Amid the festive cheer of Christmas markets across the UK, disgruntled shoppers and financially strained families are voicing concerns about being “ripped off.” Complaints have emerged about steep prices, such as a £70 family ice skating ticket and an £11.50 cup of glühwein.

These markets, now a staple of winter festivities in many British towns and cities, are traditionally celebrated for their holiday spirit. However, as household budgets become tighter, more shoppers feel they are being unfairly targeted by vendors.

To investigate these claims, the Daily Mail visited several of the largest markets in the country to assess the pricing firsthand.

For each market, we estimated the cost for a family of four who each enjoy a drink, share two food items, and purchase one gift during their outing. The findings shed light on the financial commitment required for what should be a joyful seasonal experience.

For each market we have provided an estimate of what a family-of-four could expect to spend if they each had one drink, shared two pieces of food between them and bought one gift during their visit. 

Manchester 

Highlights: 270 stalls and reasonably priced beer and festive wine

Lowlights:  Attractions can be expensive with one go on the ice rink setting families back £17.50 EACH 

Biggest ‘rip-off’:  Strawberry waffle cone with chocolate – £9.50

Estimated spend: £54.50 (£20 drinks + £22.50 food+ £12 gift)

Manchester is one of the one of the country’s biggest Christmas markets with more than 270 stalls spread across ten sites in the city centre.

And, indeed, many of the festive punters we spoke to said it was a ‘rip-off’, but most insisted they still enjoyed it.

There is a Ferris wheel and helter-skelter along with other rides by the Town Hall, but they are a little on the pricey side. 

The wheel costs £8 a ride for adults, £6 for children or £24 for a family of four.

The helter-skelter costs £4 a go, while tickets for the skating rink start at £17.50 for adults and £13.75 for children on ‘off peak’ rates.

On the culinary side, one Yorkshire pudding wrap the Mail sampled was priced at £11 with additional Mac’N’Cheese going for £8.50 a pot. 

We also saw a strawberry waffle cone with chocolate being flogged for £9.50.

Pints of beer generally started at £6.50 while a mug of mulled wine costs £5.50.

However, many shoppers we stopped were stunned at the cost of much of the food and drink on offer.

There were queues of up to 20 deep at the WaffleKart stand on Thursday afternoon. Chicken and waffles cost £13.95 while chicken loaded waffle fries were £11.50.

Businesswoman Sarah Smyth, 42, said: ‘It’s very popular as it’s so tasty.

‘But it’s not the cheapest… but worth it as a treat.

‘I love coming to the markets as the atmosphere is a really happy and gets you in the mood for Christmas, but you do have to watch the pennies.

‘You could end up spending a fortune especially if you’ve had a few drinks.’

Retired photographer Steve Moss, 66, who had just enjoyed a £8 bratwurst sausage said: ‘I used to come a lot more, but it’s now become a bit of a rip-off.

‘There’s just very expensive stuff which you don’t need.

‘People will go through a lot of money here, but I guess it’s become a tradition for people.

‘I think the big Ferris wheel ride is a good addition and it looks great by the town hall.’

Mother-of-two Emma Jones, 35, who was visiting with her husband, said: ‘We’ve managed to spend about £50 in a few hours on a few drinks and some food.

‘It’s really expensive but we enjoy coming and it gets you in the Christmas spirit.

‘You know it’s pricey but you know what you’ve let yourself in for when you arrive.

‘I think you’ get a big shock if you didn’t know. It’s festival prices really – I think it’s best not to go too mad but enjoy yourself having a wander round and look at all the lights and Christmas stuff.’

IT worker Richard Crawley, 59, and his wife had spent £46 on two bratwursts, beer and prosecco.

He said: ‘You feel like you have to take a second mortgage just to come here but it is a good laugh.

‘It looks great and it’s a nice day out for me and the missus.

‘We really look forward to it every year and it wouldn’t be the same without it.

‘It is a complete rip-off but you expect to pay a lot for things these days.’

