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A furious couple were left 'gobsmacked' after visiting a popular Christmas market and spending £14 on the gastronomic staple that is... potatoes on a stick.
Everyone knows a stroll around the Christmas markets isn’t exactly the cheapest way to get into the festive spirit, but it still feels like an annual tradition many of us are happy to splash out on.
But there is a line – and for two people who recently visited the markets in Edinburgh, that line proved to be a price tag of almost £70.
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And believe it or not, that’s not even including any booze.
Abbie Wilson (@abbienwilson) posted a video on TikTok to share her experience, saying: “How much we spent at Edinburgh Christmas markets.”
She and her companion were ‘packed in like sardines’ as they wandered around the markets, enjoying snacks and soft drinks and even taking a spin on the big wheel, which cost £10 per person plus the online booking fee.
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Here’s how much they spent:
Chip Sticks: £14 for two
Tea and coffee: £6
Currywurst and chips: £8
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The wheel: £25 for two
Mini pancakes: £15 for two
While many TikTokers felt the prices were all quite steep, it seems there was one that they felt was a particular ‘rip-off’.
One commented: “£7 for half tattie!!! That's ridiculous," while a second agreed: “£7 each for a tattie on a stick.”
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To which Wilson replied: “I know I was gobsmacked.”
Someone else said the whole experience looked ‘so expensive’, while another joked: “I fainted several times whilst watching this.”
Others shared their own horror stories, with one writing: “I ended up spending £19 for two crepes!:
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Another explained: “We went and it was 12 pound for like 4 strawberries cut in half with a tablespoon of chocolate we didn't even know till after the price. Nearly died.”
There has been similar backlash at other markets, including in Manchester, but traders who keep the events going have defended the high prices - explaining that with the cost of everything going up their own costs have increased, meaning they have to put up prices in response.
The MEN spoke to Bram Dreijer, whose father runs the Dutch Mini Pancakes stall which you can visit at the Manchester Christmas markets, and he explained that they have 'no choice but to raise the price'.
He said: "I think everybody has noticed that a lot of things have increased during the last year. It’s no different for us.
"We buy some stock here in the UK and bring some from Holland, now with Brexit it has become more expensive in both countries.
"And because of Brexit there has been a lot of extra costs for us to bring the stuff over, like the Christmas sheds, people, stock, visas and the like."
Dreijer explained that at last year's markets they actually made a loss on the trip over from the Netherlands and put their prices up as they couldn't afford to do so for a second year in a running.
LADbible has reached out to Edinburgh's Winter Festival for comment.
Jess Hardiman