Looking forward to the festivities at Royal William Yard

The countdown to Christmas is on, and plenty is planned at Royal William Yard throughout the winter to make it a memorable occasion. There will be bustling Christmas markets under the stars with tempting treats aplenty; gifts galore from the South West’s best artisans and makers; festive tunes from a Barbershop Choir; and an abundance of places to eat, drink and be merry.

The Christmas Good Food and Craft Markets open with a bumper offering on the first Sunday in December, with over 70 stalls offering festive wares and unique gifts. Amongst these will be flowers from Sunday Bunch, handcrafted accessories from Terra Jewellery and Southway Silver, vegan skincare from Soap and Pamper, tipples from Barbican Botanics, tasty treats from Devon Fudge, Chunky Cookie Company, and Heyl Bakery, and much, much more.

Dates for your diary:

• For those looking to start their Christmas shopping sooner rather than later, the November Good Food and Craft Market will take place on Sunday 6 November, 10am-3pm and Native Makers will run a weekend market with a festive feel on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 November in Ocean Studios.
• Le Vignoble is hosting its Mega Christmas Wine Tasting on Thursday 24 November. This popular annual event provides the opportunity to sample over 100 different wines. Tickets can be booked at www.levignoble.co.uk  
• Christmas Good Food and Craft Markets will run throughout December on Sundays and Wednesday evenings. Add Sunday 4, 11 and 18 December, 10am-3pm to your calendar, and Wednesday 7, 14 and 21, 5-9pm, for a spot of late night shopping. These will take place in the iconic Melville building at the centre of Royal William Yard, both indoors and in its courtyard.
• On Sunday 11 and Wednesday 14 December, the Yard will come alive with the sound of a Barbershop Choir, performing festive favourites and bringing Christmas cheer.
• Children’s Christmas craft activities will run during the Sunday markets, offering fun for all the family, for free.
• As an extra special Christmas treat, there will be a Christmas hamper giveaway, featuring a selection of over 25 treats from Good Food and Craft Market traders. The hamper giveaway will open on 4 December and close on 18 December.
• Native Markers December market will take place on Saturday 10 December in Ocean Studios, offering unique gifts, mulled wine, live music, and kids crafts.

There are many other opportunities to shop at the Yard, with talented independent business offering a range of one-of-a-kind gifts, including hand-picked clothes and accessories at boutique, Identity Fashion; award-winning handmade chocolates from Domea Favour; luxury haircare sets from YOKE the Salon; locally made gifts in Ocean Studios ground floor shop; and gift vouchers available right across the Yard.

“The atmosphere at Christmas is always special here, and this year there is no shortage of opportunities to shop, indulge or celebrate with our packed programme of events. Looking the part too, we will have a Christmas tree on the green and illuminations throughout the Yard – this will be the place to be to feel festive,” says Hailey Cattle, Regional Marketing Manager for Urban Splash.

Find out more at www.royalwilliamyard.com and stay up to date with all festive goings-on by following @royalwilliamyd on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Plymouth is easily accessible by train with a wide range of services running from a variety of locations within England. Although some services may require a change or two.

Travelling from London takes around 3 hours with Great Western Railway, if you're coming from the north, the trip from Manchester can take 5 hours 15 minutes. 

Alternatively, the recently renovated Night Riviera Sleeper service runs Monday – Friday and Sunday evenings. Visit gwr.com/sleeper for more details on times and how to book.

We recommend using GWR.com to search for the fastest and best route for your journey, and book in advance for the best price.