Winter Wonderland 

Highlights: Winter Wonderland undoubtedly has the best rides and assortment of attractions in the country

Lowlights: The long winding maze of aisles, overcrowding, lines for everything and general manic ambience can be jarring

Biggest ‘rip-off’: Hot chocolate – £11

Estimated spend: £64.50 (£24 drinks + £25.50 food+ £15 gift)

Winter Wonderland, situated in the middle of London’s Hyde Park is a dizzying maze of neon lights, high-octane rides, boutique stalls and frankly jaw dropping prices – including a £5 entrance fee. 

When the Daily Mail visited the popular attraction this week, we found stalls selling pints of beer for £8 with festive mulled wine ranging from £6.50 to £9 – depending on what you added in on top. 

And it’s not cheap for the children either, with one stall even flogging a single hot chocolate for £11. 

Christmas markets often get a reputation for craft stalls selling ‘overpriced tat’ rather than artisan gifts.

Traders have been accused of trying to make a quick buck on mass market goods imported from overseas – the kind that you might find on budget online retail sites such as Temu or Shein – by selling them to Christmas shoppers with a huge mark-up. 

At Winter Wonderland, one white faux fur coat on offer at the market costs £150. Yet, savvy customers could wait and buy the jacket online at Boohoo for just £85.20 in the sale.

Elsewhere, one stall sells fun, moving hats of unicorns, pandas and even Pokémon’s Pikachu for £20.

But a quick search online reveals that they can be purchased elsewhere, on Temu, SHEIN and eBay for between £4.77 and £9.99.

Then there’s the festive coasters – costing £12 for one, £19 for two or £27 for three – at one of the Winter Wonderland stalls.

On Amazon, customers can purchase a beginner set to create their own for a fraction of the price. Six ready-to-make coasters cost £7.69.

Due to the sky high prices many people at the market said they were mostly there to look around. 

One couple, who flew in from Dubai just for the market, told the Daily Mail they had spent more than £30 winning two plush toys at one of the stalls – which can charge as much as £3 for one shot. 

The couple, who chose to hide their faces behind their toys, said they were shocked by the prices but had been lured in by the engaging attendants. 

The man said: ‘It is really silly to be honest with you, but I get really competitive. It just seems to be set up to make you spend loads here.’ 

His partner said: ‘It’s not worth £30 and we’re going to have to take them back home with us.’ 

Others had more luck at the fair and were more positive of the market on a whole. 

One young family from Essex told the Daily Mail the market was part of their Christmas tradition and that it was aimed at children like their son, four. 

They explained: ‘People complain about the prices but they haven’t come in the right spirit. Things are pricey but you need to plan for it. 

‘We come every year as he loves it. It is perfect for him and he always has a great time. We normally budget about £300-£400 for it all in all, it’s for him. 

‘If you treat this like a theme park, you won’t complain.’ 

Winchester 

Highlights: A pretty festive setting and atmosphere in the shadow of the cathedral

Lowlights:  Attractions, food and gifts on sale can be expensive and shoppers have reported overcrowding

Biggest ‘rip-off’:  Mulled wine – £11.50 per cup

Estimated spend:  £58.50 (£25 drinks + £18.50 food + £15 gift) 

At a packed Winchester Christmas market in Hampshire on Friday, shoppers struggled to get into the Christmas spirit as they lashed out at extortionate prices and heaving crowds.

With mulled wine costing an eye-watering £11.50 per cup and a punnet of roasted chestnuts coming in at £8.50 – they could be forgiven.

Pals Dawn, Anna and Veronica said they were heading back to Bournemouth after struggling to comprehend the prices and getting overwhelmed by the number of people crammed into the event.

In what they described as a ‘crazily dear day’ they said they hadn’t bought a single Christmas present thanks to the sky high prices and couldn’t wait to get home.

Dawn fumed: ‘It’s so expensive, £11.50 a cup for a mulled wine is silly money.

‘We haven’t bought anything and we are not going to. We were going to have a mooch but it doesn’t look like we can, it’s so crowded you can’t even see anything.

