Christmas Walk Through Bauble on Exeter High Street

Exeter Cathedral Revealed as One of Most Family-Friendly Christmas Markets

Analysis of over 33,000 online reviews and social mentions has found that Glasgow Winterfest is the safest for families to visit this festive period, closely followed by Liverpool Christmas Market and Exeter Cathedral.

Christmas markets across the UK are predicted to welcome more than 33 million people this year, causing fears about safety to arise. Indeed, England’s oldest Christmas market, Lincoln, was cancelled last year due to health and safety concerns.

New research has ranked Christmas markets across the UK by safety, scouring more than 33,000 TripAdvisor and Google reviews, and analysing Reddit and X mentions. Scored across 14 different health and safety values, Glasgow Winterfest topped the pile with just 0.3% of all reviews negatively referencing safety.

Attracting over 650,000 visitors each year, Glasgow’s Winterfest has more than 50 chalets spread across two central locations, designed to help alleviate worries of overcrowding, making it a fantastic family-friendly choice this festive season.

The data, which searched for terms like ‘dangerous’, ‘unsafe’, ‘overcrowded’ and ‘crowd control’, placed Liverpool’s Christmas Market in second, with just 1.4% of all reviews having negative sentiment surrounding the event’s safety. Drawing in over 750,000 people, the Liverpool Christmas Market offers a blend of independent stalls and attractions, including a Ferris wheel, karaoke ski lifts, and Santa's Village.

Coming in just behind the top two was Exeter Cathedral, Devon’s biggest Christmas market. It attracts more than 600,000 visitors each year, yet has just 2.8% of all reviews referencing safety concerns.

In stark contrast, the research, collated by health and safety training experts RRC International, identified the famous London Winter Wonderland as having the most health and safety fears, with over one in 10 reviews quoting safety as a problem.

Managing Director of RRC International, Richard Stockley, comments: “With so many festivities on offer during the winter period, Christmas is, of course, a fantastic opportunity for us all to spend time with our families and loved ones. Christmas markets have a role to play in making this time so special, and allowing the Christmas spirit to take hold.

“To really feel relaxed and make the most of your time at these markets, you need to feel safe and comfortable. This is why our research took into account so many different factors, so that families know which markets prioritise their health and safety, meaning they don’t have to worry. Organisers need to consider overcrowding, accessibility, and much more. But with the right training, planning and health and safety strategies in place they are able to put on events that families will enjoy.”

The top 5 best Christmas markets for families this season includes: