Manchester Christmas Markets named one of the most affordable in the UK
Manchester placed in the UK’s top five most affordable Christmas markets, with London’s Winter Wonderland and Cardiff’s Christmas market the most expensive.
New data has revealed the cheapest Christmas markets to visit in the UK, with Manchester named amongst the most affordable for budget-savvy Brits looking to plan a festive day trip.
The study, carried out by Airbnb insurance specialists Pikl, looked at the UK’s top fifteen Christmas markets and the associated costs in each location to create an overall affordability ranking.
Considered costs ranged from entry price, average attraction price, average local parking cost for 6+ hours, and an additional average nightly rate for an AirBnB stay in the area.
According to the criteria Manchester came in at the top five locations for affordability. Considered to be one of the UK’s most popular markets, the study revealed that you can park all day for around £10.00, enjoy free entry and attractions from £5.00.
Overall, though, the most affordable festive day out is at Lincoln markets, where lots of traditional stalls are set up in the city’s medieval square, complete with an ice rink.
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With free entry to the market, an average attraction cost of £3.00, and nearby all-day parking for £3.70, the city boasts an extremely purse-friendly option for those looking for some festive fun on a budget.
Beyond the top 5, attraction price is the main deciding factor for those keen to enjoy festive frills on a budget.
In terms of attraction price the most expensive destination is the historic town of Chester where £30 is the average activity cost, followed closely by £25 in Blenheim Palace.
York’s attraction cost of £13.50 proves more expensive than London’s £10.50 charge for its array of Winter Wonderland festivities, though the £52.98 average parking fee in the capital makes nabbing a £10.00 spot in York a lot more appealing.
For those looking to turn theiur day trip into an overnight stay, the data also accounts for affordability based on the cost of an average nightly Airbnb rate in each location.
The experts at Pikl said: “We’re all feeling the pinch this Christmas, but Brits still look set to enjoy the festive season in a budget-conscious manner.
“As a trusted AirBnB insurance provider, we’d suggest that rental property owners hoping to attract customers over the next month take some of the findings from this study into account.”
Read more:‘Winter Island’ returns to Escape to Freight for more festive fun this November
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The data, commissioned by Pikl Insurance, analysed the affordability of the UK’s best Christmas markets, revealing the cheapest based on entry prices, average attraction price, nearby parking costs, and more.
Featured Image — Flickr/Manchester City Council
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Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
24-hour bus services are now running across all Greater Manchester boroughs
Emily Sergeant
24-hour bus services are now running across all boroughs in Greater Manchester.
You may remember that back in March, it was announced that every borough of Greater Manchester was set to get a night bus service in what is hoped to be a ‘boost’ to the night-time economy… and now it’s official, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has launched those 24-hour buses this month, along with a series of other measures.
Oldham, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford now join the rest of Greater Manchester in having 24-hour bus services, meaning every part of the region will have a night bus operating Thursday through to Sunday.
It’s expected that these new services will help around 625,400 people working in the night-time economy across Greater Manchester, as well as those out enjoying the region’s nightlife, TfGM has said.
The routes which will run around the clock from Thursday until Sunday are:
50 (Salford – Manchester)
216 (Tameside – Manchester)
263 (Trafford – Manchester)
192 (Stockport – Manchester)
83 (Oldham – Manchester)
All Greater Manchester boroughs now have 24-hour bus services / Credit: TfGM
They launch alongside the most significant service changes to the Bee Network since the completion of bus franchising last year – including other new bus routes, and more frequent services across Greater Manchester.
“We want everyone to be able to enjoy everything Greater Manchester offers, without the worry of how to get there and get home,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“By growing the Bee Network, we’re making it easier than ever for people to use the bus, day and night.
“Our night buses are already providing a lifeline to some of the hundreds of thousands of people who are growing our night-time economy and working in essential public services.”
“Whether people are heading home from a night at the theatre or starting the early shift at a hospital, they can now get on board the night bus as a safe and affordable way to travel.”
Further improvements will delivered from January 2027, and a full breakdown by borough can be found on the Bee Network website here.
Georgina Pellant -
6th December 2022 