‘It’s very difficult to get to the stalls, it’s heaving. A filter system might be an idea. We are definitely leaving earlier than I thought we would do, but it’s the crowds that’s done it and the busloads of pensioners are partly to blame – there’s too many.’

Veronica echoed the sentiment, saying she hadn’t been able to buy anything thanks to the estimated 2,000 people wedged into Winchester Cathedral Close.

She said: ‘You can’t get near the stalls because there are so many people. It’s all so dear as well!’

Winchester Christmas Market has run annually since 2006 and attracts more than 110,000 visitors each year.

It is widely considered one of the best in the UK and Europe and regularly makes Time Out Magazine’s Top 10 best festive markets in the UK.

This year, visitors can choose from 121 chalets selling everything from luxury silver goods to bespoke leather gifts and even pet portraits.

A range of German-style food is also available, with Bratwurst, sauerkraut and Glühwein, aka mulled wine, on offer.

But whetting your appetite in the historic capital of England comes at a hefty price, with one stall selling a German sausage and baguette for £10 – with soft drinks at the market selling for £4 a can.

Incredibly, if mum and dad both want a pint of applejack cider –  it’ll cost a whopping £17 for the round. 

Callum Ryan from Bournemouth had decided to treat his partner Milly Owen,  to a day at the market.

He said that while the crowds are to be expected he struggled to hand over £8.50 for a tiny tray of loaded bacon and cheese fries.

Callum said: ‘The food prices are on the steep end, chips are like £8.50. I can understand it is an event but still!

‘If you go to Silverstone, I know it’s a different style of event, but you can get an actual burger there for £9, at least that’s more of a meal, compare that to here with chips at £8.50. It’s just quite a lot.

‘It’s not been that bad with the crowds, we’ve been to all the stalls and stuff.

‘You can’t come to somewhere like this and expect it to be empty, if you’re coming down it’s going to be busy, that’s to be expected.’

Milly admitted the Bournemouth market is much quieter, but said the atmosphere in Winchester, in the shadows of the 932-year-old cathedral, was better.

The crowds are in part due to the coach loads of day trippers shipped in from across the south of England to spend the day at the market.

Among coach goers were friends Doreen Storr, Beattie Bussell and Elsie South, who had come up for the day from Leatherhead in Surrey.

Doreen said: ‘We have come for the day on a coach, there’s other coaches as well. It’s very good, a lovely atmosphere.

‘I’ve bought a scarf, pair of socks and a little glass candle holder, nice little Christmas presents. The prices are alright, it’s all very nice.’

Beattie added how the market had grown massively in recent years but it didn’t bother her too much.

She noted: ‘It’s not cheap but it’s nice and good quality stuff.’

At Artisan Stories, which sells handmade leather goods including belts and handbags, Noureddine Mouatassame said vendors turn a good trade at the market but it comes in a challenging economic climate with high prices for a pitch.

He said: ‘This is my second year. Compared to my last year it’s better so far.

‘Prices are a bit high, especially on the food, I understand that, but remember the rent is a bit expensive. Traders therefore need to do what they need to do but it’s ok, it’s still affordable.

‘Sales have been quite good. When it’s a nice day, it’s good. When it’s raining no one is here. A cover for the market would be a good idea.’

Several people told the Daily Mail that while prices were high, they had enjoyed simply being there to get into the Christmas spirit.

Two shoppers named James and Kai said they were prepared to pay £8 for a portion of churros.

James said: ‘Personally I don’t think the crowds are that bad. One year we had to queue but it comes with the territory. We paid £8 for churros.

‘Prices are to be expected from the area.’

Leeds

Highlights: A large variety of shops and stalls selling quintessential Christmas gifts

Lowlights:  Attractions are lacking for small children and the cost of feeding them is high

Biggest ‘rip-off’:  A box of ‘chocolate kisses’ – £18

Estimated spend: £65 (£26 drinks + £25 food +£13.99 gift) 

Situated in the heart of Yorkshire, you’d expect the Leeds Christmas Market to reflect the community: Cheerful amd warm-hearted. 

