12th December 2023 Columbia Road Carols Update 

Columbia Road Carols has been growing as an outdoor act of worship for the last 10 years. This has been in partnership with the magical late night opening held by Columbia Road traders in the four Wednesdays of Advent.

The decision to cancel the last two ‘Columbia Road Carols’ was made together with Columbia Road Traders Association and Tower Hamlets Council. We have been heartened by the warmth and support of our neighbours, who have cherished this local tradition. It has been tremendous fun and brought joy.

We have seen that good news cannot be contained. Good news travels. We celebrate that social media conveyed good news: a community infused with joy and a gig worth going to. As the carols say: “glory in the highest!”

We remain clear that the decision to stop the carols this year, however sad to have to make, was wise. Now it is time to open a new chapter. Churches up and down the country are being inspired through #FollowTheStar ‘Join the Song’. The Columbia Road carols show one way that churches may partner with local musicians and traders to celebrate Christmas with our best loved carols.

Some have chosen to debate the impact of ‘TikTok Tourism’ this week. To the TikTok community we say thank you for sharing good news. If the draw for you was to join in with something bigger than yourself, or to discover the power and joy of Christmas, then keep seeking the Christ in our carols.

7th December 2023 Columbia Road Carols Cancelled

With regret we formally announce that carols will not be taking place on Wednesday 13th and 20th December on Columbia Road this year. The crowds of over 7,000 present last week were of such volume on the road that there was a danger to public safety. We are grateful to God and to those working at the event that there were no serious injuries.

Columbia Road carols has been a great partnership between the shopkeepers on the road, the local community and the parish church. As the church we cherish these relationships. This decision is in support of our community which had became dangerously overrun. Furthermore, this decision is on the strong advice of the police and local authority. We sincerely hope that the shops will now be able to remain open on Wednesday evenings.

We will be celebrating Christmas, as will very many churches across London. To those who were planning to come to Columbia Road to shop, we hope you will return to do that. For those who are coming for carols alone please go local. Find what’s on at your local church. There will be carol events, services and celebrations of all sorts in the rest of December. Go to AChurchNearYou.com or follow the thread through #FollowTheStar

The Rev’d Heather Atkinson, Vicar

Andrew Rixon and Maria Wyard, Church Wardens

St Peter’s Bethnal Green

@stpetersbethnal