So Last Century has gained a reputation for organised, friendly events that are always well publicised and attract a good number of south London’s vintage-loving community. What sets these fairs apart is the emphasis on reasonably priced vintage goods from home wares to fashion. There are a number of vintage fashion specialists with well chosen stock, so fashionistas will not be disappointed. There are three vintage fairs taking place in the run-up to Christmas, the first one being taking place this Sunday. Look out for the good in-house café where you can enjoy a break and admire your latest purchases.
This blog is adapted from our latest book London's Markets. Available from all good bookshops and on our website
]]>www.clerkenwellvintagefashionfair.co.uk
Twitter: @ClerkenwellVint / Instagram: @clerkenwellvint
Freemason’s Hall, 60 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5AZ
Xmas Fair: Sun 25th November 11am-5.30pm
£5 Entry Fee
Clerkenwell Vintage Fairs are a real celebration of classic style and glamour with quite a few of the traders and visitors strutting out in their glad rags and enjoying themselves. If you’re looking for an authentic 1940’s zoot suit, a raw silk kimono or a 1970’s Biba outfit, there’s a good chance you’ll find it here.
Their Christmas event is held at the atmospheric Freemason's Hall in Covent Garden and is well worth seeking out for vintage gems.
This blog is adapted from our latest book London's Markets. Available from all good bookshops and on our website
]]>There is no better time to slip on your vintage glad rags than Christmas. London's vintage fashion fairs are at their most glam at this time of year and their Christmas events are always a lot of fun and great places to hunt down unique gifts in the run up to Christmas.
www.clerkenwellvintagefashionfair.co.uk
Twitter: @ClerkenwellVint / Instagram: @clerkenwellvint
Freemason’s Hall, 60 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5AZ
Xmas Fair: Sun 25th November 11am-5.30pm
£5 Entry Fee
Clerkenwell Vintage Fairs are a real celebration of classic style and glamour with quite a few of the traders and visitors strutting out in their glad rags and enjoying themselves. If you’re looking for an authentic 1940’s zoot suit, a raw silk kimono or a 1970’s Biba outfit, there’s a good chance you’ll find it here.
There Christmas event is held at the atmospheric Freemason's Hall in Covent Garden and is well worth seeking out for vintage gems.
Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, W8 7NX
www.frockmevintagefashion.com
Twitter: @frockme / Instagram: @frockmevintage
Xmas Fair: Sun 2nd December 11am-5.30pm
The Frock Me Vintage Christmas Fair has about 70 traders offering all kinds of rare and exquisite garments and accessories. The events are always a lot of fun with crowds of keen vintage shoppers rummaging among the rails and displays to find anything from collectable jewellery to rare kimonos and 1950’s dresses.
Hammersmith Town Hall,
1 Riverside Gardens off Kings Street, W6 9JU
www.pa-antiques.co.uk
Xmas Fair: Sun 25th November 9am-4.30pm
Entry fee £5
This event’s success depends on the great traders that regularly exhibit here, offering all kinds of vintage clothes, jewellery, accessories and textiles with enough discount rails to appeal to vintage bargain hunters. While many vintage fairs and pop-up events move from venue to venue, this fair has been a permanent fixture on the calendar of Hammersmith Town Hall since 2006. It’s a perfect location for their Christmas event with the wood panelled main hall and plenty of sparking decoration.
Xmas Fair: Sun 2nd December
St Stephens, Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead, NW3 2PP
Xmas Fair: Sun 9th December
Pop Up Vintage Fairs have won a place in the hearts of London’s vintage hunters. The Christmas fairs take place at St Stephen’s Hampstead and Alexandra Palace.
The great thing about the Alexandra Palace event is that it runs alongside a large antiques and collectables fair in the vast Great Hall. There’s a different vibe to the two fairs with the fashionable Pop Up crowd rubbing shoulders with antique enthusiasts looking for anything from train memorabilia to antique clocks.
Whichever Pop Up event you chose, you’re sure to have a great time and find some of the best vintage traders and the kind of glamorous customers that seem to be a walking advertisement for the retro lifestyle.
So Last Century has gained a reputation for organised, friendly events that are always well publicised and attract a good number of south London’s vintage-loving community. What sets these fairs apart is the emphasis on reasonably priced vintage goods from homeware to fashion. There are a number of vintage fashion specialists with well chosen stock, so fashionistas will not be disappointed. There are three vintage fairs taking place in the run-up to Christmas, whichever one you attend you’re bound to have a great time and there is always a good in-house café to enjoy a break and admire your latest purchases.
This blog is adapted from our latest book London's Markets. Available from all good bookshops and on our website
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1. E17 Designers
www.e17designers.co.uk
Twitter: @E17Designers
Instagram: E17designers
Xmas market at William Morris Gallery, Friday 23rd November 6.30-10pm
This market’s success is largely due to the enthusiasm and energy of the organisers, who make an effort to promote each season’s markets and over a decade of trading have acquired a great reputation and a loyal following. At the Christmas event at William Morris Gallery expect to find about 25-30 designer-makers offering jewellery, stylish knit wear, handmade clothing for adults and their offspring, artwork and original textiles as well as accessories and homewares. The stalls are almost all staffed by the designer-makers, who are keen to talk about their wares and how they are made.
The atmosphere at these events is very upbeat with lots of regulars showing up to chat and shop and few leaving without a bag of goodies and a smile. The event is more than just a place to shop with occasional workshops, craft or face painting for children and live music or DJ performances all part of the show and free entry to boot. Take a look at their website or follow on social media to find out more about the Christmas market.
2. Local Makers Market
www.localmakers.uk
Twitter: @LocalMakers_
Instagram: localmakersmarket
Xmas market at Abney Hall, Stoke Newington, Sat-Sun 24th-25th November 11am-6pm
These markets started in Wanstead, but have now expanded to other venues in east London, including Hackney Wick and Stoke Newington. The quality of the traders is always very high with genuine artisan designers offering unique clothes, framed original prints and cards, handmade jewellery and accessories, craft beer, naturally made toiletries and, of course, more succulents than you can point a cactus at! The markets take place from the spring until Christmas and are always well publicised on their website and through social media. It’s great to visit a market run with such generosity with no entry fee and a great little vegan pop-up café offering all kinds of homemade treats. Make a date in your calendar for this great weekend shopping experience.
