This is a list of markets in London. Greater London is home to a wealth of covered, outdoor and street markets. Many specialise in a particular type of goods or sell different things on different days. Most open very early in the morning and close early or late afternoon.
Markets in London have their origins in the Middle Ages and ancient charter; set up to serve the population of the City of London. Over time, some emerged as wholesale markets serving specific market segments — such as the sale of vegetables, meat, or fish. With an expanding metropolis in the 18th and 19th centuries, street markets were set up to meet the needs of the new suburbs. With the introduction of trams on the streets of London, these were moved (sometimes forcibly) into neighbouring side streets, or new covered markets.Off street markets (20th century London, Museum of London) accessed 30 September 2009
The modern markets are regulated by the City and 32 London boroughs. Many have become 'general markets' proffering a range of goods.
Wholesale markets
These markets have ancient origins and connections with the City of London. Some have moved from their original locations within the city boundaries but most continue to be operated by the City of London Corporation:Markets (Corporation of London) accessed 30 September 2009 New Covent Garden Market is the largest fruit, vegetable and flower market in the UK. With over 200 businesses, employing over 2,500 people, the Market supplies 40% of the fresh fruit & vegetables eaten outside of the home in London and is used by 75% of London florists. With a large range of food businesses, including traditional wholesalers, wholesale distributors and food processors, NCGM serves many of London's best restaurants and hotels, cafés and bars, schools, hospitals and work places as well as independent retailers and street markets. Borough Market is located in The Borough, just south of London Bridge. The market was established on London Bridge and is first recorded in 1014. It has been in several locations, but moved to its present site in 1870. It was owned by the City Corporation and was transferred to an independent trust in 1999.History of Borough Market (Official website) accessed 30 September 2009 It still operates as a wholesale market, but when this closes it sells a wide range of sundry food items. Old Billingsgate Market, a fish market, relocated in 1982History of Billingsgate (Corporation of London) accessed 30 September 2009 to Billingsgate Market, Poplar.Billingsgate Market (Corporation of London) accessed 30 September 2009 The original elegant building facing the river is now used as a hospitality and events venue. Leadenhall Market, a food-centred market, continues to operate with many of the market spaces converted to retail outlets.Leadenhall Market (Corporation of London) accessed 30 September 2009 Smithfield Market is a meat market that was originally a live cattle market.Smithfield Market (Corporation of London) accessed 30 September 2009 Spitalfields Market, a food market which relocated in 1991History of Spitalfields (Corporation of London) accessed 30 September 2009 to New Spitalfields Market, Leyton.New Spitalfields Market (Corporation of London) accessed 30 September 2009 The original market site is still used as a market selling fashion, art and design, food and vintage goods and is part of a revival of the surrounding area.
Notable markets
These are other wholesale markets and those popular with tourists, mainly in Central London: Bermondsey Market is located on Tower Bridge Road in Bermondsey, South London, and deals primarily with antiques, originally sold under the rules of market overt. Hours: 4am - 12 noon Friday. Brick Lane Market, at the northern end of Brick Lane and along Cheshire Street in East London. The market developed in the 17th century for fruit and vegetables. With the arrival of Jewish immigrants, it began to operate on Sundays.Rachel Lichtenstein On Brick Lane (Penguin, 2008) Today, it sells food and general bric-a-brac, on Sundays. Broadway Market, Hackney, modern revival of ancient market (Saturdays). Brook Green Market and Kitchen, based at Addison Primary School in Brook Green, Kensington and Olympia, the market founded in 2014 is like a traditional Farmers Market but with certain innovative additions including Interactive Cookery Masterclasses, Live Music and craft alcohols. Camden Lock Market and several others comprise a complex often referred to simply as "Camden Market". Camden Lock Market is close to Camden Town Tube station, and gets its name from its location at Camden Lock on Regent's Canal in Camden Town, northwest London. All the markets sell general goods, music, collectables, military-surplus, jewellery, incense, clothing and a wide variety of fast-food. Camden Passage Market, on Islington High Street and Camden Passage, has its origins in the 1960s when small shop and stall holders banded together to form the market.Folder/aboutus.htm Camden Passage (Official website) accessed 30 September 2009 Two markets deal in antiques and collectables. Wednesdays and Saturdays are good to visit for the antiques, Thursday is the book market, more recently fashion/accessories stalls come on Fridays and mixed craft/fashion/antiques on Sundays. Columbia Road market originated in the 19th century. It became a flower market to sell produce on Sunday - left over from nearby Spitalfields.Bethnal Green: Building and Social Conditions from 1837 to 1875, A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 11: Stepney, Bethnal Green (1998), pp. 120-126. accessed: 30 September 2009 It is in Bethnal Green in East London. Hours: 9am - 12noon Sunday. Inverness Street Market, near Camden Town Tube station, was for over 100 years a traditional street market, with stalls selling fruit and vegetables. The last food stall closed in 2013, and it is now similar to the other Camden markets there. Leather Lane Market, located in Holborn, central London. Sells