TRADERS have praised this year's Christmas market in York, which attracted big crowds of shoppers on its final day.

The annual St Nicholas Fair, which was launched on November 14 and finished on Sunday, has transformed the city centre into a winter wonderland over recent weeks.

This year's event featured festive chalets in Parliament Street, St Sampson’s Square and the Coppergate Centre, a fairground in Kings Square, and The Yorkshire Yuletide Village in Shambles Market, which brought together local arts and crafts with gift ideas.

The Press spoke to traders working from the traditional chalets to find out what they thought of the market this year and how well they had done.

Mark Pacan, who ran the Paper Starlights stall, said: "I've been here every day from the start.

"It's the fourth year I've been here.

"It has been a good year. Similar to last year, probably not as good as the year before.

"It is such a lovely market, it is well run. People come from all over the country."

Stephen Roberts, owner of Hide Bound, which sells hand-made leather luxuries, had a stall for the second half of the event.

He commented: "Next year we would like to do the whole thing.

"The market has been busy but pleasant.

"It has been a very friendly atmosphere.

"We are very satisfied financially."

Chloe Sheridan, of Artifactually, which creates hand-crafted ornaments, added: "We have done pretty well.

"We've had customers say it's one of the best markets they have been to.

"I think we would like to come back next year."

Simon Barrett, also known as The Chilli Jam Man, had a stall at the market for the entire event and said that this year been a little busier, particularly mid-week.

"The whole market picked up earlier," he said.

"This is the ninth year I have done this."