Hey Darren I’m afraid these Christmas markets are, in the main, cr4p! Full of overpriced food and drink and stalls selling mass-produced garbage disguised as being handmade. In Germany, they have become no different. Only those in smaller locations seem to retain that traditional German market feel. £9 for what is essentially a sausage in a roll… no thanks!
Leeds is probably the worst it's ever been. Not even a tree in city square. Didn't feel festive at all. Some of the shopping centres look great though! Just thought the markets were poor. It was the same stalls repeated.
Speaking of "high" prices, I took my son and one of his friends to McDonalds "UGH" and for 3 combo's meals and 1 apple pie it was 49 dollars US --- for McDonalds..... Darren, all the lights look great, I think I gained 5 pounds just watching this. Thanks for your time, work, walking and posting. Merry Christmas
Liked this video of the Leeds Christmas markets. The hotel wrapped up like a Christmas present looked lovely 👍🏻. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year Darren to you and your family 🎄☃️🎁🎅🌲
I think the new layout of the market doesn't work - stalls scattered all over the city centre doesn't work. The food is overpriced as all Christmas markets are. Most disappointing is that its all the same old tat you get at every Christmas market - no local sellers at all.
It's a myth that everything is more expensive in London, in my experience. Housing is definitely more expensive, but food, drink, clothing and consumer goods are the same or cheaper as anywhere else. There is far more choice in London and therefore more competition which keeps prices down.
That is EXPENSIVE!!! They are pricey, these markets, but that one in Leeds is over priced, two people on a Ferris Wheel and that s £12 for about five minutes to go around once! And £5 - 6 for hot chocolate!!!????? Price of a drink in those bars and you could get a bottle of Baileys! I know these places have to make money, but they are just ripping people off there as its Christmas. I went to York Christmas market last week and it was not as expensive as this place in the video. Leeds does look lovely though, the shops and Arcades look beautiful, but its pretty stupid spreading it all out like that, and have to walk all over the place to see everything. It will stop it getting too crowded in one place though, but I would rather not have to troop from one end of the town centre to the other. For people with kids and older people that is not going to be a lot of fun. If things were cheaper, more people would go and more stuff would sell. I will just pop online and save time, petrol and effort and get everything I need for a price of one Hot Chocolate, and a trip on the Wheel.....
Answer is yes. It is such a let down this year. Overpriced, low quality food, spread out too much (you literally walk 10 minutes to find 3 stalls), no character like previous years have and stall holders that have faces like thunder and appear to not even want to be there.
Hi Darren great video as always we have not been to the Christmas on in over 10 years now when the Ice ring was the full size of Millennium Sq but I do like it spread out in Leeds. Have you Been to the Small Blackpool one as I will be going on the Star Dance Ride
I have never really bought in to the Xmas market thing. I was in Bristol a fortnight ago and when you look past the lights and music, all the stands are either staffed by uninterested minimum wage jobbies or else the kind of cut throats that you normally see at travelling fairs. I enjoy your channel and I especially enjoy visits to Leeds. Great city and good people. As a cockney there are many aspects of Leeds that put London to shame. So I would not try to compare Leeds with London. Both in there own way are fantastic. But there are aspects about Leeds that London would do well to take onboard. Those covered markets are wonderful btw......
Sheffield's Christmas decorations are a little disappointing and the market to expensive. The best thing is the Cathedral with the light show. Looks great in Leeds.
Be a good lad and see if you can wander up and down the arcades, our Darren. There's one to the left of the Grand Theatre, which gets ignored. Plus, the Thornton Arcade clock. Thanks, in advance, a thanks for this video.
Some amazing attractions and food etc,great seeing people enjoying them selves,but so expensive,you expect the best in quality anyway, fantastic vidio,look forward to your live 👍👍
Our 'Christmas Market' here in Oxford has drawn signifcant criticism this year. Usually involving two rows of wooden cabins, strings of lights and a Christmas tree, this 'festive season' has brough us plastic gazebos of the type seen every week in street markets, few lights and no tree at all. Even stallholders have been surprised at the downgrading and many who have paid for a pitch in past years will, I'm sure, set up elsewhere in 2023. Price-wise, I think one can expect goods (especially food) at all Christmas markets to include a higher than usual mark-up, which covers the probable higher pitch costs and, ideally, the pleasant seasonal atmosphere! I think, though, that £7 for even a large-ish German hot-dog is very high. Anyway, enough gripes! I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Darren, bah humbug this brings out the Mr V Mildrew in me. The Mancs chrimbo market in the early days was good, varied stalls interesting goods on offer and was still a noverly until it became too big for its own good. Now its like any other chrimbo market. Tis mostly the boozing and groups after work culture. They will still survive as younger generation come along for the more boozy under the excuse its Christmas 😂 Cheers Mr V Meldrew (aka DougT)
Tell me this? why does Leeds City Council permit this when all the stores and shops are suffering. I agree with the fairground and rides but there are plenty of places to buy food and beverages.
