Tourists lapping up the delights of a Christmas market in Manchester have lampooned a charge added to the price of drinks like a warming hot winter wine. The hugely popular German-inspired Yuletide wonderland runs from November 2 until December 24 with a host a wooden chalet stalls transforming the northern city centre.

As well as food and festive gifts on sale, there are also a number of places selling a warning hot chocolate or wine as well as other tipples. But under a “cup deposit scheme” punters must pay an additional £3.50 for the receptacle surrounding their beverage as well as the price of their drinks.

One disgruntled visitor took to social media site X to brand the Grinch-like charge like something that would be found at a “Portuguese holiday resort”.

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They wrote: “Was in Manchester Christmas market a few weeks back. Fiver for mulled wines, which is pretty standard, but then there was a £3.50 deposit fee for each cup. Acting like a Portugese (sic) holiday resort.”

The £3.50 is returned to customers if they return the mug they have, and it is refunded both onto card or in cash.

However, the festive event has also been criticised by some for the price of food on offer, with a morsel called a hog roast roll burning a £15 in the pocket. In Greggs a sausage roll is just £1.20.

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Unimpressed visitor Tony Ward, 52, told the Sun: “There’s nothing much about it, and it’s well expensive. This isn’t the Christmas spirit, is it heck, the amount they charge is ridiculous.”

Mr Ward’s partner Thomas added: “It’s overpriced but I love it. It’s £9 for just a sandwich.”

Those wanting to sample the culinary delights on offer can expect to part with £5.50 for a mulled wine, £9.50 for a bagel, £12 for loaded fries and a staggering £13.50 for a chicken waffle.

Councillor Pat Karney, Manchester City Council’s Christmas spokesperson, told the Manchester Evening News when asked about pricing this year: “Our Christmas Markets are a massive tourist attraction for the city and help bring millions of visitors into Manchester which translates into a much wider economic boost across the whole of the city’s retail and leisure sector.

“Like any other business we regularly review the operating costs involved in delivering our Christmas Markets. Whilst we try very hard to keep these costs as low as possible, if running costs go up then we have to pass these increases on to make sure we can keep bringing Manchester’s world-famous Christmas Markets to the city.”

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