Check out the best after-hours markets in town
London’s wholesale marketplaces have played a significant role in the development of the city’s commerce for many years. These crowded markets serve as an essential conduit between producers and retailers, enabling companies to obtain high-quality, fresh products at reasonable costs. London’s wholesale marketplaces, from the historic Smithfield Market to the vibrant New Covent Garden Market, are a hive of activity and a testament to the city’s rich trading heritage.
The history of wholesale markets in London dates back to the 12th century, when the city’s first official market was established by royal decree. With new markets springing up in various areas of the city to meet the demands of an expanding population, the market system changed and expanded over time. By the nineteenth century, London’s wholesale markets were teeming with vendors offering everything from meat and produce to textiles and flowers, and were at the centre of the city’s economy.
Today, London’s wholesale markets still play a significant role in the city’s economy by serving as a key supply-chain link for both big and small companies. Some of the best known are open to the public too! We’ve put together a list of some of the best to visit when roaming the city at night.
New Covent Garden Fruit and Veg Market
New Covent Garden Market is the biggest wholesale market in the UK for fresh produce, mainly fruits and vegetables. It is based on the Southbank of the River Thames in Nine Elms, near Battersea.
The scale of the market is like none other in London, with 40% of the city’s restaurants, hotels, and catering businesses coming here for produce. The market is rich in history, having received a royal charter from Charles II in the 17th century. True to its name, it was previously located in Covent Garden. However, it was moved over to its current position south of the river in the 1970s.
Opening times: 12am-6am Monday-Friday, until 5am on Saturday
Address: New Covent Garden Market, London, SW8 5BH
Website: Fruit & Vegetables – New Covent Garden Market
New Covent Garden Flower Market
New Covent Garden Flower Market is a subsection of the greater New Covent Garden Market, however instead of selling fruits and vegetables, it offers flowers, plants, foliage, and interior decorations from 20 different wholesalers based in the UK and around the globe. Having opened in 2017, it is the youngest on this list, although it’s picture-perfect floral displays have made it just as well-known on social media. From royal florists to wedding designers and market stall traders, the market is used by 75% of London florists.
Opening times: 4am-10am Monday-Friday, until 9am on Saturday
Address: New Covent Garden Market, London, SW8 5BH
Website: Flower Market – New Covent Garden Market
Smithfield Meat Market
Smithfield Market is the largest wholesale meat market in the UK and one of the largest of its kind in Europe. Located in Smithfield in Central London, it is housed in three listed buildings that were completed in 1868 and deliberately situated above newly constructed railway lines that connected London to every other region of the country, allowing for the direct delivery of meat to the markets.
More than 100,000 tonnes of meat pass through Smithfield each year, the market setting the bar for what a contemporary market should be, operating at the highest of domestic and European standards. Buyers include butchers, restaurants, and caterers. Cheese, pies, and other delicatessen items are available for purchase as well as meat and poultry.
Opening times: Midnight-7am Monday-Friday
Address: Smithfield Market, Grand Ave, London EC1A 9PS
Website: https://www.smithfieldmarket.com/
Billingsgate Fish Market
Billingsgate Market is the UK’s biggest inland fish market and is located in Poplar, East London. An average of 25,000 tonnes of fish and fish products is sold through its merchants every year. The market covers an area of 13 acres and contains many stands, shops, cafes, and an 800-tonne freezer store. It has a wide variety of buyers ranging from fishmongers and local chippies to embassies and world-renowned chefs.
The market was originally based in Billingsgate near Tower Bridge but made the move to Poplar in 1982. Famous faces to have graced the market as traders in the past include writer George Orwell and the infamous Kray twins.
Opening times: 5am-8:30am Tuesday-Saturday
Address: Trafalgar Way, Poplar, London E14 5ST