However, when the Daily Mail visited the ‘magical’ Christmas fair we found outraged shoppers drowning under the price of festive essentials, begrudgingly shelling out for everything from £12 candles to £15 hashbrowns. 

Bottles of mead was on sale from the Nidhoggr Mead Company at £34 a bottle or £27 for smaller bottles in gift sets.

Meanwhile, wooden plaques in animal designs, featuring owls, dogs, crocodiles, and other jungle animals, with the name of your child were on sale for £13.99.

One stall was selling elaborate spinning decorations at £15 plus another £15 for the optional ‘tail’.

The soy candle stall was selling a variety of candles for £13, £14 and £15 for a smaller heart with bigger ones at £21 and £22.

The hand-made fruit sculptures which featured in Newcastle market is also here, requiring oil treatment to keep them fresh after a while.

The plategrate.co,uk announced a sale of Turkish lamps in a price list going up to £30.

Chocolate were sitting in piles of ‘kisses’ and on sale for a pile of money – £2 each or three for £5.50. There were also gift boxes for £18.

A 330ml bottle of Caribbean mulled wine would set you back £9 – typical of the ‘winter warmers’ on sale at the Caribbean Christmas Bar.

Similar sized bottles of Mulled Sorrel with Hibiscus rum and Jingle Jangle Rum Punch were on sale for the same amount.

For those who prefer Hot by the Cup there was a similar list at only slightly less – with the alcoholic drinks going for £7.

Meanwhile, the food prices were eye watering.

One burger shack is offered a pulled pork fries for £10 or curried pork fries, Mexican fries, bacon cheese fries, or firecracker fries, spiced up with jalapeños, nacho cheese, and chilli flakes, for £8.

Over on the Kebab Boys stand, chicken, kofta, falafel and hummus kebab wrap will set you back £10, with a mixture of all three advertised at £15.

At Hash Brown Town, you faced paying £8.50 for six hash browns or £15 for 12, served with beans and cheese, maple syrup and bacon bites, fried stuffing, chicken and chorizo in a honey chilli sauce, and melted Brie bites with cranberry and bacon.

Foeyams authentic Gambian cuisine as one of the most expensive stalls in the market, offering dishes like curried goat for £15.

Nor did things get much sweeter on the desserts…

At the Dutch Pancake Bar, a plain pancake will set you back £6.50 with toppings and extra 50p each.

One stall offering coconut macaroons was handing out microscopic free samples to tempt buyers in parting with £2 per macaroon, or four for £6 or eight for £10.

The Festive Crumble Bar, offering a Taste of France, was charging £8 for its French influenced waffles and pancakes.

At Churros waffle shop, a Dubai special filled with pistachio topped the price list at £10 with other flavours such as chocolate and cream coming in at only slightly less, £9.

At the Savvy Baker, a box of eight brownies would set you back £23 with a box of 4 costing £15.

The Tiramisu cakes were going for £7.50 each or three for £20 and five for £30 while truffles were four for £6 and eight for £10.

The Mulled Wine and Hot Chocolate stand was handing out mulled wine at £5 for an eight ounce cup and £7 for 12 ounce.

Similar prices were available on Baileys Hot Chocolate while a Loaded Christmas Hot Chocolate could be had for £5.

One woman shopper, who asked not to be named, said: ‘The prices are a bit steep. I was not prepared for how much it was going to cost.

‘It is a lovely atmosphere, but maybe make it a bit more cost of living crisis friendly.’

Another female shopper added: ‘The prices are outrageous for a mum like me who is struggling to pay for presents.

‘When you think of how much it costs and times by four for an average family it makes you think.’

York

Highlights: A scenic and picturesque market on the cobbled streets of the historic city

Lowlights: So perturbed by the sky-high prices, many festive punters queued up for Greggs instead

Biggest ‘rip-off’:  A slice of chocolate cake that ‘went viral on TikTok’ – £8

Estimated spend: £50.50 (£20 drinks + £26.50 food + £4 gift)  

At York’s famed Christmas market, thrifty shoppers snubbed pricey food stalls by queuing outside Greggs for cut-price sausage rolls.

