Foot-long sausages, gallons of gluhwein and boozy hot chocolates: the Manchester Christmas Markets are in full swing, and most people are very happy about it.

Most, but not all.

Launched in 1999 as just a single site in St Ann’s Square, the markets are now a gargantuan attraction to millions of visitors each year. And while Santa is working the world over, deciding who's been naughty or nice, there's still one that he's been puzzling over: the Manchester Christmas Markets.

Unbeatable atmosphere or too crowded? Financial boost to the city or cannibalisation of spend to the wooden huts? These are the biggest debates to return year on year.

They are issues that the council are well aware of. In 2011 councillor Pat Karney vowed a price freeze, after visitors complained that the produce was too expensive.

Despite these criticisms, one of the biggest virtues of the Manchester Christmas Markets, according to the council, is the windfall it gives to the local economy.

(Image: Matt Ratcliffe)

According to Cllr Karney, the last economic assessment was made in 2014 and the Christmas Markets were found to boost the economy by up to £90m. This was after nine million people visited the markets in the same year.

"This year’s markets have been very busy so far," he adds. "It’s difficult to predict the impact each year, but we would hope the impact will be in line with 2014."

So how much of the Christmas footfall is directly drawn by the markets? Karney claims that adding Christmas markets to Market Street boosted the footfall on Manchester's main shopping street by 41 per cent on the previous year.

While it's hard to say exactly where the crowds of extra people are from - some businesses think that visitors from outside the city put off regular customers, who decide to stay away from the city centre because of the crowds.

"We don't see any positive impact," says Ryan Ward of Rockefellers jewellers, just off King Street.

"Without the markets we would probably do more business. Customers call and say they are not coming into Manchester because it is too busy and will come in when it is quieter.

"I would honestly say we get no footfall from the markets."

(Image: Matt Ratcliffe)

But it's not just the footfall that some local businesses take issue with, it's the money.

Ward says: "I think the markets only make money for Manchester Council. The stall holders make ridiculous sums and take it all back abroad, so what benefit is that to the local economy?

"It would be nice if the council would promote people coming in to the city to help struggling local fixed businesses and not just for the markets that they profit from."

It's hard to gauge just how many stores feel the same way. Worries about upsetting the local council or coming across a little bah-humbug can put off business owners from commenting. Harvey Nichols declined to contribute to the article, as did Selfridges, both of which are surrounded by market stalls every year.

But some businesses are openly supportive.

Simon Bloss, general manager at bar and restaurant El Gato Negro on King Street estimates that 15 per cent of their trade comes from the Markets on their doorstep.

"We have felt a strong increase in footfall into the ground floor bar, as we are located on King Street the markets are literally outside our front door. We have also some increases in the restaurant and black cat dining, in particular on Thursday’s and Sundays.

"So for us it’s been a very positive experience," he adds.

(Image: Matt Ratcliffe)

But if there's one thing that all of the surrounding businesses seem to agree on, it's that the Manchester Markets should include a bigger proportion of local traders.

Bloss says: "I think this would add a real touch of the vibrant Manchester food and drink scene to the markets - and make them standout against other Christmas markets. It’s true the increase in footfall is good for all, but having a trading presence for local retailers in the market should provide another revenue stream."

It's a view shared Jason Bailey, director of Manchester's thriving independent food market GRUB.

"As far as local businesses go, very few of them are involved in the Christmas Market - so at a time when they should be enjoying peak sales some are missing out," says Bailey.

"Involving more local traders would mean they benefit from the Christmas peak trade allowing them to grow and flourish in the new year hopefully going on to bigger and better things. The Christmas markets are just another example where Manchester should be encouraging local entrepreneurship and the grassroots food and drink."

But it could be too late for the Council to turn around their business, says Bailey, who fears that financially the council relies so heavily on the Markets, they would collapse without their current structure.

"It's certainly putting cash in the council coffers, attracting visitors and a lot of people absolutely love going along but I have my doubts about the quality of the goods being sold, there's some dubious food and drink being sold at inflated prices. That said this is probably an end result of the inflated pitch fees which themselves are driven by the council's lack of funding.

"Sadly I don't think there's much that can be done now, it's already too much of a cash cow for the council that they can't risk doing anything differently. It'll just go on getting bigger and bigger.

The only way to improve it would be to lower pitch fees to encourage higher quality offerings which just aren't possible when you have to deliver huge margins to make the numbers work."

The atmosphere is the best thing about the Christmas Markets, adds Bailey, but that's what Mancunians bring with them rather than anything offered by the Markets themselves.

(Image: Matt Ratcliffe)

And the Council's view on increasing the number of local traders? According to Karney, organisers are already doing their bit to support local businesses.

"The Christmas Markets complement the high street and offer a choice for shoppers between major stores and the independent traders on the market. The markets are also responsible for a large increase in visitors to Manchester, which is important as this is crucial time of year for traders of any size.

There is also a marked increase in hotel stays during the Christmas season, along with the associated increase in people eating at the city’s restaurants, bars and cafes."

Employment is another benefit of the Markets, adds Karney, who says that Christmas in Manchester creates another 25,000 seasonal jobs in the city.

Moreover, the percentage of UK traders featured in Manchester Markets is estimated by the Council to be 70%, and around 40% are from the North West.

Karney adds: "There's a large contingent of UK-based traders at the Christmas Markets, and the vast majority of those are from the North West – so a large portion of the market’s economic boost is retained in the region.

"But of course the traders who travel to the UK, stay, live, work and eat in Manchester throughout the season adding to the economy themselves."

In addition, the financial benefit of the Markets to the council is unquestionable. This year they're working to a financial business plan surplus £800,000.

"The surplus contributes to the overall surplus, which Manchester Markets are required to make. This is consistent with the Council's business planning process," says Karney.



"Manchester Markets work with partners and annually invest in the Christmas Markets year-on-year to improve and maintain the infrastructure and make the markets what they are today."

(Image: Matt Ratcliffe)

Overall, it's difficult to say just how much positive effect the Manchester Christmas markets has on local business, but what is for certain, is that there is room for improvements.

While the Council does delegate a percentage of stalls to local traders, this needs to be increased if the local economy is to really benefit. The money spent in restaurants and hotels by traders passing through the city is a benefit, but a short term one.

As Bailey said, atmosphere is the best thing about the markets. But Christmas spirit isn't created by the dodgy bratwurst or the watery mulled wine, it's created by visitors looking for somewhere to celebrate during the festive season.

Providing a platform for local businesses which will in turn benefit the local economy should be the Council's priority here. Maybe it was at one point, but it's a priority which is now curbed by the need to maximise pitch fees for short term benefit which lowers the standards of the traders' offering.

Yes, the Markets are good for Manchester, but they've got a long way to go. Can they turn it around so late in the game? It's not likely, and until they meet a rival market with a better offering - local traders, better quality produce and more integration with the Manchester high street - they'll probably keep ticking over.

But that rival market might not be so far away - given the buoyancy of the Manchester food and drink scene at the moment, it might be just around the corner.