3. Duck Pond Markets
Lauderdale House, Highgate Hill, N6 5HG
www.duckpondmarket.com
Twitter / Instagram: @duckpondmarket
Xmas Markets: Heron Sq, Richmond Upon Thames, Thurs 22nd Nov 3-8pm
Ruislip Christmas Market , The Great Barn, Manor Farm, Ruislip, HA4 7QL, Sat-Sun 17-18th Nov 10am-3pm
Duck Pond Markets guarantee an interesting mix of textiles, ceramics, clothing, accessories, original artwork and a few artisanal food producers. The Duck Pond team always make an effort with extra activities like face painting and live music. Their Christmas markets in Richmond and Ruislip are well worth seeking out.
4. Crafty Fox Market
www.craftyfoxmarket.co.uk
www.shoppingwithsoul.co.uk
Twitter/Instagram: @craftyfoxmarket
Xmas Markets
Mercato Metropolitano, Elephant & Castle Sat-Sun 1-2nd December
Canopy Market, Kings Cross Fri-Sun 7-9th December
The Department Store, Brixton Sat-Sun 15-16th December
Since it started back in 2010 Crafty Fox Markets have gone from strength to strength by offering organised, well publicised events where traders get a fair deal.
Their Christmas events involve additional activities such as craft workshops with both adults and children engrossed in the process of cutting, gluing and painting their creations. The shopping experience is of course the main event, with at least 30 stalls displaying hand-made crockery, cards, unique jewellery, framed pictures and accessories. The traders are well chosen with some particularly high-quality independent jewellers, offering end-of-season discounts. They have a host of events in the run-up to Christmas which are well worth visiting.
5. Scandinavian Market
Albion Street, Rotherhithe, SE16 7HZ
www.scandimarket.co.uk
Twitter/Instagram: @scandimarket
Xmas Market Fri-Sun 23rd-25th November 10am-5pm
The Scandinavians certainly seem to have the edge on the Brits when it comes to winter festivities and the Christmas Market that takes over Albion Street in the run-up to Christmas is an incredible event extending over three days and involving over fifty stalls. The Danish have captured the imagination with the concept of Hygge, which might best be translated as the pleasure gained from winter cosiness and this market has a good deal of Hygge to go around.
Wherever you look there are chunky jumpers, beautifully made scarves and more comfy slippers than you can wave a stick at. Visitors hoping to try some traditional Scandinavian food will not be disappointed with all kinds of delicacies from sweet pickles to authentic Swedish meatballs and even reindeer meat sandwiches with lingonberry sauce.
The Christmas market has become a fixture in many Londoners’ calendars and is a great way to get in the Christmas spirit and bag a few presents. A definite Christmas must do and make sure you stay until dark when the market is at its illuminated best.
6. Flea @ Flat Iron Square
53 Southwark Street, SE1 1RU
www.fleaflatironsquare.co.uk
Twitter: @fleaflatironsquare
Instagram: flea_flatironsquare
Tube: London Bridge (Northern & Jubilee)
Rail: London Bridge
Xmas Market Sat-Sun 15th-16th December 10am-5pm
Flat Iron Square Flea Market started in 2016, but it has the feel of a market that has been here for years and is a real throw back to the kind of friendly, great value second-hand market that looked threatened by London’s property boom.
Flat Iron takes place on what was once a rough square of land that has now been transformed into a lush garden with a bar and outdoor garden stage. It is here that about thirty traders set up, offering a mixed bag of vintage clothing, bric-à-brac, furniture and even a few designer-makers. Their special Christmas market should be a festive treat.
This blog is adapted from our latest book London's Markets. Available from all good bookshops and on our website:
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SAT 22ND SEPT
Assembly Hall, Forest Road, London E17 4JF
with jazz & blues singer Miss Jones, #TeaRoom and the bar will be open!
Opens 12-5pm
www.popupvintagefairs.co.uk
Twitter/Instagram: @Pop_Up_Vintage
Pop Up Vintage Fairs London was founded by fashion enthusiast
Maxine Stonehill in 2011 and was voted ‘Best London Vintage
Fair’ for three consecutive years in the Vintage Guide to London
Awards. They have since won a place in the hearts of London’s
vintage hunters. ‘Pop Up’ is an appropriate name, as the fairs takes
place about once a month at a number of grand venues across
the city including Wilton’s Music Hall, St Stephen’s Hampstead,
Alexandra Palace and tomorrow at the Walthamstow Assembly Hall.
The great thing about the Alexandra Palace event is that it runs
alongside a large antiques and collectables fair in the vast Great
Hall. There’s a different vibe to the two fairs with the fashionable
Pop Up crowd rubbing shoulders with antique enthusiasts looking
for anything from train memorabilia to antique clocks. Of course
there’s some cross over with Pop Up Vintage Fairs’ traders selling
everything from vintage fashion to mid-century retro homeware so
there is something for everyone to enjoy!
Visiting the latest event on Saturday your sure to have a great time and find some of the best vintage traders and the kind of glamorous customers that seem to be a walking advertisement for the retro lifestyle.
This is adapted from Metro Publications' latest book:
London's Markets - Out now!
Mark White had a career in advertising before he found his niche as Markymarket, visiting Smithfield and Billingsgate markets before dawn so you don’t have to and often delivering fresh produce direct to your door. He fell into this line of work selling sausages to a friend and found that using his modern technology and a willingness to get up in the middle of the night to source the best produce, he had a fledgling business.
‘It’s weird that my business is so traditional (going to market, buying stuff, selling it) and yet dependent on all kinds of modern technology. I couldn’t do this without my mobile, Zipcar and Twitter, they keep my overheads down so I’m still very competitive’.
