Fury as Tech Giant Rents Popular Christmas Market for Staff Event — Leaving Visitors Shut Out

Families were left outraged on Saturday after arriving at the popular 'Christmas in Cambridge' market only to find the entire attraction closed to the public for a lavish private party thrown by semiconductor giant Arm Holdings.

The annual festive market is usually free to enter. It's also one of Cambridge's most popular seasonal attractions, offering families an ice rink, alpine lodge bar, Ferris wheel, and dozens of stalls. However, on one of its busiest weekends of the year, security personnel instead turned away 'thousands' of would-be visitors.

Lavish Treats Inside While Families Shut Out

According to a report by The Times, the semiconductor firm spent at least £175,000 on the private event, which gave staff and their families exclusive access to the entire site for eight hours.

During their event, employees enjoyed a host of luxury extras, including wreath-making workshops, illuminated dancing drummers, personalised Scalextric sets, carol singers, and a juggling elf.

Meanwhile, families were left waiting outside the gate, not knowing the park wasn't open to the public that day. Kent solicitor Craig Duncan had driven for two hours with his wife Debbie to celebrate her 52nd birthday.

'This would have been the highlight of her day,' he told The Times. 'We walked to the market entrance and thought, 'Why are all these raised voices and fingers wagging?'

He said many people were in tears after being turned away. Duncan adds that the company shouldn't be allowed to buy Christmas.' He adds that what the company did was elitism at its worst, as thousands were refused entry to the park.

Organisers Say Closure Was Advertised, But Councillors Raise Concerns

The event is run by private operator Seventa Events, which secured planning permission in 2023 and offers private bookings for up to 3,500 guests, with packages starting at £50 per person. The company said that Saturday's closure had been advertised beforehand.

In a statement, Seventa said that Christmas in Cambridge is a privately funded event that was made at their own 'commercial risk.' They hosted a pre-booked family day, bringing the site to maximum capacity. Seventa acknowledges the disappointment of those barred from entering.

Seventa also argues that people were made aware of the closure through posts on social media and on-site over the past week. Liberal Democrat councillor Katie Porrer said they thought the Arm Holding's function would be limited to a select area of the park. Porter adds that she has raised the issue with the Labour-run council.

Arm Holdings expressed its regret over what happened and added that it had booked the event months in advance. The Christmas market continues until 31 December, and families are free to visit until then. The organisers will likely be more careful about private bookings the next time.

The Festivities Continue Despite The Controversy

While the organisers insist procedures were followed, the backlash from families left out in the cold suggests lessons must be learned. As the market continues through 31 December, visitors are still welcome to enjoy the seasonal attractions, hopefully with more transparent communication and fewer surprises.