Local Xmas Market

[nailit]

Does your town/city host a Xmas market?
My home town of Stoke has, what is laughably called, a Xmas market (described as a Winterfest).
It consists of a tiny Ice rink with a few fairground rides, and half a dozen huts selling tat.

Went to Birmingham Xmas market yesterday. Now *THAT* is what you call a market. Couldn't move for people. The revenue and trade that must bring in to the city must be in the hundreds of thousands, if not more.

Just curious about where you live and does your town/city host anything similar?
Thanks.

[Nical]

Nailit, some of those big markets aren't great - lots of stalls selling the same things, lots of stalls selling overpriced food and overpriced Gluhwein.

[nailit]

Nical
//Nailit, some of those big markets aren't great - lots of stalls selling the same things//
Agreed...never seen so many Bratwurst stalls!
But it was about the atmosphere as well as much as the £££'s been spent.

[Bobbisox1]

Yes Newcastle has one complete with carousel, slide, foreign food smells everywhere,it’s fabulous

[Prudie]

Well sort of, ours does a 'Cracker' night but it's just the one evening with late shopping and lots of stalls and Christmassy events. It's more for the atmosphere than anything - the problem is parking is a nightmare, trains are one an hour and run by South Western (currently striking) and buses no better consequently I give it a wide berth.

[Nical]

I think the atmosphere is only great for tourists and visitors - the people, natives. tire pretty quickly. An Edinburgh paper road-tested a family trip to the Christmas market and rides - it ended up costing something like £300!

[Captain2]

I agree with Nical. Manchester Christmas market is all about 'foreign' food and alcohol with hardly any craft or seasonal goods anymore.

It also costs, I believe, from £6500 to stand for the 19 days which is pretty extortionate - especially if you get attacked by a machete wielding gang as happened, I'm informed, on Friday.

Think I'll give it a miss this year.

[-SharonA-]

There are many in London and my fave is the South bank Xmas market.
There is also one near Brick Lane which is good.

[Rockrose]

Lurve Belfast’s one great value for money to on the food stands

[nailit]

//I think the atmosphere is only great for tourists and visitors//
And whats so bad about that?
It brings in revenue for your city and traders.

[Nical]

I'd love a market with local crafts and local reasonably-priced food and drinks. What we've had for the last five years are these stalls - 10 x wooden tree decorations, 10 x glass tea-light holders, 10 x Norwegian (or some sort of Scandinavian) woollen hats, 10 x tacky jewellery...

[Nical]

Nailit, every city should be making sure its own residents have access to decent things. Yes, the city council (or whoever) makes money from the rents, but very few, if any, of the traders are locals. PS The revenue generated seems to … evaporate somehow, locals have never felt they've benefitted.

[Mamyalynne]

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/18025326.five-best-christmas-markets-fairs-around-bolton/

https://www.boltonwinterfestival.com/


Seems to attract a lot of people.

[nailit]

Nical, yes, I totally get what you are saying.
However in Birmingham yesterday the crowds were flocking to the LOCAL traders as well as the market traders.
All the local coffee houses were full, the pubs were full, shops were full. It bought in people from other cities (me and my mate for one) who purchased from LOCAL traders...I didn't buy anything from the market (apart from a Bratwurst)

[pastafreak]

We've got a market here in Plymouth. It's a bit...thin looking...this year. Not so many traders. Many have been here before. The usual hog roast, some cheese, booze and chocolate stalls, plus a lot of tat. Back a number of years ago, the crafts were much better. It all looks like it's been made in China now.

[Nical]

Thanks, Mamya. I like the sound of the 'Handmade Christmas Market' and the 'Festive Farmers Market'.

[Bobbisox1]

The one big NO-NO was me asking how much the cones of marshmallows were?
£3 I was told, I went to B&Ms and got them for 39p a bag

[zebo]

Mamya, looks like the Cuuncil's pushed the boat out since I left! The only one I've been to is the one in Manchester, years ago, probably one of the first years it was on, it was very good, they had the slices of pineapple coated with chocolate, bliss, you can keep your Bratwuerst! We keep saying we must go to Lincoln but as the park and ride is half way to Hull we've never done it but it's supposed to be wonderful.

[nailit]

Bobbi,
think that most of my xmas shopping was done in B&M :-)

[Bobbisox1]

Nothing wrong with that Nailit , I like B&Ms

[ummmm]

I've been to the Birmingham market a few times. Northampton's one was rubbish although they did sell Bailey's coated nuts. They were very nice.