While festive vendors flogged £14 chicken and chips, £10 pies and £12.50 tubs of cheesy pasta, it was the high-street bakery yards away that appeared to pull in the biggest crowds, as canny visitors refused to swallow soaring costs.

Students were among those turning their backs on £5 hot chocolates in favour of Greggs’ £2.10 version.

Conner Oliver, 26, didn’t hold back, saying of York’s market: ‘It’s awful. The food is too expensive for what it is and there’s loads of tat.

‘I’d rather queue for a sausage roll at Greggs because the food prices are just ridiculous.’

Others admitted they had forked out eye-watering sums – and regretted it. Rosie McGregor paid £12.50 for a parmesan cheese wheel, essentially pasta twirled theatrically in a hollowed-out block of Grana Padano.

She said: ‘It was cool to watch them make it but there’s no way it was worth £12.50 – yet there was a queue down the street.

‘It’s really expensive and Greggs is just much cheaper, especially for students like us.’

Nicola Hutchinson from Leeds, revealed she spent just £11 at Greggs on pastries, sausage rolls, hot drinks and caramel shortbread – almost identical to the £10.99 her daughter Lily paid for a single raclette-covered hot dog after joining a 30-person queue.

Nicola said: ‘The kids wanted to get something from the food stalls but I went to Greggs, which was a lot cheaper.

‘I know it’s the Christmas market and everything is ramped up in price but I’m not prepared to be ripped-off.

‘Every year the prices inch up and you look at what you’re getting and it’s not really value-for-money.’

More than 75 chalets now pack out York’s Parliament Street, where shoulder-to-shoulder crowds and ramped-up security – to protect from the scourge of pickpockets – have become the norm.

Alicia Kitching, 19, who visited with her wheelchair-using mother, described the market ‘as impossible to move anywhere’.

Tripadvisor reviews have been no kinder, with locals branding the market ‘crowded’ and urging tourists ‘to avoid at all costs’.

One reviewer wrote: ‘I live in York and hate what the Christmas market does to the city.

‘I’ve never been able to get through the throngs of people to even get near a stall. The glimpses I’ve managed to get of the stalls show it’s all overpriced generic tat.’

Among chalets selling cakes and Christmas trinkets, one stall raised eyebrows for hawking £4 coffee coasters emblazoned with explicit slogans.

The crude designs included ‘big gay coaster’, ‘don’t be a c***asuarus’ and ”if it’s not from Yorkshire, it’s s***e’.

The stall had been forced to censor its most x-rated designs with black stars after previous complaints from parents.

While festive vendors – many reportedly paying around £250 a day for a pitch – cashed in, year-round food businesses nearby said the crush of tourists was not benefiting them.

At the Krep street food hut, which serves galettes to customers, Ethan Durkin said: ‘It’s definitely been slower through the week because the locals don’t want to come out.

‘There are loads of tourists out but they don’t make it up here to where we are.

‘I don’t particularly like the Christmas markets – they’re a load of tat.’

Trader Ben Hoare, 45, was doing brisk business selling £80, two-litre Viking-style drinking horns carved from real cow horn.

He said he had seen no sign of the cost-of-living crisis among the tens of thousands of daily visitors.

Mr Hoare said: ‘Business has been good. People don’t appear to be feeling the pinch as much as everybody anticipated.

‘Maybe it’s because people just want to go out and enjoy themselves, and worry about the real stuff later.’

Some shoppers insisted the market was worth the money and par for the course.

Rachel Bastow, 50, and daughter Katie, 22, visited York from Greasby, Merseyside, said: ‘It’s better than Chester – there are more stalls and more variety.

‘Yes, it’s quite expensive, but if you come to these places, you’ve got to accept that you’re going to spend money.

‘You only live once – so enjoy it.’

