Borough Market
Encyclopedia
Borough Market is a wholesale
and retail
food market in Southwark
, London
, England
. It is one of the largest food markets in London, and sells a large variety of foods from all over the world.
The wholesale market operates on all weekday mornings from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m., but the retail market operates only on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The market, which has focused historically on fruits and vegetables, has in recent years added stalls dealing with the fine food retail market, including some of the market's most famous traders Artisan Bakers DeGustibus, Furness Fish & Game Supplies, Peter Gott and Sillfield Farm, and the Spanish company Brindisa.
The present market, located on Southwark Street
and Borough High Street
just south of Southwark Cathedral
on the southern end of London Bridge
, is a successor to one that originally adjoined the end of London Bridge (and made a considerable nuisance of itself in the process). It was first mentioned in 1276, although the market itself claims to have existed since 1014 "and probably much earlier" and was subsequently moved south of St Margaret's church on the High Street. The City of London received a royal charter from Edward VI
in 1550 to control all markets in Southwark (see Guildable Manor), which was confirmed by Charles II
in 1671. However, the market caused such traffic congestion that in 1754 it was abolished by an Act of Parliament
.
The Act allowed for the local parishioners to set up another market on a new site, and in 1756 it began again on a 4.5 acre (18,000 m²) site in Rochester Yard. During the 19th century it became one of London's most important food markets due to its strategic position near the riverside wharves of the Pool of London
.
The present buildings were designed in 1851, with additions in the 1860s and an entrance designed in the Art Deco
style added on Southwark Street in 1932. A refurbishment began in 2001. Work to date includes the re-erection in 2004 of the South Portico from the Floral Hall, previously at Covent Garden
which was dismantled when the Royal Opera House
was reconstructed in the 1990s.
Stallholders come to trade at the market from different parts of the UK and traditional European products are also shipped over and sold. Amongst the produce on sale are fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, meat, game and freshly baked bread and pastries. There is also a wide variety of cooked and snack food on sale for the many tourists who flock to the market.
The market is administered by 16 trustee
s, who have to live in the area.
Borough Market has become a fashionable place to buy food. It has been promoted by British television chefs and has been used as a film set. Notable films with scenes filmed in the streets around the market include: Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
(1998) and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
(2004). In 1998 the artist Anna Best stage an event in Borough Market entitled 'The Wedding Project', commissioned by Tate Modern.
and Blackfriars
in the City and link to the West End at Charing Cross Station
. This required a viaduct but legally it was impossible by the 1756 Borough Market Act for the Trustees to alienate their property. The compromise was that only a flying leasehold
was given to the railway company for the permanent way but only for as long as a railway operates on it. The Market continues to trade underneath the arches of the viaduct. Each time there is a railway expansion requiring widening of the viaduct the Trustees receive a full compensation payment. The last major such expansion was the 1901 extended bridge widening, the 21st Century works programme will also make its contribution. These windfalls have assisted in the finances of the market without any loss of amenity to it.
As part of the Thameslink Programme project a large number of listed buildings in the Borough Market area have been or will be demolished potentially destroying the historic fabric of the area. This includes parts of the market itself and much of the area appearing in the aforementioned films. This was immensely unpopular locally and became a contentious issue in the resulting public inquiry which resulted in delays to the project. Eventually the inquiry inspector was satisfied with the subsequent plans to restore as much of the market and surrounding area as possible. The overriding need to remove one of the worst bottlenecks in the national rail network and improve transport options considerably over a large portion of London meant that he accepted that some damage to the fabric of the market and surrounding area was unavoidable and justified in order for the scheme to achieve its objectives.
The market building on Bedale Street south-side has had its upper floors removed, as has the Wheatsheaf public house in Stoney Street for the new rail-bridge crossing over them. The remaining floors shall be re-occupied. The old Market glazed roof on Stoney Street shall be re-instated and be much improved; other buildings will either be demolished, eg all north-side Bedale Street, or lose their rear sections eg Stoney Street and Park Street rows. The most significant loss was the Smirke Terrace Nos 16-26 Borough High Street, demolished in 2010. It was a Grade II listed building designed by the notable classical Architect Sir Robert Smirke
and completed in 1832. The most interesting survivor is The Globe Tavern public house at the junction of Bedale Street and Green Dragon Court, which is passed immediately to its north by the 1900 viaduct and the new bridge immediately to its south-side but with entirely unrestricted access to all sides at pedestrian level.
Wholesale
Wholesaling, jobbing, or distributing is defined as the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services...
and retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
food market in Southwark
London Borough of Southwark
The London Borough of Southwark is a London borough in south east London, England. It is directly south of the River Thames and the City of London, and forms part of Inner London.-History:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is one of the largest food markets in London, and sells a large variety of foods from all over the world.
Information and History
The present market, located on Southwark Street
Southwark Street
Southwark Street is a major street in the London Borough of Southwark, in London England, just south of the River Thames. It runs between Blackfriars Road to the west and Borough High Street to the east. It also connects the access routes for London Bridge, Southwark Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge...
and Borough High Street
Borough High Street
Borough High Street is a main street in Southwark, London running south-west from London Bridge, forming part of the A3 road, which runs from London to Portsmouth.- Overview :...
just south of Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral or The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, Southwark, London, lies on the south bank of the River Thames close to London Bridge....
on the southern end of London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
, is a successor to one that originally adjoined the end of London Bridge (and made a considerable nuisance of itself in the process). It was first mentioned in 1276, although the market itself claims to have existed since 1014 "and probably much earlier" and was subsequently moved south of St Margaret's church on the High Street. The City of London received a royal charter from Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
in 1550 to control all markets in Southwark (see Guildable Manor), which was confirmed by Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
in 1671. However, the market caused such traffic congestion that in 1754 it was abolished by an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
.
