London Markets
London has over 350 markets of varying quality and sizes and a trip down the market can be one of the best ways to sample the authentic, down to earth cockney character. The biggest and the best markets are on Portobello Road in Notting Hill, Camden Town and the east end markets of Spitalfields and Petticoat Lane.
London’s markets are as rich and diversified as their character, and often their language is colourful as well. They are an integral part of London street life and are a must for impulse buyers or culture vultures.
Portobello Road is renowned for its diverse selection of antique bric-a-brac, lining the road and the streets around it every Saturday. Anything from obscure ornaments, trinkets, rare books, impressive art boutiques and antiquities of all kinds can be found on the many stalls and shops around this well heeled part of Notting Hill and the place is buzzing with banter and barter. Tube Stations: Notting Hill Gate or Ladbroke Grove.
Camden Town is much bigger and more eclectic. The shops along Camden High Street are like open stalls showing off their range of the latest fashions but the main market is up along the canal, wedged into the arches underneath the railway bridge. Here you’ll find the weird and the wonderful of youth fashion and street style. Independent clothing companies mingle with ethnic trinkets and fabulously hand crafted furnishings. The place is a maze of colourful stalls and unique characters and is packed at the weekends. Tube Stations: Camden Town.
In comparison the east end markets are a little more down market, but they are alive with the cut and thrust of traders and are a cherished part of London life. Petticoat Lane is one of London’s oldest markets dating back 400 years, it was where French Huguenots exiled from France would sell their lace fabrics and petticoats to London’s ladies of the night. Today it’s dominated by leather clothing and street fashion stalls though don’t always believe what you see on the label. The main market day is Sunday morning. Spitalfields Market is set inside a Victorian warehouse which is handy in the rain and is the most popular of the east end markets with a smorgasbord of goods, arts and crafts and a bustling, noisy atmosphere of cockney banter on Fridays and Sundays. Brick Lane is a fine example of London’s cultural blend with many Asian traders selling exotic spices and foodstuffs on Sunday mornings along side the London’s best selection of curry houses. Tube Stations: Aldgate East, Shoreditch.
Remember, receipts and refunds are rarely given and the asking price is usually open to barter.
