Is this the UK’s most expensive Christmas market? Punters charged £21 for beer and hotdogs at festive rip-off attraction

Britain’s biggest Christmas market in Germany has been branded a “scam” after charging £21 for a beer and hot dog.

Revelers visiting the Frankfurt Christmas Market in Birmingham complained that prices had risen to an all-time high when it opened on Friday, November 1.

Two pints of Hofbrau German wheat beer cost £12.50, half a meter Bratwurst is £9 and a bag of roasted almonds is £4.50.

Some have even threatened to boycott the attraction this year, which boasts of being the largest authentic German Christmas market outside of Germany or Austria.

Patrons also took exception to the new, stricter rule, which bans people from buying more than one drink at a bar at a time, despite huge queues.

Regular visitor John Bird, 35, said: “It will be the first time in ten years, I’m not going to bother.” This combination of low prices and the one beer rule is just silly.

“You can easily stand in line there for half an hour, so sometimes you want to double up.

“It’s an event not to get drunk, but where’s the fun in that at Christmas? If people want to have fun, let them. There are never any problems.

“If it’s worth it, it’s not worth it because it’s completely rammed and you’re just standing in the cold. The counters are the same every year.

“People are watching the penny more than ever and don’t want to spend even a tenner on a sausage. You can spend around £50 in ten minutes.’

At last year’s festival, patrons were allowed to buy beer, but staff had to see each beer handed to each person to ensure they were of legal age.

Meanwhile, the cost of a regular bratwurst and a full pint of beer rose from £12.50 to an all-time high of £13.50.

Each has risen by 50p from 2023, when prices were the same as the year before.

However, half pints of beer are frozen at £4.50, as are boozy hot chocolates at £7, garlic bread at £4 and pancakes at £4.50.

Despite the criticism, last year it was voted the best Christmas market in the UK for 2023 and ranked eighth in the whole of Europe.

Others expressed their concern on social media. John Coles wrote: “It was good when he started to go down fast.”

Jeanette Bennison commented, “I’ve been there a few times years ago and I didn’t think the prices were high, rather than rip-offs and stalls selling the same stuff everywhere.”

Trevor Smith said: “Last time I was there I bought a hot dog and a coffee it cost me £15. I told the guy what part of Germany you’re from, he said Tipton.’

However, other visitors vowed to keep coming back to the “amazing” market and said they were not put off by the prices.

Stan Felton added: “I think the one serving rule is fine. You can only drink one thing at a time.

“It’s like one wife, one car, one house — sometimes you don’t need more than one thing at a time.

“Some people don’t want to stand in line, but they have to understand that waiting is important. It’s about patience and compassion.”

Tony Jones, from Birmingham, said: “I think it’s amazing, it’s the best time of the year and it’s really exciting. It’s once a year, and I come every year. I love it, love it.

“Everyone is very happy, it’s a great atmosphere.”

His girlfriend Chloe Flynn said: “It’s an expensive beer, but because it’s a German beer you don’t even need that much to get drunk.”

Food and drink prices at Birmingham Christmas Market in Frankfurt 2024

Double pint of beer – £12.50

Pint of beer – £7

Half a pint of beer – £4.50

Wheat beer – £6.50

Shandy pint – £7

Non-alcoholic beer – £7

Gluhwein – £6.50

Aperol Spritz – £7.50

Prosecco – £6

Baileys Hot Chocolate – £7

Bratwurst – £6.50

Half a meter dog – £9

Frankfurt sausage – £5.50

Currywurst – £7

Vegan Pie – £6.50

Burger – £5

Pork steak – £7

Chips – £4

Garlic Bread – 4 lbs

Falafel – 6 pounds

Pretzels – 4 pounds

Pancakes – £4.50

Roasted almonds (per 100g) – £4.50

Churros – £4.50