17 December 2023 , 10:41
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Festive revellers have branded the UK's largest German Christmas market as a "rip off" after the cost of a beer and a hotdog amounted to more than a flight to Frankfurt.
Brits who have recently visited Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market said the event has become "too expensive", with a snack and a stein costing a whopping £20. Despite the hefty prices, visitors said they were "pretty disappointed" with their day out and said the atmosphere was "flat."
Some of the extreme pricing includes a two-pint stein of German wheat beer Hofbrau which is listed at £12.50, while a 19-inch Bratwurst is priced at £8 and a bag of cashews is labelled a staggering £9. These three items alone cost a total of £29.50 - nearly double the price of a £16.99 Ryanair flight to Frankfurt in January. Another stall at the market is selling 10 medium-sized Nuremberg gingerbread biscuits for £24.90, whilst Chocolate-covered marshmallows are set at £1.50 each or £15 for a 20-piece box.
A bag of cashews were nearly priced at £10 (Joseph Walshe / SWNS)People wanting to enjoy a hot toddy can expect to fork out £6 for a warm glass of mulled wine or £9 for a winter cocktail called Schneeman Punsch. Visitor Christopher Spence, 50, from Warwick, said: "I've been coming to the German market for years but this year the prices are ridiculous. I must have spent £50 in half-an-hour on a beer, a snack and a hotdog and some marshmallows for the kids. When you look how much these things cost in the supermarkets, the prices here are just too much. It's a bit of a rip-off to be honest."
Some visitors were 'dissapointed' by the Birmingham German Christmas Market (Graham Young / BirminghamLive)Mum-of-two Josie Roughan, 42, said: "Me and my workmates came here for our Christmas party but we were pretty disappointed. The food and drinks are really over-priced and the atmosphere is a bit flat. I think people are more conscious about how much things cost. Personally I'd prefer to have the girls round to my house for a bring-a-bottle do than spend a fortune standing around in the cold with a £9 cup of warm wine."
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A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: "The Frankfurt Christmas Market brings millions of visitors into the city each year, providing a huge economic boost for the city as these visitors will also visit Birmingham's shops, hotels, restaurants and other attractions. It remains an incredibly popular event and has been so for over 20 years."
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