Mark started his unconventional business back in 2012 and he now has a regular clientele of pop-ups, private chefs, restaurants and enthusiastic amateur cooks, who have come to depend on him for the best meat and fish to be found in the Capital. It’s not a job that many people could handle. Mark gets up at one in the morning to be at Smithfield for 2am to source the freshest meat and the best cuts. Over the years he now knows where to go for the best sausages and who has the tastiest Welsh lamb.
‘At first it was difficult, there’s a real culture here and it’s not easy to get accepted. A lot of the traders thought I was a bit mad and didn’t think I would last, but I’ve stuck at it and people know me and trust me and will often let me know if they’ve got something quality. That feels good, when you’re accepted.’
Mark goes around checking off his list of orders as he becomes increasingly weighed down with his bloody produce. By 2.30 his car is loaded with all his purchases and he’s off to Billingsgate, driving through dark quiet streets that within a few hours will be jammed with traffic:
‘It’s fantastic driving around at this time of the night, you feel like you own the city. It’s important to get the Billingsgate before they officially open at 4am. You can do all your orders and get the freshest stuff, but can’t pay until after the official opening of the market. It’s a bit of a fuss, but its the only way you can get the best produce’.
Walking around Billingsgate with Mark it’s clear he knows what to look for and where to go to finish his orders with as little hassle as possible.
‘Not all the traders are the same. Some are good for crabs and shellfish, others have great salmon or more unusual catches. It’s a matter of knowing what to look for and what to avoid.’
With clinical precision Mark is finished and loaded up within 20 minutes of the Billingsgate bell sounding for the start of business and he’s then on his rounds, delivering to his customers around London before making his way home. Some of his regulars are up in the morning to receive their orders but in a lot of cases they’re tucked up in bed while he quietly leaves their order in an agreed hiding place, like a culinary Santa.
Once finished with the Zipcar, Mark goes around London with his other orders on public transport, delivering to offices and homes around the city and by midday he’s usually back at his Soho office - the Star and Garter Pub. It’s here that he meets other customers and arranges to sell any excess produce using Twitter. It’s also here that Mark meets his mate James Painter, who supplies him with truffles that he delivers to Michelin star restaurants around the capital.
‘This life isn’t for everyone, but I love it. Meeting people doing deals and getting great value and quality for people who really love food. If I don’t do my job right, I don’t survive, so I’ve got to make sure my customers are happy with what I do and the food they get from me. Touch wood it’s working out well at the moment’.
It’s great to see how one man’s love of London and its wholesale markets has given rise to this innovative little business. If you want to find out more about Mark and place an order, take a look at his website or follow him on Twitter. He’s a great contact and an invaluable resource for London’s professional cooks and amateur foodies.
Andrew Kershman's forthcoming book:
London's Markets
is out in the summer
]]>
The market might not be huge, but among the around 30 stalls you can find top quality meat from Gill Wing Farm, artisan cheeses, delicious cakes and pastries, an incredible range of fish from Sussex fishermen Veasey & Sons and fresh organic seasonal produce from Wild Country Organics, Brambletye Orchards and Brockmans farm. In addition there are rotating olive and preserve stalls including flavourful and spicy sauces from London based Chilli Bros and homemade chutneys from Creative Allsorts. You can also taste and buy naturally produced wines, coffee roasted in London, gluten free treats, raw organic dairy, locally smoked meats and fish as well as lunches from a host of street food stalls.
As if this wasn’t enough the market has its own little shop, The Store Cupboard, a no waste refill shop offering a wide range of food staples, alongside another little shop, Roots and Cycles, who offer eco cleaning refills and organic beauty products as well as upcycled items. There are also a few arts and crafts traders setting up here offering an interesting choice of locals made original textiles and things for the home. The picture framer and art seller is also a permanent feature of the market and well worth checking out.
A great food market with a real community spirit, it shares the site with the equally interesting second-hand and vintage Haynes Lane Market (see page xx), which only adds to the appeal of the place.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
Started by the eponymous grocery store in 2005 with just 15 stalls, Partridge’s Food Market has gone from strength to strength and now has 70 quality food stalls setting up in this smart Chelsea square every Saturday. The market is a great mix of food to take home and cook and street food offering all kinds of freshly prepared dishes to eat on the go. For grocery shopping there are some excellent butchers, a seasonal fruit and veg stall along with delicious breads, prepared meats, olives and deli dishes, fresh pasta as well as cakes and cheeses. If you can’t find all that you need there is always Partridges just next to the market.
The street food here is incredibly varied with oysters freshly prepared for a pound each making a great starter to your journey through the market. Among the treats here are delicious fish burgers, substantial Greek wraps and sushi which you can see being prepared as well as substantial organic burgers prepared by the butchers who supply the meat.
The energy of this market is really infectious and the foodies here are always willing to dispense advice, cooking suggestions or simply talk about the provenance of their produce. There are a few places to sit and enjoy your food, but most people choose to amble among the stalls while enjoying the dish of their choice.
Visit
Just behind the market is the Saatchi Gallery which is dedicated to modern art and has a busy programme of exhibitions which are always worth exploring.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
Bandstand Terrace, Horniman Museum Gardens,
100 London Road, SE23 3PQ
www.horniman.ac.uk
Twitter: @HornimanFarmers
Every Saturday 9am – 1.30pm
The Horniman Museum is one of London’s most interesting venues with a fascinating Anthropological archive and collection of musical instruments. On Saturday’s the garden of the museum transforms itself into a very different anthropological experiment as the foodies Southeast London congregate to source delicious essentials directly from independent and local producers.
