Annual Mistletoe Auction Proceeds Despite Flooding in Worcestershire Town

Despite recent flooding in a Worcestershire town, its traditional annual holly and mistletoe auction proceeded as planned. Tenbury Wells, recognized as the “mistletoe capital,” has hosted this event for over 150 years, attracting attendees from across the nation. Local estate agent Nick Champion organizes the sale, which took place on Tuesday at the nearby Burford House Garden Centre. Mr. Champion stated, “We get florists, farm shops, market traders, private individuals, all sorts really.” The town experienced significant flooding on Sunday when the Kyre Brook overflowed, leading to a wall collapse and inundating a large portion of the town centre. This event had a substantial effect on local businesses and also impacted the auction, even though the specific venue remained dry. Speaking to BBC Hereford and Worcester, Mr. Champion explained the consequences: “It has reduced the amount of stock that we have got to sell.” He further noted, “People haven’t been able to get here.” He elaborated on the inventory, stating, “We’ve got a lot of holly wreaths, and about half the quantity of mistletoe and holly that we normally would have.” Additionally, he mentioned that the holly season itself had been unfavorable. “It’s been a very bad cold and wet spring, and bees weren’t pollinating the holly like they used to,” he remarked. In contrast, he observed, “Mistletoe seems to have done better, it seems to be quite good quality.” Beyond holly and mistletoe, the sale also features Christmas trees and wreaths. The auction was historically held at the town’s cattle market for over a century. However, its future was jeopardized when the site was sold for development in 2004. Mr. Champion ensured the continuation of the sale by relocating it across the border to Herefordshire for a period of four years. Subsequently, the Tenbury English Mistletoe Enterprise (TEME) was established with the aim of restoring Tenbury’s long-standing position as the UK’s primary mistletoe-trading hub.