Sheffield Christmas market 'England's most fragrant and 12th best overall'

The row of wooden cabins along Fargate in the city centre was also rated best in the entire UK for 'space to move', by festive shoppers fed up with battling huge crowds.

However, the market scored less impressively in the survey commissioned by ticketing website Eventbrite when it came to the quality of mulled wine, ranked a lowly 13th out of 17 markets in England, and its authenticity, which was second worst.

Overall, Sheffield finished a disappointing 12th in the list of England's best Christmas markets, which was compiled by SurveyMonkey based on the responses of nearly 2,800 people.

As well as fragrance, bratwurst and space, it was also in the UK's top 10 for value, rides, the look of stalls and size, among other categories.

But it was let down by the quality of goods, music, decorations and toilets, all of which were ranked 10th or lower in England.

Christmas markets proved more popular in Yorkshire and the Humber than anywhere else in the UK, with more than 81 per cent of people from the area having visited one.

Winchester's Cathedral market was crowned the UK's most-loved Christmas market, pushing Cardiff and Belfast into second and third place, respectively.

Marino Fresch, Eventbrite's marketing director for the UK and Ireland, said: "Our research demonstrates Christmas markets' ongoing popularity, with traditional continental and Victorian styles pipping newer variants to the post.

"While some of the more stereotypical features are not as important as you’d think, their ability to get us into the festive mood drives our attendance."

How Sheffield Christmas market ranks

(position out of 17 Christmas markets in England, with UK rating in brackets where it finished in top 10 out of 24 markets)

Space to Move = 1st (also 1st in UK)

Fragrance = 1st (also 2nd in UK)

Accessibility = 2nd (2nd in UK)

Bratwurst = 2nd (4th in UK)

Value of goods = 4th (6th in UK)

Tables and seating = 7th (8th in UK)

Rides = 7th (10th in UK)

Look of stalls = 7th (10th in UK)

Size = 7th (10th in UK)

Ice skating = 7th

Gingerbread = 10th

Setting = 10th

Quality of goods = 10th

Music = 10th

Decorations = 11th

Overall = 12th

Toilets = 12th

Mulled wine = 13th

Authenticity = 16th

Sheffield Council makes £3.4m profit from parking services in 12 months'Amazing' 24-year-old from South Yorkshire donates brain to medical scienceSheffield Council leader stays silent over calls to quit for Rustlings Road controversyCase dropped against Sheffield man found with knife at Buckingham PalaceSheffield Wednesday: Steven Fletcher is an Owls injury doubt as he battles knee injurySheffield United: Wilder will sign a striker in January if current quartet don’t deliverGet all the latest Owls statsGet all the latest Blades statsDownload The Star's mobile app now for FREE