What we love about the Christmas Markets

But as well as being a massive boost for Manchester's tourist industry, the markets contribute a palpable feel-good factor to the city centre that everybody commented on.

New Cathedral Street

Gwin Price, from Glossop, and friend Karen Loudon, visiting from Boston, Lincolnshire

Gwin says: “I think it's fantastic, it's really great. It's about community isn't it? It brings people together. I'm really happy to support it. It's not about consumerism. It's a shame how everything around Christmas has become so commercial.”

Karen:” We've come especially today for the markets. They do have one similar to this in Lincolnshire, but it is much smaller. I've bought some cheese, and some jewellery for presents. I love it.”

St Ann's Square

Rebecca Lyon, from North Manchester

Rebecca: “You get all the arts and crafts here don't you? It's just that bit more special than the normal shops. It's a bit different. Rather than all the pushing and shoving that you get in the city centre, it's just really nice here.”

Judith Caine, from Burnley

Judith: “We have come for the wine and we have come for Duerden's fudge. It's made in Burnley and we all love it. We came last year and found the mulled wine and thought, 'Wow', this is really great. So we came again this year. But we've got the plug the fudge. It's amazing.”

Alan and Janet Irving, from Lancaster

Janet: “We've come on a coach trip today with people from Lancaster and Morecambe. Some of us have gone to the Trafford Centre, some of us have come here.

“It's a good atmosphere here. There's a lot of stuff that all feels the same, but this is much better because theres so much more variety. Everybody's really friendly, and having a laugh and a chat. Or maybe that's just the gluhwein. It's gone right to my toes!”

Albert Square

Philip and Heather Walsh, from Glossop

Philip: “This is the second time we've come – we came last year and we've come again this year. We came by train. It's just such a good atmosphere. And you get a good variety of goods here as well as food. It's just really relaxed, isn't it?”

David Ball, from Whitefield

“We've got the afternoon off from the kids, so we are making the most of it. It's just the atmosphere. Its become a bit of a tradition, hasn't it? We come about four or five times while it is on. We've got relatives coming up to visit, and we are going to bring them along to the markets. It's just a great change from normality.”

Brazennose Street

Hayley Rixon, from Chorley, and friend Cara Wheen, visiting from Reading

Cara: "I love the markets. The eastern Europeans just know how to do it with the food, and the beer, and the local produce.”

Hayley: “It gives the city a really special atmosphere. It's a great place to come and spend some time together with your friends. It can feel a bit claustrophobic in the city centre, but here's it's really calm. It's really well laid-out. We came by train – I have no idea where you'd park in the city centre.”

Kevin Watson and Tracey Wyre, from Crewe

Kevin: “We came here for the first time two years ago. It gives the city a really Christmassy atmosphere, and it affects the way people are – it makes them much more friendly and chatty. It definitely makes you feel more European. It starts Christmas off, doesn't it?

Tracey: “It lures you into into the city centre. It's all the lovely twinkly Christmas lights.”

Exchange Square

Omar and Wasim Kadhim, and sons Thamer and Hasan, originally from Iraq, have just moved to Bolton

Omar: “This is the first time for us to come here to Manchester. We are delighted to discover the city. It's very social. When you have these kinds of market, I think its a very good indication of the economic and commercial health of the city. When I was in Amman, in Jordan, there was a very similar market there. Now we've found out about these markets we'll be here every weekend.”