Christmas Markets

[Carbomb]

I really liked York Christmas Market when I went about ten years ago, but it's probably gone and jumped the commercial shark now.

[RedTwoster]

I used to visit the Edinburgh Christmas market every year, but it’s not really evolved much and feels like ‘more of the same’ every time it trots out. The prices also feel a bit much for what you’re getting. And while I’m going all bah-humbug at you, the market and accompanying fair also ends up doing a fair whack of damage to the grass and landscape, particularly in St Andrew Square, which is a bit of a shame. 

I do enjoy the pop-up Christmas Markets, giving small Scotland-based and UK-producers the chance to showcase their wares. There was a fantastic one in Inverness at the weekend, with all sorts of great food and drink, alongside soap and crafts. I spent a small fortune, and I don’t regret it at all!

[Carbomb]

34 minutes ago, RedTwoster said:

I used to visit the Edinburgh Christmas market every year, but it’s not really evolved much and feels like ‘more of the same’ every time it trots out. The prices also feel a bit much for what you’re getting.

To be honest, sounds like something you could say for Edinburgh in general these days.

[Jesse]

Went to the Liverpool one on Sunday because the wife just wanted to get out of our city and take a train and jesus it's depressing. I'm never a huge fan, she loved Winchester the other year and the best compliment I can give was that I didn't hate it. But the Liverpool one was basically two aisles with virtually identical stalls on each one contianing nothing of interest. Was like being back in Basingstoke, just three times the size.

[Merzbow]

Sounds just like the awful Birmingham one, I wouldn't be surprised if there's someone leasing out identical corporate markets to major cities.

None of the stalls feel like a genuine independent seller at all.

[SuperBacon]

14 minutes ago, Jesse said:

she loved Winchester the other year

It was fantastic, but they've tripled it in size so not only is it outside the front of the cathedral, it's all the way round it as well. 

There is a queue in and a queue out that's at the front of the cathedral. But what they don't realise is that there are several ways into the market from the back of the cathedral which they're not managing, so they cannot accurately control the crowd and numbers. 

Genuinely a shitshow.

[King Mal the Glorious]

The one in Newcastle is shite (same overpriced tat as all the others) and is right in the centre of town making it a proper pain in the arse to get through. Still, at least it's not as bad as a few years ago when they decided to have it run the entire length of Northumberland Street.

I've been to a couple on the continent and they've been better, if only for the increased quality/variety of mulled alcohol.

[deathrey]

30 minutes ago, Merzbow said:

Sounds just like the awful Birmingham one, I wouldn't be surprised if there's someone leasing out identical corporate markets to major cities.

None of the stalls feel like a genuine independent seller at all.

Yeah, the Birmingham one is the absolute shits. I liked it when I first moved to the Midlands about 9 years ago, now I avoid going in to Birmingham all together when I know it's on which is probably the opposite effect of what the city council wants.

I used to love the Leeds one but haven't been since before the pandemic, I remember it being claustrophobicly busy but I always liked that it was secluded to Millennium Square section of the city and didn't take over all of it.

Edited December 3, 2024 by deathrey

[HarmonicGenerator]

I don't think the Edinburgh one's ever been especially good, but it's so big and so crowded now I do everything I can to avoid it. And they hike up the train prices at the weekends while it's on too.