Pool of London
The Pool of London is a part of the Tideway of the River Thames from London Bridge to below Tower Bridge. It was the original part of the Port of London. The Pool of London is divided into two parts, the Upper Pool and Lower Pool...
.
The present buildings were designed in 1851, with additions in the 1860s and an entrance designed in the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style added on Southwark Street in 1932. A refurbishment began in 2001. Work to date includes the re-erection in 2004 of the South Portico from the Floral Hall, previously at Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
which was dismantled when the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
was reconstructed in the 1990s.
Stallholders come to trade at the market from different parts of the UK and traditional European products are also shipped over and sold. Amongst the produce on sale are fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, meat, game and freshly baked bread and pastries. There is also a wide variety of cooked and snack food on sale for the many tourists who flock to the market.
The market is administered by 16 trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s, who have to live in the area.
Borough Market has become a fashionable place to buy food. It has been promoted by British television chefs and has been used as a film set. Notable films with scenes filmed in the streets around the market include: Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is a 1998 British crime film directed and written by Guy Ritchie. The story is a heist film involving a self-confident young card sharp who loses £500,000 to a powerful crime lord in a rigged game of three card brag...
(1998) and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a 2004 fantasy film directed by Alfonso Cuarón and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the third instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by Chris Columbus, David Heyman and Mark Radcliffe...
(2004). In 1998 the artist Anna Best stage an event in Borough Market entitled 'The Wedding Project', commissioned by Tate Modern.
Railway Viaducts and the Thameslink Programme
From 1860 the railway operating companies desired to extend services from London Bridge Station into new stations at Cannon StreetCannon Street station
Cannon Street station, also known as London Cannon Street, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the City of London, England. It is built on the site of the medieval Steelyard, the trading base in England of the Hanseatic League...
and Blackfriars
Blackfriars station
Blackfriars station, also known as London Blackfriars, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the City of London, England. Its platforms will eventually span the River Thames a short distance downstream from Blackfriars Bridge. The current entrance is located on the...
in the City and link to the West End at Charing Cross Station
Charing Cross railway station
Charing Cross railway station, also known as London Charing Cross, is a central London railway terminus in the City of Westminster, England. It is one of 18 stations managed by Network Rail, and trains serving it are operated by Southeastern...
. This required a viaduct but legally it was impossible by the 1756 Borough Market Act for the Trustees to alienate their property. The compromise was that only a flying leasehold
Flying freehold
Flying freehold is an English legal term to describe a freehold which overhangs or underlies another freehold. Common cases include a room situated above a shared passageway in a semi-detached house, or a balcony which extends over a neighbouring property....
was given to the railway company for the permanent way but only for as long as a railway operates on it. The Market continues to trade underneath the arches of the viaduct. Each time there is a railway expansion requiring widening of the viaduct the Trustees receive a full compensation payment. The last major such expansion was the 1901 extended bridge widening, the 21st Century works programme will also make its contribution. These windfalls have assisted in the finances of the market without any loss of amenity to it.
As part of the Thameslink Programme project a large number of listed buildings in the Borough Market area have been or will be demolished potentially destroying the historic fabric of the area. This includes parts of the market itself and much of the area appearing in the aforementioned films. This was immensely unpopular locally and became a contentious issue in the resulting public inquiry which resulted in delays to the project. Eventually the inquiry inspector was satisfied with the subsequent plans to restore as much of the market and surrounding area as possible. The overriding need to remove one of the worst bottlenecks in the national rail network and improve transport options considerably over a large portion of London meant that he accepted that some damage to the fabric of the market and surrounding area was unavoidable and justified in order for the scheme to achieve its objectives.
The market building on Bedale Street south-side has had its upper floors removed, as has the Wheatsheaf public house in Stoney Street for the new rail-bridge crossing over them. The remaining floors shall be re-occupied. The old Market glazed roof on Stoney Street shall be re-instated and be much improved; other buildings will either be demolished, eg all north-side Bedale Street, or lose their rear sections eg Stoney Street and Park Street rows. The most significant loss was the Smirke Terrace Nos 16-26 Borough High Street, demolished in 2010. It was a Grade II listed building designed by the notable classical Architect Sir Robert Smirke
Robert Smirke
Robert Smirke may refer to:* Robert Smirke , 18th/19th century English painter* Robert Smirke , son of the painter, 19th century English architect...
and completed in 1832. The most interesting survivor is The Globe Tavern public house at the junction of Bedale Street and Green Dragon Court, which is passed immediately to its north by the 1900 viaduct and the new bridge immediately to its south-side but with entirely unrestricted access to all sides at pedestrian level.
Awards
2010 London Lifestyle Awards - London Food Market of the YearLondon Lifestyle Awards
The London Lifestyle Awards first took place in 2010 and is now an event held annually.The awards are the first of their kind and the event attracts thousands of entrants.-Nominations and Ceremony:The awards were created by London PR man Jason Gale...
Further reading
- Ptolemy DeanPtolemy DeanPtolemy Dean, a British architect and television presenter. He specialises in historic preservation, as well as designing new buildings that are in keeping with their historic or natural settings...
, Sheila Dillon, Henrietta Green and Dominic Murphy. The Borough Market Book: From Roots to Renaissance (Civic Books, 2004). ISBN 1-904104-90-8.