Markets and Street Life, London

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update, April 2011.

I like to try and keep my tips up to date so here is the latest news. If you want to get to see Whitchapel Market, you had better be quick. Information from a well-informed friend of mine is that the market is being closed and relocated to the Middlesex Street area. The reason? you won't believe this but our local street market, which has been there for many decades, is being removed so they can build a cycle lane for visitors to the 2012 Olympics.

This makes me incandescent with rage. I do not know a single Londoner who actually wanted the Olympics in the first place, I certainly didn't. We are all paying a fortune via our Council Tax for facilities none of us will ever use, all so some politicians and "worthies" could indulge in their usual self-aggrandisement.

The major road junction to the East of the market is also now closed to pedestrians without a huge detour so I had to escort a 91 year old lady I know home the other day as she was terrified to try and negotiate it. Why? So a few people, and it will be a few people, can cycle happily to a two week event. This is clearly ridiculous. The so-called "legacy", new jobs etc. are a joke.

OK, end of rant, but get to the market soon before it dies to enhance the "green" credentials of a few people.

Whilst there has been a market on Whitechapel Road for many, many years, like most things it changes all the time. I know the market was initially fruit and vegetable based but now it is very diverse, and in many respects reflects the very multicultural nature of the local area. I hope the photo gives some sense of this. Stalls with sarees sit side by side with fruit and veg stalls, fish stalls, stalls selling Bollywood videos, unlocking mobile 'phones, selling just about anything you care to name, in fact.

I would not recommend the clothing or footwear as much of it is of very poor quality, although some of the fruit and vegetable stalls are great. They carry some really exotic items that you would be hard pressed to get in a supermarket, and the stall holders will even tell you how to cook them if you don't know. I also like the fish stall near Brady Street (pictured) as you can get some unusual Asian fish, again not readily available in a supermarket.

As a people watching exercise, it is absolutely superb.

The market is open from about 0900 to about 1600 every day, except Sunday.

Spitalfields Market takes place in Crispin Place E1 and is one of the famous London Markets. There are over 70 stalls that range from contemporary and vintage fashion, music, bespoke children's toys, jewellery and accessories and interiors for the home. The market is surrounded by a host of boutiques, food shops and restaurants. On various days they also have a fine food market (opening times below) selling cheeses, pastries, antipasti, chutneys, breads and much more. If you like the idea of going to a market but not all the untidiness and bustle then this is a much more clinical way of doing it. Spitalfields was redeveloped in the 80s and 90s and has lost some of the feel you would expect from an East End market. But it's still a great place to come to find that 'one off' and it's all under cover so you can come rain or shine. Sundays are the best days to visit.

TRADERS MARKET
Open 6 days a week, Sunday is the largest market day.

Monday to Friday, 10am - 4pm
Saturday, Closed
Sundays, 9am – 5pm

FINE FOOD MARKET
Open 3 days a week
Every Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 10am - 5pm

The market has been here since 1756 but there has been a market around this site since the 13th century.
You can find a wide range of vegetables, fruits, cheeses, meats, seafoods.
It is faired that it faces extinction from time to time due to developments.
It s situated by london bridge and is open on fridays from 12pm to 6pm and saturdays from 9am to 4pm.

That's actually one of the more famous markets as its located in Covent Garden.
Lots of Antques, old jewels and lots of other gaggets.
You can definetly haggle there, dont accept the prices as they tell you.

Opening Hours
Mondays: Antiques: 5:00am - 6:00pm
General Market : Tuesday - Friday: 9:30am-6:00pm.

Weekends: Saturday and Sunday: Crafts 9:00am-6:00pm

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Shepherd's Bush market is in an area in London called Shepherd's Bush. I stayed in a hotel close to this area for 2 weeks in May 2010 so I visited this market and area often. This is an ethnic market, with many Indian and Muslim shops and outside stalls. There are also African stalls there. I expected this market to be much bigger though. There are household goods, clothes, halal food and many jewellers there. Many of the shops had a strong mouldy smell, no offence.

The market is in between Uxbridge Road and Goldhawk Road, both roads are lined with shops, mostly Indian shops and Arabic shops and there are so many Indian fabric stores in Goldhawk Road that I have nowhere in London seen so many shops of this kind in one street. Uxbridge Road has got many Indian stores as well and very good Arabic food stores.

Shepherd's Bush is a very lively area and much cheaper than down-town London. But after they built Westfield shopping centre in this area in 2008 they are expecting the price to go up.

The market is open everyday (closed Sundays) from 9:30-17. Thursdays 9:30-13:30.

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Queensway is one of the streets in London which are buzzing with life with lots of shops and bars and the oldest department store in London, Whiteley shopping center (see my tip).

Queensway is in Bayswater so all the surrounding streets are crowded with hotels and guesthouses. I once stayed in Pembridge Palace hotel, which is one block from Queensway (see my tip).

There is an inside market in Queensway, Queensway market, which is quite interesting, I have added photos on the market here. It has got many small stores and even a corridor called Psychic Mew where you can talk to mediums and get tarot and rune readings.
There are not many places in London where you can buy fake brand-names like Dior and Chanel etc. but in this market there is a store which sells only fake brand-name clothes. What I found interesting is that there were so many Russians there and some of the store signs were written in Russian as well. There is a Russian café there and a Mediterranean café, a Brazilian shop, an Afro-market and Arabic stores, so this indoor-market is quite international.

There is almost everything in there, a hairdresser, food-store, jewellers, Internet, electronic repair, a computer market, antique etc. etc. So this makes for an interesting visit and I always check it out when in London.

Borough Market is London's oldest surviving market, having occupied its present site near London Bridge for the past 250 years. It is also London's principal foodie market, a place to go for the best farm (and mostly organic) produce from across Britain as well as specialist European foods. It is home to 160 traders, from fishmongers to fruit farmers to artisan bakers. If you're passionate about good food, this is a good place to spend a couple of hours. There are a number of cafes within the Market if you get peckish.

Borough Market is only open for retail sales on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays - and is particularly busy on Saturdays. Admission is free.

There are numerous street entertainers in London, and as the title of the tip suggests, they vary greatly in skill. The chap in the picture was actually remarkably good. As well as looking pretty striking, he was also playing some very accomplished jazz guitar.

If you see one you like, you can throw them a few coins in the box or hat, although there is no compulsion to do so.

The two best areas to find entertainers of this type (although ordinary buskers are everywhere) are Covent Garden and the Southbank. I know for a fact that the Covent Garden ones are all licensed and have to through an audition process so they are pretty talented.

Naturally enough, summer is better than winter to see them, and they seem more numerous at the weekend.

Good hunting, hope you find one you like.