The City of London Corporation has announced that Barking and Dagenham is the preferred option for the relocation of several iconic London markets.
The Billingsgate, New Spitalfields and Smithfield markets are set to be relocated to one site in the borough at Barking Reach, following the plans which were originally proposed by the City of London Corporation last August.
The historic Smithfield meat market has been an integral part of central London for the last 800 years, whilst Spitalfields Market has been in Leyton since the early 1990s claiming to be the UK’s highest turnover horticultural market.
Last but not least, Billingsgate Market is the UK’s largest inland fish market with some 25,000 tonnes of products sold through its merchants each year.
The Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council Councillor Darren Rodwell welcomed the news. He said: “We all know London is moving east and Barking and Dagenham is on the up. It’s time to bring London’s wholesale markets home where they belong.
“Billingsgate, Smithfield and New Spitalfields are all world-renowned markets. They deserve a first-class location. Barking once boasted the largest fishing fleet in the world until the late 19th century. It is therefore fitting that London’s main fishing market is coming home.
“Our aspiration today is to bring jobs to the borough, train the butchers, fishmongers and market gardeners of tomorrow, and take every opportunity to secure a new retail and educational offer as part of the regeneration of the Roding riverside area.”
A public consultation into the move will be launched in the summer.
Catherine McGuinness, Policy Chair at the City of London Corporation, said the City is committed to keeping the historic markets in London.
“We intend to use this new site to offer more modern facilities and space for traders to grow so that they can continue to support the capital’s food economy.
“Our number one priority is to maintain a top-quality market environment serving London.”