Others spent on sugary treats. Jodie Winter-Herd, 27, and husband Dylan, 30, spent £15 on a souped-up hot chocolate and a chocolate bombe.

Jodie, from Howden, East Yorks, said: ‘I thought it would be quiet but it’s really busy. We came last year in the evening and we couldn’t get near any of the stalls.

‘There’s loads more security which is a good thing.

‘People come here expecting that they will spend money. If you’re coming to the Christmas markets just to sightsee, then walk away.’

Even mid-week, the volume of crowds surprised many visitors.

Aleisha Turner, 24, from Hull, spent £8 on a hyped-up slice of chocolate cake which had gone viral on TikTok.

‘It’s nice but I thought there would be more food stalls. We thought for a midweek that it would be quiet, but it’s really busy.

‘I’d dread to come here on a weekend.’

Exeter 

Highlights: The old-world charm of the market and vibrant beer tent 

Lowlights: Once the cost of food, drinks and gifts are considered – many shoppers said they felt the market was ‘boring’

Biggest ‘rip-off’:  A glass bauble – £16

Estimated spend:  £53.40 (£18.40 drinks + £19 food +£16 gift) 

Meanwhile, down south, in the shadows of the giant Exeter Cathedral, Christmas shoppers were greeted by the unholy sight of a giant, goggle-eyed Jesus as a baby in the manger.

The infant Messiah measures almost a metre tall as he lies in his makeshift crib in the nativity scene created for the event.

For the multitude of empty-handed shoppers who had found little cheer among the seasonal offering of tacky giftware and overpriced food, the sight of the outsized, plastic Jesus was a blessed relief.

Many doubled over with laughter as they drew closer to the hilarious installation.

One, Gavin, 50, remarked that the baby Jesus nestled into his makeshift blanket in a stable was almost as big as his seven-year-old daughter.

He said: ‘Well, after traipsing round the market unsuccessfully trying to find some bargains, this has certainly given me a laugh.

‘I don’t mean to be rude to whoever made this, but he looks a bit big, doesn’t he?’

His wife, Sharon, 47, agreed. ‘He’s the biggest baby I think I’ve ever seen,’ she said.

During the family’s peregrinations around the Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market, described by organisers on their website as ‘a glittering jewel in Devon’s winter calendar’ they failed to find anything to take home.

‘I was tempted by a little gonk I quite liked – until I saw the price,’ said Sharon. ‘It was a gnome-like thing and it was only tiny but they wanted 12 quid for it. That felt like a bit of a rip off.’

Elsewhere, Arabic and Politics university student Toby, 19, forked out £16 for a glass bauble for his girlfriend. ‘It’s lovely and I know she’ll adore it, but it did feel like quite a lot of money for what it is.

‘Overall, this isn’t the place where I intend to do the bulk of my Christmas shopping because it’s just too expensive. I’ll be doing most of my buying on eBay this year.’

For many, the steep food prices were a turn-off. One local, a woman in her mid-40s who asked not to be named, said: ‘The prices they’re charging for food and drinks is shocking.’

Nodding towards the Apres Ski stand, where Alpine skiers’ staple tartiflette was being served up in cardboard boxes for £13 a portion, she said: ‘It’s just potato with a tiny bit of cheese and bacon in it and they’re charging 13 quid for it. 

‘I could make that at home for my whole family and still have a tenner in change.’

Elsewhere, food stands were offering bison and elk burgers for £10 and £9 respectively, chips for £5 a punnet and mac ‘n’ cheese topped with smoked bacon pieces for £13.

In the packed beer tent, which had six fluorescent-jacketed doormen on duty, Korev lager cost £6.50p a pint. The same measure of Salcombe pale ale was also £6.50 and a 175ml glass of wine – red, white or rose – from local vineyard Sandridge Barton cost £9.50p.

For those seeking caffeine rather than alcohol, a cappuccino cost £3.90 and a cup of tea cost £2.70.