I've never not been to a xmas market in UK that hasnt been overpriced. From food to other items presents. Etc. Best one I've been to was actually in Austria. But then factor in cost to get there. Just another indication that xmas is commercialised the shit out of now.
Thanks for showing leeds xmas markets, yes it is expensive, and wouldnt pay those prices, the areas look really pretty, and a good shopping centre, London with being the capital has always been expensive, but if people dont buy they will have to re think there prices and rents of the stalls
Thank you for your review of Leeds Christmas market. Smaller in scale but Chester Christmas Market is similar. So different to the Christmas markets of Vienna and Prague. Prefer to spend my money on a good indoor restaurant Christmas meal and sit down in the warm. Merry Christmas 🎄 and All the Best for 2024 🎉.
ALL the commercialism at Christmas is just a rip-off, we have totally fallen and been conned into parting with a fortune at Christmas just because of all the commercial propaganda that says we should do! The real meaning of Christmas is a religious celebration, which has been hijacked by the commercial world to extract as much money from the unsuspecting Public as possible. Nothing wrong with having a nice Family/Winter holiday celebration, but if people would just really listen to the message of all the Carols that are played everywhere this time of year, they would find that the real ‘gift’ of Christmas is God’s Son, with implications for us all, but we miss this and instead fall for tinsel + turkey instead!
Glad to see you back in Leeds Darren 🎠🎠🎠🎪🎡🏙️🌆🎄. Some part of Leeds looks nice and other part looks dull and dark. Sad no big Christmas 🎄🎄🎄 in Leeds. Sorry that you didn't had good time in London and that security guard was mean men. But we love you and support . Keep doing what you enjoy doing and making new videos. Have a fantastic Christmas ⛄🎁🎄🌹🎄🌹🎄🎁 and very happy new year 🎊🎊🎊 to you and everyone 💐
Used to go when it was all in one place pre covid, but never gone back post covid as its all the same every year. Not disabled friendly and council just seem to want to put people off!!
To add what I wrote earlier , it does look festive but when I went it was the very first weekend, was absolutely rammed, no stalls that sold Christmas gifts or nick nacks. The German market had it right. If it had a feel and more stalls like the German market it would be fantastic !
I enjoyed that Darren a nice trek around Leeds Christmas Market, I visited the market a few years ago I found it interesting and I love the little digs at Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland
Simple,don't go.All markets are out to fleece the public this time of year.By the way filming it wasn't the best idea you've had,you can be summonsed for liable if any of the traders watch this channel,I know i'd be pretty Wazed off!
I think if you live near the market it’s worth a look. ( you don’t have to buy anything) They all seem to have the same stuff at whichever one you go to but not very Christmasy 😮
The Edinburgh one is always very busy and it's way more expensive than Leeds. Edinburgh is around the same prices as London but in all fairness Edinburgh to give a brilliant Christmas and Hogmanay. The street party is famous as you probably already know so we make alot of money during Christmas. Merry Christmas to you too Darren. Xx
Much prefer the new layout. Millennium Sq heaving (as it always is during an event) but then less stressful crowds around the other locations. Yes, it's expensive, more expensive than most, I doubt it.
Preferred it went it was a German market with real Germans. Even came with its own gumpy German selling gluvein he came every year. What happened is the students basically moved in so families couldn’t atttend and then complained so hence the appalling bad offer this year. York was packed. My son came up from London and wanted the German market nostalgia from 10 years ago. and couldn’t believe what a disappointing mix of cheap market stalls even selling ugly looking gold and silver chains. I saw it as working in Leeds and thought no thanks. Didnt visit Leeds recreationally in 2023 and 2024 Christmas will be abroad just waiting for flights.
Edinburgh Christmas market prices were astronomical, bratwurst £15, crepe with chocolate sauce and a strawberry £15 , mulled wine £7 it was nice though better than the vile stuff at Leeds
How dare you walk around Leeds Christmas Market with a DJI Osmo Pocket 3 blatantly recording video ? Obviously Leeds security is not on par with London's Hyde Park !
