A woman who visited the Christmas Markets in Manchester was left shocked at the price of food and drink. Writer Danielle was looking forward to visiting this year and getting into the festive spirit.
On arrival, she noticed the stalls, which are located in the city centre, were starting to become busy - as friends and family gathered for an evening of fun. Danielle wanted to try the viral Yorkshire pudding wrap, which has been doing the rounds on TikTok and Instagram.
But the queue was too long and she decided to give it a miss. Instead, she headed for the 'Porky Pig' stall, which was less busy and it took her around 15 minutes to get to the front of the queue and place an order.
Danielle said: "While we waited, I looked at the menu, and was shocked to see that it had no prices. I'd seen people joking on social media that they'd have to "take a loan out" before visiting, so I was nervous.
"As we rounded the corner, I noticed that there was a price list, and I was seriously shocked. Of course, I, like every other Brit, had realised the cost of literally everything had gone up, but I didn't remember the markets being quite so expensive."
Writing for The Mirror, Danielle continued: "I'd decided to opt for a giant carvery box, and my partner and I were going to share some battered pigs in blankets. He decided to go for the 'special' Yorkshire pudding wrap which contained three meats - and it cost £9.
"I thought the giant carvery box would be a little easier to eat, and it contained 'a giant Yorkshire pudding stuffed with a choice of the meat of the day, vegetables, scalloped potatoes or mash, stuffing, and a helping of gravy or cheese sauce.'
"I opted for pork, scalloped potatoes, and gravy. It was £12, and the pigs in blankets, which had three in the box, were £8.50. I wouldn't usually eat such a meat-heavy meal, but oh well, it is (almost!) Christmas."
She enjoyed her order and said the toppings were the best bit because the Yorkshire pudding was soggy. After finishing their meal the couple headed down to St Ann's Square for a drink.
"I was baffled - £9.50 for a hot chocolate? And the staff member didn't mention the mug deposit scheme to me. I did end up bagging the mug as a memento of the lovely evening, but if you had no idea, I'd feel a bit duped that I'd not been told you could get £3.50 change," she explained.
To conclude, she wrote: "Quickly checking my bank details, my jaw dropped that I'd purchased just a main meal, a side, and a drink - and it had come to exactly £30. The Christmas Markets are definitely somewhere you'd come as a treat, rather than regularly visiting over the festive season, and it would be eye-wateringly expensive if you had a larger family.
The atmosphere was lovelier than ever, however, and it felt really relaxed, even though it was busy - but it'll only get busier as time goes on if it's like every other year. . . While the Manchester Christmas Markets are expensive, I left with a huge smile on my face, and if I could bottle the Christmassy way they make me feel and save it for when I'm feeling down,
"I definitely would. I'd say they're well worth a visit, even if you go just once and grab something smaller and cheaper than I did."
Here's a price list for some of the places at Manchester Christmas Markets according to the Manchester Evening News:
The Windmill (Piccadilly Gardens)
Krombacher lager £6.50, Yon Lager £6, black beer £6, wheat beer £6.50, Sheppy's cider £5.50, mulled wine £5.50, hot chocolate £3.50, hot chocolate with a shot £5.50.
Dock 53 (Piccadilly Gardens)
Mulled gin £6.50, mulled cider £6, boozy hot chocolate £6, draught lagers from £5.40 to £5.70 for pints, Christmas co*cktails £11, prosecco £5.20.
Oi Dumplings (Piccadilly Gardens)
Dumpling bowls £8 regular, £12 large, peanut loaded fries £8.50, plain fries £5, chocolate dumplings £8
Macaroons and Melted Chocolate (Market Street)
Loaded hot chocolate from £4.50, coffee and tea from £3.50
Macaroons £2 each or 3 for £5
Witch House (New Cathedral Street)
German Bratwurst £7.50, smoked sausage £7.50, cheese sausage £7.50, beef chilli frankfurter £7.50, Berlin Curry Wurst £8, hot punch with alcohol £6, non-alcoholic punch £2.50, German coffee £2 - £4 with rum, hot chocolate with cream £4.50 - £6 with alcohol, Gluhein £6, German lager £6 a pint, Bavarian Mass (one litre of German beer) £12, sparkling wine £6, white and red wine £5.50, soft drinks £2
Porky Pig (Exchange Square)
Yorkshire pudding wrap, jumbo piggy wrap and veggie Yorkshire pudding wrap all £8.50, special Yorkshire pudding wrap £9, hog roast and carvery meat bam £7, baguette £8, special three meat baguette £8, giant carvery box £12, gluten free carvery box £9, vegan box £9, meat tatty's £9, Christmas crackers: battered pigs in blankets £8.50, scalloped potatoes £7 and dippy pots £2
Warm Up at the Winter Bar (Cathedral Gardens)
Liqueur coffee £6: Irish coffee, calypso coffee, Italian coffee, French coffee, navy coffee, Seville coffee. Christmas co*cktails £9: The Grinch, drumstick, Parma violet, caramel eggnog, winter snowflake, cranberry Kringle. Bailey's hot chocolate (with brandy or amaretto) £6, Hot drinks £3.50: Latte, Cappuccino, americano, hot chocolate, mocha, espresso, macchiato, tea. Gin and tonic £6.50, Sparkling Prosecco £6.50
