The City of London’s iconic Leadenhall Market is bringing back stallholders with a series of pop-up furniture, fashion and craft markets that will take over its cobbled stone walkways for eight weekends during the Summer.
Putting the market back into Leadenhall, the weekend series will see the grand Victorian marketplace—built on the site of London’s original Roman Forum—return to its roots as a trading ground. Instead of selling meat, poultry, and game, stalls will be filled with furniture, fashion, and crafts.
Kicking off the exciting new venture is the renowned Judy’s Vintage Furniture & Flea. Selling furniture from the mid-century onwards and fashion from the twenties to the noughties, Judy and her team have 20 years of experience sourcing beautiful one-off pieces that each have their own story to tell for reasonable prices.
Taking place monthly on Sundays, Judy’s Vintage Furniture & Flea can be found in Leadenhall Market on 26 May, 30 June, 28 July and 25 August, from 12-5 pm.
Judy Berger, Founder of Judy’s Vintage Fair, said, “We’re super excited to be bringing our beautifully curated vintage furniture & flea market to Leadenhall this Summer. The stunning location, architecture, cobbles and shop facades are going to make this the prettiest mid-century flea market in London. We’ve hand-selected over 60 expert traders from around the U.K. who will rock up in the City of London from 26 May to sell furniture, fashion & homewares mainly from the 50s-80s.”
Complementing old with new, Leadenhall will also be welcoming the SoLo Craft Fair under its wrought-iron structure in June. The South London-based organisation, run by makers, for makers, is famous for its unique hand-crafted art, jewellery, home accessories, children’s toys, and more from a pool of carefully selected, talented crafters.
Running monthly on Saturdays, SoLo’s first weekend market at Leadenhall will be on 8 June, followed by 13 July, 10 August and 14 September, with stalls open from 12-5 pm.
Ollie Goode, City of London Corporation, said, “The introduction of these pop-up markets is a testament to how the City of London is evolving. With Leadenhall already bustling during the week with office workers, we wanted to bring a new experience for visitors to enjoy on the weekend, catering to both tourists and the wider London audience.
These pop-up markets, in combination with our existing range of shops, bars and restaurants, will create a fantastic destination in a unique historical setting, rivalling the best of what London has to offer. We are lucky to have two very different but equally popular and experienced operators to bring this to life and create a real buzz in Leadenhall over the Summer.”
To keep shoppers refreshed and replenished during their weekend spending spree, a number of the market’s restaurants, cafes and bars will also be open, serving food & drink.
In 2021, Leadenhall Market celebrated its 700th anniversary, although the site’s history as a marketplace goes back much further to at least 100 AD! Leadenhall Market stands in the very centre of Roman Londinium – underneath its arches and cobblestones lie the remains of the Forum (market) and Basilica (courts).
The first market named Leadenhall was recorded in 1321 when Sir Hugh Neville, who owned what was ‘The Manor of Leaden Hall’ at the time, opened the grounds up to tenants to trade, and it soon became a popular meeting place for poulterers. Since then, the market has been known to trade wool, leather and cutlery. It has played host to festivals and events and, at one point, even housed a chapel and school.
Situated in the centre of the City of London’s financial district, the current Grade II listed Market building, designed by Horace Jones, dates back to 1881. Its airy and light wrought iron and glass structure replaced the stone market previously created by Lord Mayor of London, Dick Whittington, in the 15th Century.
Today, the market is home to 23 restaurants, cafes and bars, which sit alongside 15 retail outlets, creating a hub for shopping and dining in the City.
For more details on Leadenhall Market’s Weekend Markets, visit leadenhallmarket.co.uk/weekend-markets/.
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