WHY IS THERE NO LIGHTS SAYING HAPPY CHRISTMAS ANYMORE ? EVEN THE OXFORD STREET AND REGENT STREET LIGHTS HAVE NOT GOT THE WORDING HAPPY CHRISTMAS. IS IT MAYBE BECAUSE IT MAY UPSET CERTAIN PEOPLE. I NOTICE THEY NOW SAY HAPPY HOLIDAY, HAVE WE ALSO LOST THIS HISTORIC EVENT THAT THIS CHRISTIAN COUNTRY CELEBRATES EACH YEAR.
I actually hate that it’s all spread out. As a disabled person it’s now impossible to enjoy as there’s no way I can walk round all the locations. Then again Leeds council seem to be going out of their way lately to make life hard for disabled people to get around and too and from the city centre so I’m not surprised they didn’t think of us with this market.
hi, went to haddon hall xmas market last week, total rip off £9.00 to get in, too busy to see any of the stalls properly, overpriced food etc, £6.00 for a hot chocolate, will be giving it a miss next year, totally enjoying you vlogs.
Speaks volumes, but as you say, £9 to get in, everything over priced, yet too busy to see any stalls properly, imagine going with friends or family at that price, just to get in. The stall holders will eventually murder the whole experience, and end their very own attractions.
Yes I went to one of these things at a stately home a few years back. The car park was like a swamp of mud, and the crowds! You could not get from one side of the row of stalls to the other, you were just pushed round and round. And its not like people were buying much, just looking. Like zombies, milling about in place like idiots mucking around on phones rather than looking at stalls. And we had to pay to get in. There is a nice one at Durham that is in a big Marquee, and the one at York was brilliant. But I make sure I go in midweek now as a Friday / Saturday you cant move for people....
Well its not cheap either. for £6 I could go into Aldi and get a four pack of cans of my choice and still have change for some crisps. Thats the difference. Still it is an Xmas market and these places have to make a living and pay all the overheads. And that is what is causing the problems now. Those stalls will have had to pay out a fortune just to set up in pitch fees and taxes and then the electric etc to run them. So all that goes on to whatever they are selling. Its now got to the point in the Uk where any sort of shop etc has to charge so much just to make opening worthwhile. And the people have less money, look at the prices and go elsewhere, like online....its a vicious circle and I can see no end to it anytime soon.
Sorry but your comparison with Aldi is pathetic you could say that about %90 of the pubs in Leeds. Weatherspoons apart which are soulless places. I feel your problem is with the whole economics of the country. Bah humbug.
Well, its sadly a fact. I just did exactly that and got myself a four pack in Aldi and a bag of crisps and it did not cost £6. The country as whole does have a problem. Everything is too expensive and some take advantage of it. Everyone goes online etc or to cheaper places to make the money stretch, especially if you have a family. Pubs and bars have always been expensive, as you are paying to be on the site as well, and the experience. But these days the prices have gone beyond what is reasonable. Example, in Newcastle last week one bar was offering three bottles of beer for £10 like it was an amazing deal! The bottles were small, and added up to 1 1/4 pints in size. That is hardly value! for money. Its not a case of bah humbug, but simply pointing out facts and asking - Why is it like this now? And what can we do about it? Other than not paying the prices. Those stalls service, means you are walking around outside with a drink of coca or whatever, you are not even getting to sit down anywhere for most of them. The whole thing looks lovely and Christmas pretty, but its going to put people off in a lot of cases. Its sad as the stall holders also have to make a living as well. There just seems to be no balance anymore. If prices were a bit lower you would get a much higher turn out and things would have more chance of selling. Everyone would win. And people could go out and enjoy themselves without needing to take out a second mortgage!!! Lastly if its like this now, whats it going to be like in another couple of years? So here is one for you. I was watching a Christmas episode of Are You Being Served from the mid 70s the other day. They were all getting coffee, in a plastic cup and moaning about the price. It was 12p!!!!!! So from 12p in about 1975 to £5 - £6 in 2023. In another forty or fifty years a cup of coffee will be over £100 at this rate! Comedy....Anyway, no hard feelings. Have a good Christmas, enjoy yourself and peace on earth and goodwill to all men and stall holders....
@@Simon-xc5oy Thanks for the goodwill I am just trying to point out that yes some things are dearer but some are a lot cheaper. Most white goods and electrical equipment are far cheaper than in 1975 in relation to wages. Life has it's ups and downs and we all have to live within our means. From what I saw last Friday there appears to be plenty of people willing to pay the prices. Hope you have a good Christmas and new year.