It’s a great location and now attracts stalls selling seasonal fruit and vegetables, artisan organic bread, cakes, cheese, pies, scotch eggs, freshly squeezed juices, herbal infusions, organic meat, salads and herbs. On intermittent weeks you will also find free-range salami and handcrafted, ethical chocolates plus other guest stalls selling craft beer, preserves, kimchi and plants. There are also some street food stalls offering anything from falafel to crepes – the surrounding gardens are a wonderful place to enjoy a picnic.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
It is hard to believe that back in 1994, Borough was a wholesale fruit and vegetable market where members of the public seldom set foot as the restaurateurs and caterers went about their business. Since then the market has undergone an incredible transformation, becoming one of Europe’s leading food markets with thousands of visitors each day and many fashionable restaurants, cafés and specialist food outlets with Monmouth Coffee Company and the Neal’s Yard Dairy establishing themselves in the narrow roads around the old market. The transformation began with just a few stalls offering quality food at the weekend. Pioneers such as the wild boar farmer Peter Gott struggled as the market found its feet but soon persuaded others to join them as the venture acquired momentum. In the years that followed, the trustees of the market developed and improved the site with the help of architects Greig + Stephenson while still preserving the Art Deco exterior on Borough High Street and the 19th century wrought iron structure of the wholesale market. The changes included the expansion of the market into a canopied area between Bedale Street and Southward Cathedral – enabling over 100 additional food stalls to do business here.
Borough has flourished into a remarkably vibrant food market with all kinds of retailers selling fresh food from around the globe. Here you can find meat sold direct from a single producer such as Rhug Estate Farm, as well as butchers like Ginger Pig selling high quality meat sourced from a number of farms. The cheese stalls are equally varied with Kappacasein Dairy offering their own London produced cheeses and yoghurt while the established Une Normande a Londres French delicatessen sell all kinds of cheeses, sausages and other produce. The fruit and vegetables are also exceptional with commercial greengrocers selling produce from around the world alongside specialist stalls. At a supermarket you might be lucky to find two or three kinds of mushroom, but at Borough there are over 20 types of fungi available from dried Ceps to the gigantic Puffball. Fishmongers are rarely found at most markets these days, but here there are several elaborate stalls selling anything from sea urchins and eel to more familiar staples like cod and salmon. Breads and patisserie are another of Borough’s strengths with big names such as Bread Ahead, Karaway Bakery and Olivier’s Bakery all regulars at the market.
The wine and beer traders include the renowned Borough Wines and Utobeer which offers over 600 different beers from around the world. Other traders just sell their own product including New Forest Cider. The one thing all these dealers have in common is the use of small tasters, which is the ideal opportunity to try before you buy.
The atmosphere at Borough Market is infectious with crowds milling from stall to stall, many people sampling the food and chatting with the stallholders. It’s now the unrivalled food market of the capital and one that appears to be going from strength to strength. It now produces its own magazine – Market Life – with features and recipes inspired by the market and its traders. Visitors should also look out for the Market Hall where there is seating to enjoy your food and regular cookery demonstrations by well known chefs. A great way to round off a visit to this incredible Mecca to food.
Eating and Drinking
In a market dedicated to food there are countless opportunities to indulge your tastebuds with the canopied market adjacent to Southwark Cathedral the best place for street food with anything from Koshari St, offering delicious Egyptian vegan dishes, to substantial meaty sandwiches from long established Borough Market favourites, Roast Hog. If you want to sit down and eat, there are plenty of great restaurants and cafés in and around the market with Monmouth Coffee Company on Stoney Street one of the best for coffee. Maria’s Café in the heart of the market is a great place to enjoy traditional British grub and watch the world go by.
Visit
There are all kinds of things to enjoy in the area with Tate Modern just a 10 minutes walk from here. On Saturdays you should make an effort to visit the fabulous Flea @ Flat Iron Sq.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
North Cross Rd (from Lordship Lane to Fellbrigg Rd), SE22 9ET
Rail: East Dulwich
Open: Saturdays 10am-5pm
There’s been a market on North Cross Road for years, but it has experienced its ups and downs over that time and has survived by adapting to the now prosperous neighbourhood – good bye cheap fruit and veg, hello hand-made pouffe. The longest serving stall on the market belongs to fishmonger, Jeff Bowman, who has been selling top quality fresh fish here for over 35 years and has witnessed the transformation. Jeff trades on the corner of Lordship Lane from Thursday, but he only has company on Saturdays, when another 20 stalls line the street offering anything from reconditioned furniture to farm fresh eggs.
The market now has a regular following among the denizens of Dulwich, drawn here by the appealing mix of the practical, the unusual and the beautiful. The egg stall is always here offering a selection of free range eggs and unusual things like Duck eggs that you don’t get in the supermarket. It’s not unusual to have a plant stall at a market, but the regular one here is run by Cade Street Nursery and sells plants that are incredibly lush and healthy. If your looking for a gift or just to treat yourself there are lots of options, from scented candles by Aequill to jewellery from long established trader Lisa E Moss. Further down the market there’s a mix of vintage and second-hand stalls and three wonderful crafts people – Alice King and her hand-made ceramics, Kate Diamond and her own range of T-shirts using her designs and Tuffet.co the aforementioned pouffes which are expensive, but truly things of beauty. If you’ve come on your bike, don’t forget the repair stall at the Lordship Lane end of the market which offers great value services and repairs.
There are quite a few food stalls here offering things like hand-made chocolates and artisan breads, but the majority of food is to eat on the go rather than take home with various options including Burritos and substantial Hogg roast sandwiches.
North Cross Road has a great atmosphere and it’s clear that the traders and customers really value the place. There are plans to extend the number of stalls and pedestrianise more of the street on Saturdays – a sign that this market is still looking to the future.
Eat & Drink
There are a few good cafés along the North Cross Road including Bonne Bouffe at number 49 and further up at number 18 the Blue Mountain Café. The Palmerston (on the corner with Lordship Lane) serves a good pint and has a great menu.
Visit
The fabulous independent bookshop, Rye Books, has relocated to 47 North Cross Road and not only offers a great selection of books but also has a great little coffee shop. Further afield, The Horniman Museum and Dulwich Picture Gallery are both just a bus ride away and are well worth exploring.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
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Located in old workshops behind Sainsbury’s, this little market is a great place to rummage for antiques, collectables and good old fashioned junk. The old workshops that have become home to the market are a little chaotic, but that’s part of its charm. Among the interesting things to be found here are all kinds of discarded toys and figurines, one trader dealing in books and DVDs and on the first floor there is a unit dedicated to vintage clothing. There are also a few more selective 20th century vintage specialists with some genuinely collectable furniture at a reasonable price.
