CAROLLING has been canceled at one London Christmas market after it was swamped by a TikTok mob.
Columbia Road Shops and Flower Market in Hackney hosts a Christmas market on the Wednesdays leading up to the big day.
TikTok/littlelondonflatA picture on a TikTok video revealed the crowd[/caption]
TikTok/littlelondonflatThe Columbia Road Christmas Market was becoming increasingly popular[/caption]
But, the caroling portion of the event has now been canceled after too many people turned up to a recent night.
It’s the latest in a string of Christmas cancellations that have seen markets, light switch-ons, and other festivities have faced the chop.
Footage of the carols had gone viral on TikTok and the little market which used to get a turn out of 200 people was swamped by about 10,000 people on December 6.
Tom Bloom, who runs a Mexican stall in the market, said the police weren’t happy the caroling portion continued as it had become too unsafe.
“Last year it got onto TikTok… and in response to that the police were onto it and were worried about safety.
“We’ve had to backtrack a little,” he said.
Bloom described the December 6 turnout as having somewhere between nine and 11,000 people and where someone could have been seriously injured.
“It was a bit like an illegal rave, but everyone was here to sing carols.
“The idea was it [caroling] could help the shops, but people literally couldn’t get into the shops,” he said.
The next morning, Lime bikes were found littered around the neighbouring streets.
“Please note there will be no further carols this year” the market notified patrons on December 7.
“Unfortunately the event has become overcrowded,” the market said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Market stalls will continue to be open between 5pm and 9pm.
“We’re still hoping for a good turnout, just not that many,” said Bloom.
A TikTok posted by ‘littlelondonflat’ revealed the number of people at the market on December 6.
The photo posted to the video showed a mass of people crammed onto a street.
Commenters on TikTok were critical of how one event had become so popular.
“Tik tok has ruined everything, the crowds on London are insane this year,” said one.
“This is so sad – it’s such a lovely event for people in east London and social media has ruined it,” said another.
“The tiktok effect. Saw a videos about it and it seems everyone else did too,” said a third.
“Proof that social media ruined Christmas Carols on Columbia Road. Packed like sardines,” said another.
It comes after England’s oldest Christmas market in Lincoln was also canceled because it became too popular.
Lincoln’s Christmas market began in 1982 with only 11 stalls selling handmade gifts, but it has grown massively and had been attracting 300,000 people each year.
But after attracting 320,000 people last year, local councillors decided to scrap the event as it’s now too popular and has become a risk to public safety.
Council leaders said no amount of money could make the event safe and are now looking to reallocate money on other events.
The manager of the event was contacted for comment but didn’t respond by deadline.
TikTok/littlelondonflatAfter around 10,000 shoed up to the December 6 event, the carols were canceled[/caption]
TikTok/littlelondonflatOnline users on TikTok blamed TikTok for the overcrowding[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
