German Market & Christmas Fair
Open Until Monday 23rd December
Remember, you don't need tickets to visit the German Market and entry is FREE!
Normal Opening Times
Monday – Saturday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday 10:00am – 4:00pm
Late Nights
On our Late Nights, both the garden centre and the German Market will be open until 9:00pm on the dates below!
November 2024
Wednesday 20th November - 9:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday 21st November - 9:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 27th November - 9:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday 28th November - 9:00am - 9:00pm
December 2024
Wednesday 4th December - 9:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday 5th December - 9:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 11th December - 9:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday 12th December - 9:00am - 9:00pm
Live Music Weekend - Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th December
Featuring performances from D'Ukes and Wendy Martin from 12pm, authentic German food, German Beer and more.
FREE ENTRY, no ticket required
Saturday 14th December - D'ukes
Sunday 15th December - Wendy Martin
Live Music from 12pm all weekend long!
Find Us
The German Market was established in 2015, with a handful of stalls displaying carefully selected authentic produce. Born from an idea to do something ‘different’ at Christmas, the first German Market evening and indeed the market itself was a huge success and has been growing ever since. We’re now going into our 10th year and we promise it to be bigger and better than ever before.
Inspired by traditional German Markets, you will be captivated by the sights, sounds and smells of the market, with irresistible seasonal treats and unique yuletide gifts and decorations.
The German Market hosts more than 30 stalls each handcrafted by owner Roland Smith. Every stall is adorned with handpicked, high-quality artisan products including carved wooden decorations, delicate glassware and baubles, traditional cuckoo clocks, scandinavian gonks and much more.
Each year, we go out to Germany to find new crafts and suppliers and many of the products on our stalls are hand-produced by local craftsmen, whom we’ve met personally. We once visited a town in the Erzgebirge region called Seiffen. It’s a tiny town where Christmas isn’t a one-day affair but carries on all year! All of the craftsmen we met, work in garden workshops handed down from generation to generation. It’s amazing to watch the tiny handmade pieces come together to make something like a Christmas Pyramid or a tiny wooden smoker and the craftsmanship and detail is astounding.
Festive visitors can wander amongst the many festive chalet style stalls, soak up the festive atmosphere and get in the mood for the holiday season whilst the smells of Bratwurst, Gingerbread and Glühwein waft through.
At the heart of the German Market, we serve lots of mouth-watering, specialist German foods such as Frankfurter, Sauerkraut, Waffles, Apple Strudel & the incredibly popular Schokokusse (chocolate kisses) which the whole family can enjoy. We also serve German bottled beers, our delicious homemade spiced apple drink and of course, Glühwein.
The Christmas Market is free to attend and is open 7 days a week during our opening hours. No tickets are needed to visit during these times.
Join us this year to enjoy the traditional German Market experience and browse the many yuletide gifts and decorations.
Follow our event on social media #germanmarketessex
Bavarian Curling
Bring your friends and family along to play one of the oldest winter sports.
A great way to kick off the festive season.
£10 per game
(Max 8 people per lane, we recommend 4 people per lane)
To read to rules, click here
The German Market is free to attend and is open 7 days a week during our opening hours which can be found at the top of our website.
Hot food is served in the German Market and you can enjoy freshly-made belgian waffles, bratwurst, kaesewurst and sauerkraut.
Food Hut Opening Times
Brat Cave
Monday - Saturday: 9:30am - 4:45pm
Sundays: 10:00am - 3:45pm
Sweet Hut
Monday - Saturday: 9:30am - 4:45pm
Sundays: 10:00am - 3:45pm
We also have a dedicated confectionary stall where you can enjoy a huge range of our now famously popular schokokusse, or 'chocolate kisses'. Every year there are more new flavours to choose from.
We also serve German bottled beers, our delicious homemade spiced apple drink and of course, gluhwein!
Follow our event on social media for live updates about the German Market or search #germanmarketessex
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ To help you enjoy our market, here are some frequently asked questions. Please note we do not allow any dogs into the garden centre except assistance dogs.
Is it free entry? Yes, it is free to attend and is open 7 days a week during our opening hours. No tickets are needed to visit the german market.
What are the German Market opening times?
The German market opening times are:
Monday – Saturday: 9am – 5:00pm
Sunday 10am – 4pm.
The food huts in the German Market have different opening times - see below:
Brat Cave
Monday - Saturday: 9:30am - 4:45pm
Sundays: 10:00am - 3:45pm
Sweet Food Hut
Monday - Saturday: 9:30am - 4:45pm
Sundays: 10:00am - 3:45pm
Where are you located? We are in Battlesbridge. Please use out postcode in your satnav/mobile to locate us SS11 7QU.
Do you have car parking? Yes, we have a free car park for all of our customers.
Is the market undercover? Yes, the German market is held in our main greenhouse as you enter the Garden Centre. There is also the rest of the Garden Centre to enjoy including our beautiful Christmas department, fresh Christmas trees, our on-site restaurant Meadow Croft Kitchen, and a mini-golf course too!
Do I need a ticket to visit during the week or at weekends? No, you do not need a ticket to visit the German Market.
Do you accept card payments? Yes, card payments are preferred.
Can I bring my dog? We only accept assistance dogs into the Garden Centre. You can read more about our Dog Policy here.
Are you wheelchair friendly? Yes, we have ramps at the entrance and exit of the garden centre. The garden centre is easily accessible throughout. We have a disabled toilet available to the left of the restaurant Meadow Croft Kitchen. Wheelchairs are also available for use, however these are subject to availability and we do also have limited disabled parking bays. During weekend visits, if one is not available, please let one of our parking attendants know and they will do their best to accommodate you.
Where are you based? We are in Battlesbridge, but not near the Antique Centre. Please use our postcode in your satnav to locate us SS11 7QU. We are located on the same road as Call of the Wild Zoological Park, formally known as Tropical Wings - Woodham Road, which is located just off the Rettendon Turnpike.
Do you have car parking? Yes, we do.
Are you wheelchair friendly? Yes, we are and we do also have a limited number of disabled bays. During weekend visits, if one is not available, please let one of our parking attendants know and they will do their best to accommodate you.
Do you accept minibus & coach bookings? During the German market, we can accept minibus and coach parties Monday – Friday, but we are unable to accept parties of this nature on weekends. To enjoy the market at it’s best, we advise visit lengths between 2-3 hours maximum. Please contact us a minimum of 48 hours before your arrival so we can ensure the best service possible, please email [email protected]
How the Meadow Croft German Market Began
The German Market was established in 2015 with a handful of stalls displaying carefully selected authentic produce. Born from an idea to do something 'different' at Christmas, the first German Market evening and indeed the market itself was a huge success and has been growing ever since. Now with more than 25 stalls and running throughout November and December, the German Market is a great way to while away an afternoon with a warm gluhwein, whilst leisurely browsing the stalls.
Every year we go out to Germany to find new crafts and suppliers and many of the products on our stalls are hand-produced by local craftsmen, whom we’ve met personally. We visited a town in the Erzgebirge region this year called Seiffen…..a tiny town where Christmas isn’t a one-day affair but carries on all year! All of the craftsmen we met work in garden workshops handed down from generation to generation. It’s amazing to watch the tiny handmade pieces come together to make something like a Christmas Pyramid or a tiny wooden smoker and the craftsmanship and detail are amazing.