On a gloomy November Saturday at 10.30am, I found myself watching a woman brandishing an industrial-sized spray bottle. One might think it's filled with bleach or disinfectant.
Stall operators have defended these price increases, blaming them on another year of rising rents. Manchester Council has also defended itself, pointing to the significant costs involved in infrastructure and security for one of the UK's most cherished Christmas events. Since I planned to spend the whole day at the markets, I decided to try and get breakfast there and what better way to start the day than with a crepe? It's a staple in France. My usual filling would be Nutella, but it was too early for such rich, sweet chocolate, so I opted for another breakfast classic: a lemon and sugar crepe, reasonably priced at £5.
Their footlong battered pig-in-blanket has made them popular this year, but they also offer a variety of carvery boxes and roast trimmings. Seeing the substantial queue forming halfway down towards the Printworks, I decided to join them. The veggie sausages were accompanied by creamy and flavourful herby stuffing, steamed vegetables, scalloped potatoes and a tasty gravy. The wrap was massive and extremely satisfying, making it more than enough for a main lunch or dinner on its own.
I opted for a £4.50 'luxury' hot chocolate at the churros stand in Piccadilly Gardens. Including the cost of the festive mug, it set me back £8, but I promptly returned the mug for a £3.50 refund, which was credited back into my account the next morning.