Nottingham 

Highlights: The spectacular sight of the lit up big wheel against the night sky 

Lowlights: Families reported that many of the attractions of the fair were priced out of their market 

Biggest ‘rip-off’:  A family ice-skating ticket – £50

Estimated spend: £65 (£19 drinks + £14 food + £30 gift) 

As visitors flocked to Nottingham’s spectacular Winter Wonderland some say they can’t afford to buy drinks, food and gifts but are simply attending to capture a ‘festive atmosphere’.

Whilst many are blaming Chancellor Rachel Reeves for dampening the Christmas spirit with her brutal recent Budget, some vowed: ‘We are still going to enjoy Christmas, with or without any spare money we have.’

Three college students keen to try the main attraction, the ice rink and Sky Scape ice path, thought twice and walked away when they saw the ’staggering’ prices.

Ash Robinson, 17, told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s too expensive for us’ with his pal Raj Diu, 17, adding: ‘It’s staggering!’

The centrepiece billed as a ‘unique skating experience’ offers both a rink and ice path taking skaters up and over the market.

Peak time prices are £18 an adult, £15 for under16s and students and £12 for under 12s with a family ticket at £50.

Ash said: ‘We’re just here for some food and not rides, and for an evening out.

‘More people coming here and don’t spend any money than do!

Friend Blake Harrison, 17, said: ‘The cost of living crisis is affecting so many people, including students, who have other priorities. The Budget hasn’t helped,

‘But it’s still fun to come to and for the festive atmosphere.’

A mother Puspa, cuddling her eight-month-old daughter Edha was posing for pictures being taken by her partner, in front of the new Santa’s balloon ride at £3 a go.

The mum from Nottingham said: ‘We’re here exploring and not going on many rides, if any, because they’re too expensive.’

Visitor Toni Godney from Newark, Nottinghamshire, said: ‘We’ve been coming to the Christmas market for years and love it but the prices for food and rides has gone up drastically.

‘You’ve got to save up to come here.’

Carer Toni accompanied by her five-year-old niece, other family members and a friend, said: ‘We’ll be cutting down this year but you still have to spend!

‘I’ve already spent £80 on games and food.’

Her pal Daisy Munslow also a carer, added: ‘It’s so expensive but we wouldn’t miss it and it helps get you into the Christmas spirit.’

Spencer Hall, who runs the Helter Skelter Bar, admitted: ‘People are not spending so much this year. It is strange times.’

The trader, who has been a regular at the popular market over the years, said: ‘When it opened a few weeks ago the weather was awful so that went against is.

‘But is is a nice market and very well run and visitors keep coming back.’

He said he had maintained the same prices as last year, saying: ‘It’s all going well but we can’t judge it yet and won’t know the final verdict till the market closes.

’Some are spending less, but others are spending more.

‘It’s one of the best Christmas markets in the country with elevated ice skating and a Ferris wheel.’

The Helter Skelter Bar offers a range of drinks, including a luxury hot chocolate with a shot of Baileys or brandy for £6.50, a liqueur coffee and mulled wine for £6 and a giant cookie for £4.50.

Trader Enza, back for the fourth year at Duck Fat Roast Potatoes stall, believes the market is still ‘good value.’

She said: ‘It’s a very nice festive fair and innovative, and Mellors Group do a fantastic job.

‘Hopefully traders are not putting up prices.

‘We sell a tub of traditional spuds in proper duck fat for £7 and they are popular.’

Sienna Spencer, 18, working for the first time on Darling Crepes, said: ‘I think the prices have gone up a bit but customers keep coming back.’

She said the favoured crepe was a ‘cosmopolitan’ with strawberries and Nutella at £9.50.

Melanie running the Christmas Bauble Company told the Daily Mail: ‘It is very enjoyable. It is the best Winter Wonderland in Britain and a lot of outsiders come to Nottingham.

‘It’s very festive and the kids love it.

‘We’ve kept our prices the same over the past five years and people keep coming back to us, and they are spending. ‘A personalised decoration costs £14 and customers usually buy a few at a time. So we’re doing OK!’