Market shopping in London
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Camden Market
Although this market remains a top attraction, its heyday is a distant memory. Commercial tat has long taken over from the truly inventive, although you might find some good retro pieces. The place is busiest at weekends, especially Sunday, when the crowds elbow each other all the way north from Camden Town tube station to Chalk Farm Rd. It’s composed of several separate markets, which tend to merge.
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Columbia Road Flower Market
London’s most fragrant market shouldn’t be missed. Merchants lay out their blooms, from everyday geraniums to rare pelargoniums, between Gosset St and the Royal Oak pub.
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Ridley Road Market
Massively enjoyed by the Afro-Caribbean community it serves, this market is best for its exotic fruit and vegetables, as well as specialist cuts of meat.
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Roman Road Market
This market along Roman Rd between St Stephen’s and Parnell Rds has pretty standard fare on offer, though some people rave about the low prices.
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Spitalfields Market
This market was originally the place to snaffle the latest street wear at good prices, with young fashion designers joined by jewellers, furniture makers and a variety of fresh-produce stalls. Unfortunately, with big businesses wanting a piece of the action, part of the old market was converted into a new restaurant and shopping complex in 2006. The old market still stands, thankfully, and much of the young designer stalls have moved up the road to the Old Truman Brewery’s Sunday UpMarket, basically a Spitalfields extension. The space is a car park during the week, but on Sunday it’s filled with excellent clothes, delicious international cuisine, jewellery and music sta…
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Sotheby’s
The oldest auction house in Britain, Sotheby’s has sold some unique treasures in its time, including Picasso’s Garçon á la pipe and one of the seven printed copies of JK Rowling’s The Tales of Beedle the Bard, purchased by the owners of Amazon.com for a staggering £3.8 million.
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Riverside Walk Market
Great for cheap second-hand books long out of print, this is held in all weather outside the National Film Theatre, under the arches of Waterloo Bridge. In summer it helps the South Bank vaguely resemble Paris’ Left Bank. Occasionally, individual dealers set up during the week.
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Golborne Rd Market
During the week Golborne Rd is a busy shopping street for the local Moroccan community, but dealers in antiques, bric-a-brac and junk take over the entire street on Friday and Saturday – perfect if you need an empty picture frame or a mounted set of deer antlers.
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Bermondsey
Reputedly, it’s legal to sell stolen goods here before dawn, but late risers will find this market altogether upright and sedate, with cutlery and other old-fashioned silverware, antique porcelain, paintings and some costume jewellery.
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Christie’s
If you fancy an original Monet or Picasso to hang on the wall, just bring a cashier’s check for £40 million to Christie’s, Britain’s most famous auction house. There’s a second showroom in Knightsbridge.
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Leather Lane
South of Clerkenwell Rd and parallel to Hatton Garden, Leather Lane attracts local office workers with its suspiciously cheap DVDs, tapes and CDs, household goods and clothing sold by archetypal cockney stallholders.
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Stables
Just beyond the railway arches, opposite Hartland Rd, the Stables is the best part of the market, with antiques, Asian artefacts, rugs and carpets, pine furniture, and ‘50s and ‘60s clothing.
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Bonhams
One of London’s most famous auction houses, Bonhams sees some real treasures going under the hammer, from paintings by old masters to Scottish broadswords. There’s a branch in Knightsbridge.
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South Bank Book Market
The South Bank Book Market, with prints and second-hand books, takes place daily immediately in front of the BFI Southbank under the arches of Waterloo Bridge.
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Islington Farmers Market
London’s original farmers market, this one (behind Islington Town Hall) sells organic produce and other foodstuffs grown or reared within a 50-mile radius of the capital.
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Alfie’s Antiques Market
Alfie’s Market is an entire ex-department store, in an art deco building, dedicated to fab 20th-century furniture and rare 1920s to 1950s pieces. An absolute delight.
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Deptford Market
This colourful market takes place in the centre of Deptford three days a week, and comprises a vibrant flea market as well as food and clothing stalls.
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Camden Canal Market
Further north and just over the canal bridge, Camden Canal Market has bric-a-brac from around the world. If you’re pushed for time, this is the bit to skip.
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Chiswick Farmers & Fine Foods Market
In Chiswick don’t miss the fantastic Mortimer & Bennett deli, or Sunday’s Chiswick Farmers & Fine Foods Market.
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Shepherd’s Bush Market
Try Shepherd’s Bush Market, stretching underneath the Hammersmith & City line between Goldhawk Rd and Shepherd’s Bush tube stations.
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Petticoat Lane
The famous lane itself has been renamed Middlesex St. The market, however, soldiers on, selling cheap consumer items and clothes.
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Marylebone Farmers Market
The largest farmers market in town, with some three dozen producers coming from within a 100-mile radius of the M25.
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North End Road Market
North End Road Market is great for fresh fruit and veg, cheap clothing and household goods.
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