This little market is a good place to while away an hour and you’re sure to emerge with something interesting to treasure from a Penguin paperback to a genuine 1960s coffee table. The market is best visited on a Saturday when the outside courtyards are the site for the wonderful Crystal Palace Food Market.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
21-23 Tooting High Street, SW17 0SN
www.tootingmarket.com
Twitter: @TootingMarket
Tube: Tooting Broadway (Northern)
Open: Mon-Thurs 8am-6pm, Fri-Sat 8am-10.30pm, Sun 9am-5pm
Tooting Market still has it’s traditional fruit and veg stall on the High Street selling cheap veggie basics by the bowl, but beyond the old exterior this market has undergone a real transformation. At the centre of the L-shaped avenue, Brickwood coffee bar has a large illuminated sign saying TOOTING - SO COOL RIGHT NOW, and this really sums up what’s been happening here. Tooting Market now has a vinyl specialist, lots of trendy bars and eateries including Koi Ramen, Boom Bap Burger and a branch of Franco Manca. There are also some great gift shops including the fabulous Love Art which runs regular art classes, a gin distillery and at the back of the market there’s even a trendy gentlemen’s barbers. The market still has a few pockets of the old Tooting, with the traditional butchers and Portuguese café doing well and it’s great to see that the market thriving when back in the 90’s it looked on it’s last legs.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
155a Northcote Road, SW11 6QB
www.northcoateroadantiques.co.uk
Twitter: @NorthcoteRd
Rail: Clapham Junction (319 Bus)
Open: Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm, Sun 12noon-5pm
Just a five minute walk south from Northcote Road Market is this inconspicuous little shop front. Appearances can be deceptive, and beyond the narrow entrance the space opens out, Tardis like, to reveal two floors and a central atrium complete with a glass roof that allows light into the further recesses. This quaint antiques centre is home to 30 dealers offering all kinds of antiques and collectables from furniture, framed pictures to household goods. The place is a real treasure trove and well worth seeking out if you’re in the area.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
The Great Barn, Manor Farm, Ruislip, HA4 7QL
www.duckpondmarket.com
Twitter: @duckpondmarket
Insta: duckpondmarket
Tube: Ruislip or West Ruislip
Free parking St Martin’s Approach car park
First Sun 10am-3pm (Foodies), Third Sun 10am-3pm (Artisan)
Duck Pond Markets run great food and artisan events in various locations across London with a commitment to locally, ethically and sustainably made products. Their fortnightly market in Ruislip could be considered their flagship, with up to 100 traders setting up within a quaint 13th century converted barn and courtyard. The eponymous duck pond is also just a stones throw away. West Ruislip is the last stop on the Central Line, but it’s is a charming little place and really does feel like a million miles from London, making it a great way to escape the capital without going to too much trouble.
On any market day you can expect to find a great selection of jewellery, clothing, household textiles, artwork, kid’s toys, natural cosmetics and perfume and even a used vinyl stall. One advantage of travelling this far out is that the prices are lower than more central markets with some really good deals, including natural kingsize quilts for just £95 and a great up-cycled chest of draws for just £80.
Even on the third Sunday dedicated to arts and crafts there’s a good deal of quality food and wine here with several street food stalls in the courtyard offering anything from fresh pizza to organic burgers.
The Duck Pond people make a real effort to ensure this event is a lot of fun with face painting, hair plaiting and a petting zoo for restless kids and massages for their stressed parents as well as regular live music to accompany the experience.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
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Albion Street, Rotherhithe, SE16 7HZ
www.scandimarket.co.uk
Twitter: @scandimarket
Instagram: scandimarket
March 17th 10am-6pm
It might seem strange that a bi-annual Scandinavian Market is held in a quiet back street of Rotherhithe, but the area has a long association with the Scandinavian community who settled here having worked at nearby Surrey Quays. Albion Street is still the home to both the Finnish and Norwegian Churches who run the market.
Albion Street is a quiet back street of Rotherhithe, but this Saturday it will be transformed into a celebration of all things Scandi with about 30 stalls offering delicious scandi food, handmade crafts and arts, traditional homewares and even a few second-hand stalls. The event is a shadow of the fabulous Christmas market which extends over three days in November, but it's a lot of fun with live bands and an enormous Moomin on hand to spread the love.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
Under the Westway and west up to Ladbroke Grove
(Retro and new clothing, CDs and records, books and collectables)
www.portobellofashionmarket.com
Insta: portobellogreenmarket
Twitter: @Portobello6
Fri 10am-5pm (Vintage), Sat 9am-5pm (Fashion), Sun 10am-4pm (Flea Market)
The Westway flyover marks the beginning of a funkier and more entertaining part of Portobello. Under the roaring Westway flyover and with its own canopied roof can be found Portobello Green Market, which is one of the best places for vintage and second-hand fashion from Friday to Sunday.
Fridays have acquired a particular reputation for lovers of vintage threads and you can often find some of the specialist fashion sellers that exhibit at the more exclusive vintage fairs, also selling their wares here with perhaps more room to barter at this cheaper open air market. Fridays and Sundays are great days to visit if you just want to indulge in vintage fashion, but to get the full Portobello experience you’ll need to come on a Saturday when the whole of Portobello is alive and kicking.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
Heron Square, Richmond upon Thames, TW9 1EP
www.duckpondmarket.com
Twitter: @duckpondmarket
Instar: duckpondmarket
Tube/Rail: Richmond
Parking at Whittaker Avenue Car Park
Sat 11am-4pm (Foodies) Sun 10.30am-5pm (Artisan)
The good folk at Duck Pond run a number of markets across London with their flagship event being in Ruislip. The weekend market in Richmond is a much smaller affair with about 30-40 stalls on a Sunday and around 20-25 every Saturday. Saturday is designated as a foodie market and artisans are to the fore on a Sunday, but in reality there’s a good mix of food and artisan products on both days.
