To think that most christmas markets are having us over

Ours is actually putting us off visiting our city centre. It's so cramped around the wooden sheds, burnt food and oil smell in the air. It makes trying to get to the actual shops unpleasant.

No would not buy from them anymore they are way too expensive, but they do have heavy overheads to pay, the permits for some cities is ridiculous but still it’s totally not worth it for what u get, I doubt any city Christmas market these days is really worth it.

My local one last year was so bad it made the news

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr56r5m0evno

It really was that bad. Not even worth a walk there if you were local.

Bloody link didn't post. https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/mumsnet_classics/4091892-To-try-and-recreate-a-Christmas-market-in-my-back-garden

YANBU OP but you have also reminded me of one of my favourite MN threads that gave me rare laugh in the dark days of the COVID lockdown Christmas.

£30 to park??😱

We used to go to Chatsworth every year, now you have to pre-book parking at £25 midweek we’re not going to bother. £15 pre-booked and no refund if you can’t go was bad enough, £25 is taking the piss.

But do not go at a weekend!! I saw a SM post that had been picked up by newspapers showing Bath Markets being rammed, and the originator said ‘I went early afternoon on Sunday thinking it would be quieter’. On what planet would a Christmas market be quiet on a weekend afternoon?! I went at 10am on Friday and had no issues meandering around looking at the stalls.

Not unreasonable at all, I've made an active decision to avoid at all costs. I like the idea but ultimately it's a pile of shit and rip off

My ex- husband used to term Christmas markets as ‘shit in sheds’

They are all a massive con.

They pay an absolute fortune to be there, really gone up.
They put up prices to try make it back.
As usual councils bleeding us small businesses dry and destroying the high street

Ours is the annual bore as far as I'm concerned. When its on they dont shut up about it in the local rag.
They even have a live reporter.

Some of the local shops hate it as its affects their business.

We went to our local one last week - Chatsworth - currently being hyped on tik tok as the best one out there. £30 to park (free if you want to risk it in a local car park and walk a couple of miles plus). Nice but overpriced. Stalls selling similar things. Hot dog costing £11 plus.

I will go next year but only because I saw a bus that runs from almost outside my house to drop off at Chatsworths door! Definitely wouldnt pay for it again

No you're not wrong. I like the feel of them though so I tend to buy 1 hot drink, have a meander around them looking at the stalls and then go somewhere else for dinner out.

Ours is meant to be a german market. It even has a greek food stall this year 🤣🤣🤣🤣 very german lol. Ours doesn't even have knick knacks anymore, so it's pretty shit.

And everytime I go it rains 😭

the Bath market comments sounded encouraging, but I see it only goes until next weekend. Are there any others anyone would recommend that go until Christmas?

The wet weather here doesn't help, not very atmospheric.

But Winchester is a good one - they don't sell tat and if you avoid the weekends it's not too busy.

Their rents are ridiculous though, I feel for the stallholders.

Shit in a Shed.

I went with DD and 3 v young DGC on the train to Birmingham Christmas market a couple of years ago and I'm still traumatised. Thought a train journey would add to the fun. That was our first mistake. It was absolutely heaving, stalls full of overpriced tat and paid £18 for a hot chocolate (£10 returnable deposit for the mug!) which i queued about 45 min for. Then it started to piss down with rain and the train home was cancelled

Never, ever again

I visit a craft fair near us every year. It is in a small village hall, and yes, there is always a plethora of scented candles, random smelly lotions, wooden whatnots, silver earrings and a huge quanttity of crocheted tree ornaments & bobble hats, but there is also a stall run by a woman who makes the most amazing chutneys. I go just for that.

I'm in Lincoln. The Xmas market used to be amazing, but the council made a loss every year, so they've binned off now.

I think these things have had their day. We can all see we are being ripped off and it ruins the Xmas vibe.

I'd love a Christmas market where you could wander and buy unique gifts for people.

In reality they all seem to be stalls selling Temu style tat and fast food to eat now, like German sausages and things on sticks.

Been to Stratford Xmas market today and it was rammed, could barely get to the stalls and then when we did it was either extortionately priced or the same stuff on multiple stalls.

Yes, toot and tat from China, tied up in Christmas wrapping and food costing more than a weekly shop!

Birmingham Christmas market feels like it’s exactly the same from one year to the next . Same stalls in the exact same positions selling the same shit . The same min events right in the middle of, the same position for the big wheel and the ice rink . Nothing ever changes . It needs to be given a massive shake up coz along with the recent security risks of being in the city ,it doesn’t seem to be the same anymore yet it’s the exact same in every other sense: