor store is the city’s first John Lewis branch. We reported the opening live on Twitter and had lots and lots of Social media comments from our readers.

Great times
for the city

Alastiar Barrie, on Facebook

Looks incredible. Will be packed at Christmas. Leeds over the last 20 years has seen improvement year on year. Great times for the City

Kudos to the city for this

Cynthia Price, on Facebook

It Looks fabulous! Kudos to Leeds for securing this venture. Sadly it will be out of my price range, I will be in the market lol!

Should have included market

Tricia Butler, on Facebook

Felt they really missed an opportunity to include their market neighbours in the celebrations.

Would have liked to see the link up from old to new and increasing footfall in the revamped historic shopping venue as well as the new. Especially important as the traders and workers there have had to put up with all the inconvenience of the construction.

Look at the smaller towns

Ian Bailey, on Facebook

In the mean time studies show that towns such as Dewsbury and Halifax lose out, or have been economically stagnant for years. That’s the effect of big cities on small towns

We should be proud of this

Darren Lewis, on Facebook

Some people do moan. It’s fantastic and a great addition to Leeds. Be proud that Leeds is actually doing something.

I think it’s fabulous

Jill Sowden, on Facebook

Went today - didn’t go in John Lewis though as not enough time. Anyway it’s fabulous. There were plenty of people when I went.

Not a great 
floor design

Lisa Johnson, on Facebook

That floor is terrible for anyone with visual impairments or those with dementia.

Shops are too expensive

Kay Jackson, on Facebookl

Full of people with more money than sense. Arcade joined to John Lewis is full of shops with high-end and expensive goods. Not a pound shop in sight!

You’d have to be smart there

Steven Noad,on Facebook

If you popped in wearing scruffy clothes I wonder how many funny looks you’d get in a place like that?

Let us know your views

Your letters, every day

Join the debate on the Christmas market or the new Victoria Gate shopping centre, or start a debate of your own. Send us your views on any subject.

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