Festive offer attracts bumper crowds

A partnership between Marketing Derby Bondholders helped attract tens of thousands of visitors to the city over the festive period, new figures have revealed.

Derby City Council, Derby Museums, Derby Cathedral, Derby Theatre, QUAD, the Cathedral Quarter and St Peter’s Quarter Business Improvement Districts and Derbion, worked in partnership to put together a programme of Christmas-related events for Festive Derby.

Attractions included theatre shows, ice-skating and other festive fun.

More than 33,000 tickets were sold for Derby LIVE’s annual Christmas panto at Derby Arena, which saw John Thomson star in Aladdin.

Meanwhile, more than 3,200 tickets were sold for shows staged in the Market Place.

The return of the Cathedral Quarter Ice Rink was also a popular attraction, with 12,600 people donning their skates for a turn around the ice.

And outside the city centre, family festivities at Markeaton Park drew in 3,000 people.

Councillor Jonathan Smale, the city council’s cabinet member for finance, digital and culture, said: “We’re delighted so many people enjoyed all that Festive Derby had to offer over the Christmas period.

“Our 2022 programme was packed and, with even more wonderful events and activities from our city partners, there was something for everyone. Thank you to everyone who made it such a huge success.”