Sunday, 17 December, 2017
On the run up to Christmas, there’s one place I wanted to visit and that’s Spitalfields Market. It was raining and cool but it takes only eight minutes by train from Hackney Downs, our nearest train station, to Liverpool Street, the closest station to Spitalfields. There’s so simply no excuse to stay away!
(This history: “Spitalfields takes its name from the hospital and priory, St. Mary’s Spittel that was founded in 1197. Spitalfields served as a microcosm of this polyglot society, the ‘melting pot’ fusion of east and west. Historically, it has played host to a transient community – primarily for new immigrants. From its small beginnings in the 17th Century, Spitalfields Market blossomed…trading six days a week. By 1876 the market had fallen into decline”…a former market porter called Robert Horner…started work on a new market building which was completed in 1893 at a cost of £80,000. The market moved to Leyton in 1991 but at the end of 2005 the Spitalfields regeneration programme restored the original market area. Today it’s filled with “designers / makers and artists selling fashions, homewares and accessories or a treasure trove of vintage and antique clothing, furniture and other wondrous oddments!”
This was going to be a whirlwind visit, and I’m sure I’ll be back many times to talk more about Spitalfields but today I walked through, had some lunch, looked at some stalls and left! I was puzzled to see that so many new official looking freestanding kiosks had sprung up and wondered why they were there and if they were permanent. While I love food, I’m not happy with how so many London markets are turning into overpriced food courts. I didn’t let this take away from the charm of this lovely market, part old, part new, always thriving as it changes day to day.
I had a coupon for Wagamama so had a small lunch, or at least I thought it might be a small lunch since I chose a child’s meal. Mistake! There was too much food. The ramen was way too big for a child and was bland , flavoured only with Sriracha sauce. The hirata buns (bao) were as nice (and as tiny) as always and could have been enough! Lesson learned. Not a huge fan of Wagamama but a coupon is a coupon and the service was fast and friendly. Free lunch!
Is it just me or did the market look less Chistmassy than expected? The official-looking food kiosks are in the centre of the top photo, and look like containers. In the bottom photo, I can tell how misty and rainy it was, since usually Christchurch is clearly visible through the atrium roof. I will take more photos on a clear day.
I left the market for a minute to look along Commercial Street. For such a rainy day, it was busy but I wasn’t ready to brave the weather just yet!
Time to go home and dry off!