A self-confessed Christmas market enthusiast has declared one of London's most famous festive attractions a major letdown, leaving them questioning its popularity.
A Festive Fan's Quest for Christmas Nirvana
For travel writer Parul Sharma, the final months of the year are a time for festive immersion. She describes visiting Christmas markets as an "Olympic sport" and considers herself a gold medallist. Her quest for Christmas nirvana involves hunting for the perfect hot chocolate fix amidst twinkling lights and cheesy music. Yet, on her journey around Great Britain's plethora of markets, she encountered one she simply couldn't enjoy: London's Southbank Centre Winter Market.
After hearing glowing reviews from friends and online sources for ages, Sharma decided to visit the so-called 'magical Christmas market on the River Thames' on a Thursday evening in December 2025. Bundled up against the cold, she arrived with high expectations, only to be met with profound disappointment.
The Reality of the Southbank Market Experience
The market's size was the first and most baffling shock. Contrary to its famed reputation, the actual Southbank Christmas market was "really quite tiny." Sharma noted it had only a handful of stalls, humorously exaggerating the count to "some seven odd stalls" while refusing to include the nearby festively decorated restaurants in the tally.
Accompanied by her partner and a friend, all visiting for the first time, the group shared a collective feeling of anti-climax. "We were all left wondering: is this it?" Sharma wrote. Having made a significant trek from East London, they felt as if they were being pranked. The expected rows of food and drink stalls, the gamut of overpriced souvenirs, and the seasonal tat were conspicuously absent.
Missing the Essential Christmas Market Chaos
For Sharma, the market's failure lay in its lack of traditional festive chaos. She lamented the absence of core experiences that define a classic UK Christmas market visit.
What’s the point, she asked, if you can't be confused over which bratwurst stall to choose? Where were the multiple shops selling identical patterned bowls at wildly different prices? The ritual of buying overpriced mulled wine from numerous stalls seemed a vital, if costly, part of the joy that was missing.
It felt, she concluded, as if someone had identified the happiness Christmas markets bring and "decided to suck every drop of joy straight out of them." The verdict was clear: this famed market did not live up to its considerable hype.
The experience was enough for Sharma to vow not to return. However, in a twist of irony, she confessed that a spirited discussion with colleagues before publishing her critique on 18th December 2025 had already convinced her to give it one more shot that Friday, presumably for another taste of overpriced festive cheer.
