Budapest Christmas market at Vörösmarty square cancelled this year?

The annual Christmas market at Vörösmarty square might not be held this year, at least not in a way it used to be. Originally, the Christmas market would have opened on 20 November, but the tender was suddenly withdrawn.

Vörösmarty square becomes a Christmas wonderland every year in November, and people from all over the world come to see the famous fair. The market is usually full of vendors selling delicious Hungarian foods and unique hand-made crafts. Unfortunately, it seems that we will not be enjoying a cup of mulled wine under the fairy lights this year.

Each year, the Budapest Festival and Tourism Centre (BFTK) draws the tender for businesses wishing to represent themselves at the Christmas market in the beginning of autumn. It was the same this year, the tender went public on 24 September with a deadline for 8 October. However, one day before said deadline, applicants were informed that the tender has been withdrawn, Napi.hu reports.

The tender for catering companies was withdrawn only two weeks after it was launched. Whether craftsmen will be able to build their booths on the square is still uncertain. The reason for the withdrawal is yet unknown.

However, several vendors complained about the astoundingly high rent prices listed in the tender, which is probably due to the current situation caused by the global pandemic.

The smallest space (12 nm) would go for 22,365 Euros, while the biggest place (60nm) would cost around 61,500 Euros. Apart from rent, new additional expenses would burden the applicants in the form of electricity pipeline construction-, waste management-, and cleaning fees, which are all unprecedented expenses.

The prices outraged many business owners, who do not see how they could ever recover the cost of rent (worth an entire apartment) when there is not a single foreign tourist in Budapest, and vendors are pessimistic about this changing in December.

Source: www.napi.hu