Piece and goodwill

LIV CLARKE TRAVELS BACK TO HER HOME COUNTY TO SAMPLE THE MANY DELIGHTS OF PIECE HALL XMAS MARKET

- Liv Clarke

THE annual Christmas Markets have been in full swing now for several weeks and I’m certainly no Grinch when they make an appearance - I always enjoy them and find something new to discover every year. But sometimes it’s rather nice to experience a different kind of Christmas market.

This is why I found myself zooming over to Yorkshire on the train on a frosty November morning, to see how they do things over the border. Halifax holds an annual Christmas Market each year in the magnificent Piece Hall, a spectacular Grade-I Georgian building with a huge 66,000 sq ft open-courtyard.

Travelling to these markets doesn’t get much easier. I caught the train from Manchester Victoria to Halifax, which takes around 40 minutes, and the Piece Hall is around a five-minute walk from the train station.

The train journey itself was beautiful especially as there was a heavy frost, adding a sparkle to the rugged landscape of the South Pennines. I passed through Rochdale, Todmoden and Hebden Bridge along the way, marveling at the canals and mills which looked particularly impressive in the bright sunshine.

After I arrived in Halifax it was only a short walk to the Piece Hall, which is hidden away from the main street. You can enter it via one of four gates located on each side of the square and there's something quite majestic about passing through the archway.

The one I entered through had a beautifully ornate gate, which added to the magic of the experience. It was still early when I arrived and many of the stall holders were setting up for the day, but I was already impressed with the setup; compared to Manchester, it was refreshing how the markets here are contained in one area and it means you're not mixed in with the hustle and bustle of the main high street.