Sheltered within this charming square you can find a number of jewellers selling their own designs, colourful handmade purses, a local artist selling photographic images and a company offering all kinds of lamps and jewellery made from recycled scientific equipment and watch parts, including cufflinks made from old typewriter keys. One textile artist makes handmade fabric creations from masks to soft toys, cushions to bunting. One of the most interesting stalls specialises in vintage and collectable jewellery and tableware with anything from an antique hat pin to a sterling silver gravy boat. For those looking to treat a furry friend, there’s also a pet stall with lots of dog and cat themed gifts and fancy pet foods. At the entrance to the market, don’t miss the display of Tim Shel Design wooden chairs which are beautiful, hand-made and are priced accordingly. Each week the mix of traders is slightly different, but the one thing they all have in common is that they are all products are ethically and sustainably made.
Food is always on the menu here with a great choice of street food including Mexican and Columbian delicacies and lots of pies, pastries, brownies, cakes and breads to eat on the go or take away to enjoy at home. The Aroma Organic selection of sausage rolls and pies are particularly apertising and if meat is your thing there is always Griddly Greens that offer free range burger, sausage or bacon sandwiches.
Heron Square is a prefect location for the market with enough places to sit and relax with your food. The market might not have a duck or a pond, but if you walk through the opposite arch you can get a great view of the Thames flowing past.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
Nine Elms Lane, SW8 5AL
www.saundersmarkets.co.uk
Rail: Battersea Park, Queenstown Road
Rail/Tube: Vauxhall
Open: Sunday 7am-2pm
Vauxhall Market has changed a lot in recent years and is bigger and more popular than ever – there are now signs for the market in Vauxhall tube station, giving some indication of just how important it is to the area. The signs are usually not needed – just follow the crowds heading in the direction of the market on any Sunday. The social make up of the area and those coming to the market has also changed with many of London’s Eastern European and African communities visiting and trading here. You can hear anything from Russian to Yoruba spoken, amid the cockney, as you make you make your way towards the event.
The market takes place in the concrete landscape and steel warehousing of New Covent Garden wholesale market and the Sunday market is managed by Saunders Markets on behalf of the New Covent Garden Market Authority. The site might lack the charm of places like Portobello and Brick Lane, but it does have an atmosphere all of its own, complete with loud music, the smell of freshly cooked foods and the sounds of thousands of people chatting and joking as they wonder the isles in search of a bargain.
Clothing is a big feature of the market with several stalls offering piles of boxer shorts, t-shirts, ladies’ underwear and socks at incredibly low prices. It’s worth looking around before you part with your cash, because further into the market there are stalls offering high quality high street returns and surplus stock for a fraction of the the usual price and nearly all the garments sell for between five and ten pounds. There are also great shoe stalls offering anything from workaday boots to designer trainers, but all at well below shop prices. Kitchenware, bedding, toys, fake flowers, plants, DIY tools and materials, towels and bedding are all to be found here with the one common denominator being very low prices. Ironically, although New Covent Garden is one of the country’s largest fruit and veg wholesale markets there is only a limited range of veg on a Sunday. What is available is good value with lots of fruit and veg sold by the box or large bag for just a few quid.
Running parallel to the market is a large car boot sale run by the same organisers. The far end of the concrete complex is the heart of the car boot, Here you can find lots of second-hand gear including bikes, tools, second-hand clothing and all kinds of car boot clobber from a china Alsatian to a well used industrial drill. Visitors will find it hard to tell where the market ends and the car boot sale starts, but in truth the market and car boot combine to make one event with a great mix of new and used things.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
Granary Square, NC1 4AA
www.kerbfood.com
Twitter: @KERB_
Insta: Kerbfood
Wed-Fri 12noon-2pm
From Wednesday to Friday the Kerb team transform Granary Square into a mini festival of street food with at least 8 traders offering anything from Taiwanese Lunch Boxes to substantial Portuguese steak sandwiches. The traders are always rotating but you can see the week’s traders on their website. Whatever the lineup the quality of food is always high with vegan and vegetarian options guaranteed. There’s plenty of public seating and a fountain with further tiered seats looking out of the canal, making this a great market to sit, eat and chill on fine days.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
Established by friends Alan Old and Alison Davis in 2015, the wittily named So Last Century has gained a reputation for organised, friendly events, that are always well publicised and attract a good number of south London’s vintage loving community. What sets these fairs apart is the emphasis on reasonably priced vintage goods from homeware to fashion. You’ll find lamps, artwork and furniture with lots of original 20th century design on display for a fraction of the price of high-end vintage stores. Among the recent bargains was a fantastic Marcel Breuer style leather and steel armchair for just £130 and a beautiful wooden train and carriages for just £35. The regular vintage art and print seller is worth seeking out with his great stock and bespoke framing service. There are a number of vintage fashion specialists with large, well chosen stock, so fashionistas will not be disappointed and many of the other traders also sell good quality, affordable jewellery and accessories. The fair also features a clutch of original designer-makers and artists
So Last Century takes place at a number of venues across south London, with St Dunstan’s College in Catford being the largest. Whichever one you attend you’re bound to have a great time and there is always a good in-house café to enjoy a break and admire your latest purchases. Take a look at their website for forthcoming events.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
Run by the Hackney Flea team that also bring your the DIY Art Market, this event puts London’s ceramicists and DIY potters centre stage. There are plenty of new young ceramic artists showing their work who are exhibiting alongside established ceramicists from various London studios including Turning Earth, Glebe Road and Peckham Kiln Rooms. There really is something for everyone here, from a delicate vase in muted colours with a matt glaze to a huge brightly coloured dish depicting a bacchanalian scene that should definitely be put away when the vicar comes for tea. The prices are very reasonable with lots of things for around the £30 mark and plenty of little ceramic things for just a few quid. Take a look at their website for forthcoming events.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
Lewisham College Car Park, Lewisham Way, SE4 1UT
www.brockleymarket.com
Twitter: @BrockleyMarket
Insta: brockleymarket
Rail/Overground St Johns or Brockley
Sat 10am-2pm
This award winning food market has a loyal following among the Brockley locals who manage to fill the car park of Lewisham College every Saturday come rain or shine, turning this little venture into a major feature of London’s food landscape.
