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'Nowhere does Christmas quite like Manchester'

BBC A mug bearing a decoration of an old lady sits on a table in front of a Christmas market stall BBC
Manchester's Christmas market has returned for its 26th year

Manchester's Christmas markets have returned for their 26th year.

More than 240 stalls over nine sites will welcome an estimated nine million people over the course of the festive season.

This year, the hub this year is at Piccadilly Gardens again while Albert Square is renovated.

All craft stalls will be open from 10am-8pm, and the food stalls from 11am-9pm. Father Christmas will make his appearance in St Peter's Square on Monday after Remembrance Sunday.

What's on and where?

The Winter Gardens at Piccadilly - two marquees with under cover drinking and eating space. Festive food and drink favourites including bratwursts and mulled wine, hot chocolate and cocktails.

Market Street - crafts, gifts, produce and jewellery.

Cathedral Gardens - The Ice Rink is open until the 1st of January. The surrounding food and drink stalls until the 31st of December.

St Ann's Square and Exchange Street - The original site of Manchester's first Christmas Market. An under cover bar and traditional German stalls from the longest serving traders.

New Cathedral Street - handmade candles, ceramics and locally made gifts.

Exchange Square - One of the largest areas. Mulled wine and specialist food and local crafts.

King Street - Italian and Mediterranean food. Decorations and French soap.

The Corn Exchange - Handmade food and crafts and decorations made from recycled wood.

Rebecca Storey behind the counter at her crumble stall
Rebecca Storey said she had high hopes for this year's event

The Mr Crimble Crumble stall first appeared last year and became a viral sensation on TikTok.

"We had people from all over the country coming to visit us," said stallholder Rebecca Storey.

"There was no hesitation about coming back, absolutely none.

"We love Manchester. We love Manchester people. It's probably one of the friendliest cities in the UK."

Councillor Pat Karney, dressed in his blue Christmas jumper
Councillor Pat Karney in his Christmas Jumper says nowhere does Christmas quite like Manchester

The markets were opened by Manchester councillor Pat Karney.

"Nowhere does Christmas quite like Manchester and with more than a quarter of a century of festive markets behind us we reckon we know how to get everyone's Christmas wrapped," he said.

"The number of people who've visited our markets over the years must be well over the fifty million mark by now, and 26 years on from our first-ever Christmas Market in 1998, we regularly attract visitors from around the globe."

Abbey Matthews and her partner Kyle standing in front of one of their Bar At Yours stalls
Abbey Matthews from Bars At Yours said the preparation work begins in July

Abbey Matthews and her partner Kyle have been running stalls at the markets for six years.

She said the atmosphere and the community of stall holders brought them back.

"We start brainstorming any new ideas we might have [in July] and we'll start all of the organising you can think of, from suppliers to staff to everything."

Two men stand in front of a cheese stall
Keith Jenkins: "I think it'll be the busiest year they've ever had."

Keith Jenkins, one of the owners of the Great British Cheese Company, said the new-look Picadilly Gardens would make the market even better this year.

"We have a bigger stall this year because this market has been a success for us," he said.

"It's more open more spacious. They've set it out better and personally I think it'll be the busiest year they've ever had in Piccadilly Gardens."

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