Manchester Christmas Market stallholders have defended a raft of price increases across the seasonal city centre attraction.
Hot German sausages are up from £5 last year to £6.50 this year - with onions coming in at 50p extra - currywurst is now £7 up from £6 at The Witch House on New Cathedral Street and the German XL sausage swing grill on Exchange Square. The MEN has asked the owner of the stalls for comment. "No one even looks at the prices really, and I've only had one complaint so far. The city is really busy, everywere we try to book for dinner is full, there are no reservations, so people at the moment they seem to want to be out and spending money.
At The Mill bar on Exchange Square drinks range from £7.50 for large mulled wine and for liquer coffees, while Christmas cocktails including a Manchester Tart flavour for £9. Manchester Council's Christmas spokesman Councillor Pat Karney also defended the price increases for European stallholders heading back to the markets this year who have the extra costs of travel. It's estimated that 40 per cent of the 220 stalls over nine sites at this year's event are from overseas, with the remaining 60 per cent north west and UK traders.