The customers a drawn by a great mix of food producers and street food stalls that make this a market to do both your weekly shop as well as relax and enjoy some great alfresco dinning. For those after ingredients for the kitchen there are a number of organic fruit and veg stalls offering seasonal produce direct from the farm. Brockley also boasts a quality fish monger in Veasey & Sons, who always have a great display of freshly caught produce and will gut and fillet to order as well as offering the odd cooking tip. Carnivors will not be disappointed with several meat and poultry stalls offering a limited but top quality selection, including great bacon from Bermondsey based ‘The Butchury’ and Moons Green offering hand-carved ham to order. Cheese is also an important part of the market with expert Cheese mongers Mons offering all kinds of artisan products with lots of tasters for the curious. Blackwoods Cheese Company actually making a range of their own unpasteurised cheeses and the deli stall Flavours of Spain offers among its carefully chosen selection of Spanish foods several great cheeses including an award winning manchego. Delicious pickles, olives, breads, cakes and pastries as well as a selection of locally brewed beers complete the picture and enable visitors to do a complete shop here if needed.
Lovers of street food have plenty to choose from including great sandwiches from Sub Cult, a bewildering selection of burgers from Mother Flipper and a Vietnamese take on the same from Bill or Beak. Dough Van have ingeniously managed to cram a wood burning stove into a medium size van which sounds mad, but produces great pizza. There’s a seating area to enjoy the food and a great coffee van from local café Browns of Brockley and Good and Proper Tea, if you fancy something to drink. It’s great to see this little foodie oasis blossom in south east London, long may it continue.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
www.clerkenwellvintagefashionfair.co.uk
@ClerkenwellVint (twitter)
@clerkenwellvint (insta)
Freemason’s Hall, 60 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5AZ
Clerkenwell Vintage Fair was set up by vintage fashion enthusiast Savitri Coleman back in 2009 and has since then gained an international reputation and a loyal following. The event has recently relocated to the grand Freemason’s Hall in the heart of Covent Garden, but the move has not dampened the enthusiasm of the 50 vintage specialists that set up here or their clientele, who trek from far and wide in search of stylish additions to their wardrobe.
The fairs are not just a meeting place for buyers and sellers of vintage clothing and accessories, but a real celebration of classic style and glamour with quite a few of the traders and visitors taking the opportunity to strut out in their glad rags and enjoy themselves. If you’re looking for an authentic 1940’s zoot suit, a raw silk kimono or a 70’s Biba outfit, there’s a good chance you’ll find it here and there’s also an alteration service if your beloved new garment needs a nip and tuck.
Clerkenwell Vintage is a monthly event that is well worth seeking out, once you’ve been to one you’re sure to come back for more. Take a look at their website for forthcoming events.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
Twitter/Instagram: @E17DESIGNERS
www.e17designers.co.uk
Regular events at venues across Walthamstow
E17 Designers markets take place at a number of venues across Walthamstow, but the lack of a permanent location and varied dates only seems to add to their appeal. The market’s success is largely due to the enthusiasm and energy of the organisers, who make an effort to promote each season’s markets and over a decade of trading have acquired a great reputation and a loyal following. Each market draws about 25-30 designer-makers offering jewellery, stylish knit wear, handmade clothing for grownups and their offspring, artwork and original textiles as well as accessories and homewares. The stalls are almost all staffed by the designer-makers, who are keen to talk about their wares and how they are made.
The atmosphere at these events is very upbeat with lots of regulars showing up to chat and shop and few leaving without a bag of goodies and a smile. The events are more than just a place to shop with occasional workshops, craft of faceprinting for children and live music or DJ performances all part of the show and free entry to boot. Take a look at their website or follow on social media to find out about forthcoming events.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
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Opposite Islington Green at the junction of Upper Street and Essex Road, N1
www.camdenpassageislington.co.uk
Twitter: @CamdenPassageN1
Tube: Angel
Open: Wednesday and Saturday and Sunday 7am-3pm (antique market); Thursday & Friday 8.30am-6pm (book market)
Camden Passage is not anywhere near Camden, but lies in a quaint pedestrian passage that runs behind Islington High Street. The modest shop fronts, partly occupied by antique dealers, and the flagstone paving give an old world atmosphere and the antique market on Wednesdays and Saturdays and the book market on Thursday add to this sense of antiquity. The architecture is a genuine mix of Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian, but the market and antique dealers are far more recent, arriving in the 1960s – when Islington began the process of gentrification that has transformed it into one of London’s most desirable neighbourhoods.
The antiques market on Wednesdays and Saturdays is a lot of fun with experienced antique dealers selling genuine antiques and objets d’art, along side more second-hand vintage stalls. The mix is an appealing one with lots of junk to sift through for a gem for just a few quid as well as some fine antiques sold for several hundred.
It is in the middle section of the market, just before the Camden Head pub, that some of the best stalls tend to congregate with enough second-hand clothes, junk and bric-à-brac to keep bargain hunters occupied for a while. Those with more money to spend and an interest in fine antiques should concentrate on the far end of the market – Pierrepont Arcade – a covered area with al fresco stalls and an indoor maze of units selling little bits and pieces like stamps and military medals. It’s around here you can find some great things for the home such as crystal champagne glasses for not much more than the clunking supermarket alternative.
The book market on Thursdays and Fridays has a completely different feel. While the antique market sells mostly upmarket items to tourists and well-to-do antique hunters, the book market is far more egalitarian. Hardbacks sell for £4 and paperbacks go for a £1 or less. Don’t expect decorative antiquarian tomes, but rather popular paperbacks as well as reference books on travel, art, cooking and history.
Eat and Drink
The Camden Head is a stylish pub which is a great place for a pint. There are lots of cafés on Camden Passage, but one of the best place to go Sushi Show at number 28 offering freshly prepared sushi at a reasonable price.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
If you want proof that London is a city packed with young creative people, you could do a lot worse than attend one of these DIY Art Markets where a vast number of painters, cartoonists, fanzine publishers, print makers, jewellers and textile artists congregate to display and sell their wares.
