By Hayley Robinson

Hopes the local economy would be given a much needed boost with the town’s first Christmas market were scuppered after the snow fell.

Organisers held out until the last minute but the treacherous conditions meant the decision was taken on Friday morning to cancel the event which was due to take place in Sittingbourne High Street the following day from 9am-5pm.

Sittingbourne Retail Association came up with the idea and Hughmark Continental, which runs the market at The Forum, organised the event in the hope it would encourage shoppers to do their Christmas shopping in town.

The vision was to have 27 stalls lining the High Street selling everything from crafts and clothes to food and toys.

Retail association member Andrea Don, who runs Nickel Books, said: "I think it could have worked if the snow had not come because we advertised it everywhere and everyone was commenting on how good it would be for the town.

"I made the ultimate decision to cancel the event – I really didn’t want to but everyone advised me to due to the weather.

"When I contacted Hughmark they said they were happy to cancel it as they’d rather that than set up all the stalls and no stall holders turn up as quite often they travel from all over Kent.

"It’s too close to Christmas to arrange another market but we hope to hold another in the spring."

Santa’s grotto, which was also arranged by the retail association, was also a flop due to the weather.

Only 11 children braved the Arctic conditions to visit Father Christmas who was based at the church tower in St Michael’s Church in the High Street on Saturday.

Andrea said: "Five children visited in the morning and a further six in the afternoon. It really felt like everything was against us."