Entering its twentieth year, the Belfast Christmas Market is set to attract over one million visitors, all eager to enjoy seasonal shopping and soak up the magical festive atmosphere. As one of the UK’s most diverse Christmas markets, this year's entries into The Jolly Big Business Boost Competition, were incredibly strong and once again highlighted the impressive pool of local entrepreneurial talent.
The operators of the Belfast Christmas Market, Market Place, run the annual competition, which offers young, local businesses the chance to trade at the market for free from the 16th November until the 22nd December. In addition to free trading space, the winning business also benefits from invaluable mentoring and PR support to help propel them toward retail success.
Andy Pidgen, Market Manager said:
‘’The Jolly Big Business Boost is a brilliant platform for fostering and nurturing entrepreneurial talent, and has supported many young businesses over the years. We’re thrilled that last year’s winner, Bathe Botanicals, are returning for this year’s market, joining other notable past winners like OutsideIn and Wave The Animals. These businesses have built a loyal customer base and continue to thrive, returning each year to trade at the Belfast Christmas Market.”
This year’s winner, Haus of Hank, offer a range of thoughtfully designed and well-engineered pet accessories that blend functionality with fashion, all while celebrating the bond between pets and their owners. Have you ever wanted to match with your pet? Now you can with Haus of Hank’s personalised scrunchie collection, complete with matching leads, collars and bandanas.
Emma Goodman, founder of Haus of Hank, continues a proud family tradition of entrepreneurship, following in the footsteps of her Great Aunt, Granny, and Auntie, all of whom worked at the iconic St George’s Market. She explains:
"We started the business because we saw a gap in the market for high-end pet accessories with funky designs at affordable prices. After a challenging fertility journey, we transformed our passion into inspiration, channelling our energy and love into creating stylish, high-quality products that reflect our deep affection for animals, particularly our dog Hank."
"Winning this competition opens so many doors for my business. I’m incredibly grateful for the platform to connect with new customers and to build crucial brand recognition—it’s priceless!"
Belfast Christmas Market will be open on the 16 November at 12noon.
Opening hours are:
Monday – Wednesday 10am – 8pm
Thursday – Saturday 10am – 10pm
Sunday 12noon – 6pm