At any of these events your bound to encounter work that is original, sometimes beautiful, but very often thought provoking and downright funny. The events are full of the kind of youthful enthusiasm that is great to experience. I loved the ceramic plates with erotic depictions in a kind of primitive style and the radical fanzines with all kinds of off field political ideas and images. One stall represented an Eastern European art collective with a really unusual collection of print designs that seemed a modern take on the old soviet style posters. There are so many great things here if you like contemporary art and design that you are bound to find something to take away and treasure. I am still chuckling at the handful of funny cloth badges I bought from a young artists calling herself J W Badges and the A2 photographic poster I bought is still looking for a frame but will no doubt find its place on our office wall.
These markets are really great places to visit just for the fun of it and a lot of the artists here seem to be here as much for the fun of it as to do business. One t-shirt on display by artist Babak Ganjei declared ‘ART IS THE THING NOBODY ASKED YOU TO DO’ and that seems to embody the spirit of the event and although nobody asked, I’m glad this group of over 80 creatives are doing their thing.
The atmosphere of the market is helped by great background music which is played just loud enough to notice without being intrusive and their is the added appeal of a great in-house café serving good coffee and snacks.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
Roman Road from St Stephen’s Road to Parnell Road, E3 5EU
Tube: Mile End (Central, Metropolitan and District)
Open: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 8.30am-4.30pm
Roman Road and its market are a strange mix of the cosmopolitan and the parochial. Approaching the market along Roman Road you will pass a photography gallery, an art gallery and even a Buddhist Centre, and yet by the time you reach the market it feels as though you are in the heart of the East End. Most of the people who shop here are locals and one of the stall-holders spoke of the other side of Victoria Park as though it were some distant and exotic land. This end of Roman Road seems relatively untouched by gentrification, but the market itself is a surprisingly friendly and pleasant place to shop and one of the best markets to find discounted high street fashion.
The mysterious stall that sells women’s garments one at a time from a box is still going strong. The pitch is always surrounded with eager local women waiting for the next item in the hope that it will be in a style they like and in a size that fits them – price is never a problem as most items are sold for just a few pounds. There are other more conventional clothing stalls along this part of the market with lots of basic street fashion for around a tenner and one trader at the centre of the market who always has a great selection of French Connection seconds and surplus stock for a fraction of the usual price.
There are several shoe stalls offering a selection of fashionable footwear with prices starting from around £20 a pair and this is also a good market to find bargain bags and suitcases, bedding and even a modest flower stall offering bedding plants and cut flowers.
Roman Road Market is still a great place to spend a morning, but it’s one of those markets that has been most affected by big shopping centres like Westfield in Stratford and matters have been made worse by the council introducing parking restrictions in the surrounding area. Whichever way you come here, it’s worth the journey – you’re bound to leave with a few bargains and a smile on your face. Visitors to the area should take the opportunity to explore Victoria Park and the Hereford Union Canal which are just 5 minutes walk from the market.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
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Campsbourne School
Nightingale Lane, N8 7AF
Or
Alexandra Palace Park, N22 7AY
www.weareccfm.com
Twitter: allypallyfm
Sunday 10am-3pm
The farmer’s market at Alexandra Palace is one of the largest and most successful markets of its kind in London with over 60 stalls setting out their wares and several thousand loyal customers even on the coldest and wettest of Sundays.
The appeal of the market lies in the diversity and quality of the food and goods on offer. There’s a wide choice of fresh organic produce straight from the farm with Wild Country Organics being one of the most prominent and popular such producers. There’s also a good choice of quality meat with High Meadows Welsh Farm offering a tempting selection of their own reared meats and the farmer always on hand to give advice and background to the meat on display. Award winning sausages are also available from Giggly Pig with all kinds of meaty flavours from which to choose and discounts for multi-buys. There are quite a few food specialists here with the Portobello Mushroom Man offering the kind of fungi varieties not to be found in an average supermarket, several quality cheese retailers and a very popular fish monger whose stock tends to run low by midday.
Ally Pally not only caters for the enthusiastic cook but also has a great selection of prepared foods and deli produce. One of best is run by an Italian woman who prepares her own authentic Italian dishes ready to take home and eat, including rich lasagne and deliciously light tiramisu. If you fancy hearty British fare, Brockley’s Pies are hard to beat, with anything from steak and kidney pies to sweet desserts to take away and enjoy at your leisure. There are plenty of sweet treats here, with a Emma (trading as Life of Pie) offering a particularly tempting array of her own caky creations.
If all this food has made you peckish, there are plenty of street food traders with the fried fish and calamari stall proving particularly popular. The Indian Curry stall is also a firm favourite with generous servings of curry and rice with a side dish for just a fiver.
The market is run by City & County Farmers Markets who host a number of great markets across the Capital and are not so precious about the concept of a farmers’ market as to exclude other kinds of stall. So here you kind find a charity selling reconditioned furniture and a local ceramicist selling her unique cups and plates which adds the diversity and appeal of the market. The market alternates between two locations around Alexandra Palace Park, so check on the website before making a special trip.
This feature is taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
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From Monday to Friday this narrow pedestrian street on the fringes of Soho is transformed into a hive of culinary activity with about 15 stalls providing delicious street food from around the world. The only problem for visitors is making a decision about what to eat with Korean BBQ, Jerk Chicken, Thai and Indian Curry, Italian sausage in ciabatta, duck wraps and even Venezuelan filled rolls among the options. All the menus are great value with most dishes around a fiver and very few over £7.
The people serving are a friendly, helpful lot and more than willing to explain the menu options if they have the time, although the Salad Mafia stall (offering fried chicken and salad) had a long queue with quite a few choosing the veggie option with grilled halloumi. Several of the traders cross national culinary boundaries and none more so than the lads selling a Yorkshire Burrito, which involves using a Yorkshire pud as a burrito – strange but delicious.
This small street does get busy during the lunchtime rush but there are enough tables and benches to allow customers to sit and enjoy their food – avoiding the need to walk and munch which is often unavoidable at some street food events.
this in a feature taken from our forthcoming book:
London's Markets
by Andrew Kershman
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