clothing, fruit, vegetables, general goods, and street food. Used mainly by office workers during lunchtime. Covent Garden Market located in the West End, was originally a flower market, now relocated to New Covent Garden Market, Vauxhall in south London.New Covent Garden Market (Covent Garden Market Authority) accessed 1 October 2009 The original building is now a shopping and tourist area with some shops, and there is an indoor market containing stalls selling jewellery, speciality soaps, tourist souvenirs, etc.The Covent Garden Market (In and around Covent Garden) accessed 1 October 2009 Greenwich Market, located in Greenwich, southeast London, deals in antiques, arts, and crafts.History of Greenwich Market (Greenwich Hospital Trust) accessed 1 October 2009 Jubilee Market at The Piazza, Covent Garden, is at the Jubilee Hall, which houses the market, and has a wide variety of arts and crafts stalls, jewellery and clothing, antiques and general market items. Petticoat Lane Market is located on Wentworth Street and Middlesex Street in east London, and sells clothing, luggage and a wide range of cheap consumer items. Piccadilly Market was established in 1981 and operates six days a week in the courtyard of St James's Church, Piccadilly. Portobello Road Market sells antiques, fruit and vegetables, and general goods, and is located in the Notting Hill area of West London. Hours: Primarily Saturday, with lower levels of activity on Friday and Sunday, and a few stalls throughout the week.Portobello Market (Portobello Market) accessed 1 October 2009 Old Spitalfields Market is located on Commercial Street in east London. In 2005, a regeneration programme saw the creation of Spitalfields Market, located in 56 Brushfield Street, a connected market on the western end of the site which includes the new public areas of Crisping Place and Bishops Square."Spitalfields Market" (Spitalfields E1 Official website) accessed 23 March 2021 The two Spitalfields Markets are one of London's busiest areas on Saturdays and Sundays with hundreds of market stalls specialising in fashion, art, crafts, design and food. The Markets are located in the original, historic Victorian Market Hall built in 1887. Islington Farmers' Market was the first Farmers' Market in London. Having had a number of different locations since it first opened, it is now held every Sunday at the Penton Street end of Chapel Market, N1, close to Angel tube station.
Other markets
These markets tend to be less visited by tourists but are used regularly by local residents. Some are of a comparable size to the more renowned markets:
Archway market, which sells general goods on Thursdays and goods and food on Saturdays, is located near Archway Station. Balham Farmers' Market, a FARMA-certified farmers' market run by London Farmers' Markets Barking Market, Takes place Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday on East Street. Battersea High Street market, which sells food and general goods, is located in Battersea. Bermondsey Square Farmers' Market Berwick Street Market is a small general goods market in the heart of Soho, central London. Blackheath Farmers' Market, a FARMA-certified farmers' market run by London Farmers' Market. Bloomsbury Farmers' Market, a FARMA-certified farmers' market run by London Farmers' Market. The Blue is the central Bermondsey market selling food and clothes. Brixton Arts & Craft Market, first Sunday of the month, with a focus on artists and designer/makers, located in Brixton, south London. Brixton Market, which sells food, is located in Brixton, south London. Brixton Farmers' Market a FARMA-certified farmers' market run by London Farmers' Markets Broadgate Market run by Shepherds Markets in Finsbury Avenue Square, Broadgate Brockley Market, Saturday market in London, SE4, offering locally sourced fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, fish and poultry, plants and flowers. Camden Passage Sunday Market Chalton Street Market, a general goods market, is located in Camden, north London. Chapel Market, a food and general goods market, is located in Islington, north London. Chatsworth Road Market, a small boutique food and general goods market, is located in Homerton, east London. Chiswick Flower Market, a small upmarket flower market, held on Old Market Place, just off Chiswick High Road, in Chiswick, west London, on the first Sunday of each month Chrisp Street Market, a general goods market, is located in Poplar, east London. Church Street Market, a general goods market of over 200 stalls operating Monday to Saturday, is located off the Edgware Road. Crystal Palace Food Market, supplies a good range of sustainably farmed produce and locally produced hot food, cakes and deli items. Deptford Market, which deals in food and antiques, is located in Deptford, southeast London Ealing Farmers' Market a FARMA-certified farmers' market run by London Farmers' Market. Earlham Street Market, selling T-shirts, clothing, and food products, near Seven Dials in central London. East Ham Market Hall is a covered market in East Ham, off High Street North. East Street Market, a market that sells food and sundry goods, is located in Walworth, south London. Enfield Town Market has been running since the medieval period. It is located in the market square in the centre of Enfield Town. Exmouth Market, located in Clerkenwell in east-central London, sells food and crafts on Fridays and Saturdays. It is one of London's newest markets Goldborne Road is a side street off the north end of Portobello Road market (above) with stalls selling bric-a-brac, vegetables, and household goods. Goodge Place Market, in central London, is a small 5–6 stall market catering mainly for office workers during lunchtime Hampstead Artisan Market - An eclectic mix of arts, crafts, jewellery, clothes and handcrafted wares. Hay's Galleria Market is a small market established in 1987 with its own resident artist, selling jewellery, souvenirs, tourist apparel and art.