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20-562: Billingsgate Fish Market is the United Kingdom's largest inland fish market . It takes its name from Billingsgate , a ward in the south-east corner of the City of London , where the riverside market was originally established. In its original location in the 19th century, Billingsgate was the largest fish market in the world. The current market is located off Trafalgar Way in Poplar , east London - at

40-504: A list of fish market articles .) New Spitalfields Market New Spitalfields Market is a fruit and vegetable market on a 31-acre (13 ha) site in Leyton , London Borough of Waltham Forest in East London . The market is owned and administered by the City of London Corporation . The market is Europe's leading horticultural market specialising in exotic fruit and vegetables - and

60-559: Is also provided, and there are five ancillary accommodation units with cafes, toilets and maintenance facilities. The services of a diesel/propane supplier, specialist pallet services and forklift truck maintenance companies are also available. Security for the market is provided by the Market Constabulary . The Old River Lea runs on the western edge of the site. In early 2019, the City of London Corporation's main decision-making body,

80-414: Is now sold to consumers through these venues, like most other foodstuffs . Consequently, most major fish markets now mainly deal with wholesale trade, and the existing major fish retail markets continue to operate as much for traditional reasons as for commercial ones. Both types of fish markets are often tourist attractions as well. The following is an incomplete list of notable fish markets. (See also

100-465: Is open from Tuesday to Saturday. Trading commences at 4 a.m. and finishes at 8:30 a.m. Security for the market is provided by the private Market Constabulary . Traditionally, the only people allowed to move fish around the market were licensed fish porters. The role dates back at least to Henry VIII , and was officially recognised by the Corporation of London in 1632. In 2012, a bitter battle

120-555: Is quick to spoil , fish markets are historically most often found in seaside towns. Once ice or other simple cooling methods became available, some were also established in large inland cities that had good trade routes to the coast. Since refrigeration and rapid transport became available in the 19th and 20th century, fish markets can technically be established at any place. However, because modern trade logistics in general has shifted away from marketplaces and towards retail outlets, such as supermarkets , most seafood worldwide

140-503: The Corporation obtained an Act to rebuild and enlarge the market, which was done to plans by Bunning's successor as City architect Sir Horace Jones . The new site covered almost twice the area of the old, incorporating Billingsgate Stairs and Wharf and Darkhouse Lane. Work began in 1874, and the new market was opened by the Lord Mayor on 20 July 1877. The new buildings , Italianate in style, had on their long frontages towards Thames Street

160-562: The Isle of Dogs in Poplar , close to Canary Wharf and Blackwall . The freehold owner of the site is the London Borough of Tower Hamlets , but the City of London Corporation still runs the market; they pay an annual ground rent stipulated in an agreement between the two councils as "the gift of one fish". Most of the fish sold through the market now arrives there by road, from ports as far afield as Aberdeen and Cornwall . Billingsgate Market

180-817: The Court of Common Council, proposed that Billingsgate Fish Market , New Spitalfields Market and Smithfield Market should move to a new consolidated site in Dagenham Dock . A formal planning application was made in June 2020, and received outline permission in March 2021. However, in November 2024, the Court of Common Council announced it did not intend to proceed with these plans as they were no longer economically viable; instead, Billingsgate Fish Market and Smithfield Market would close in or after 2028 with no replacements. New Spitalfields Market

200-580: The early 1990s. This followed the move of Covent Garden Market and Billingsgate Fish Market out of the city centre. The new, purpose-built location in Leyton opened in May 1991. The wholesale fruit and vegetable market at Stratford Market - founded in 1879 by the Great Eastern Railway as a competitor to Spitalfields - also closed and consolidated at the New Spitalfields site. The old market on

220-572: The eastern end of the North Dock of the West India Docks . Billingsgate Wharf, close to Lower Thames Street , became the centre of a fish market during the 16th and 17th centuries but did not become formally established until the Billingsgate, etc. Act 1698 ( 10 Will. 3 . c. 13). In 1850, the market, according to Horace Jones, "consisted only of shed buildings ... The open space on the north of

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240-646: The edge of the city was subsequently regenerated, becoming Old Spitalfields Market - with a range of public markets as well as independent local stores and restaurants. The market hall houses 115 trading units for wholesalers dealing in fruit, vegetables and flowers. Modern facilities in the market hall include cold storage rooms, ripening rooms and racking for palletised produce. The site has extensive parking facilities for customers, delivery vehicles and market personnel. There are four separate buildings providing modern self-contained units for catering supply companies. Over 9,688 square feet (900 m ) of office space

260-464: The great Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, which turns over about 660,000 tonnes a year. The term fish market can also refer to the process of fish marketing in general, but this article is concerned with physical marketplaces. Fish markets were known in antiquity. They served as a public space where large numbers of people could gather and discuss current events and local politics . Because seafood

280-516: The largest revenue earning wholesale market in the UK. It had previously been located at Spitalfields Market just off Bishopsgate, on the east side of the City of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets . Due to traffic congestion, lack of space for parking lorries, as well as out of date market buildings (e.g. poor refrigeration facilities) - the market was relocated out of the Tower Hamlets in

300-430: The river, a pedimented centre and continuous arcade, flanked at each end by a pavilion tavern. The general market, on a level with Thames Street, had an area of about 30,000 square feet (2,800 m), and was covered with louvre glass roofs, 43 feet (13 m) high at the ridge. A gallery 30 feet (9.1 m) wide was allocated to the sale of dried fish, while the basement served as a market for shellfish. Electric lighting

320-425: The well-remembered Billingsgate Dock was dotted with low booths and sheds, with a range of wooden houses with a piazza in front on the west, which served the salesmen and fishmongers as shelter, and for the purposes of carrying on their trade." In that year the market was rebuilt to a design by J. B. Bunning , the City architect. Bunning's building was soon found to be insufficient for the increased trade, and in 1872

340-505: The writer makes reference to the foul tongues of Billingsgate oyster-wives. The market is depicted during Tudor times in Rosemary Sutcliff 's 1951 children's historical novel The Armourer's House . The writer George Orwell worked at Billingsgate in the 1930s, as did the Kray twins in the 1950s. In 1982, the fish market was relocated to a new 13-acre (53,000 m) building complex on

360-436: Was also furnished in November 1878 via 16 Jablochkoff Candles . The opening of the railways changed the nature of the trade, and by the late nineteenth century most of the fish arrived at the market via the Great Eastern Railway . The infamously coarse language of London fishmongers made "Billingsgate" a byword for crude or vulgar language. One of its earliest uses can be seen in a 1577 chronicle by Raphael Holinshed , where

380-636: Was expected to become operational in 2027/2028, when the Billingsgate Market site would be available for redevelopment. However, in November 2024, the council announced it did not intend to proceed with these plans as they were no longer economically viable; instead, Billingsgate Fish Market and Smithfield Market would close in or after 2028 with no replacements. 51°30′23″N 0°0′51″W  /  51.50639°N 0.01417°W  / 51.50639; -0.01417 Fish market Fish markets range in size from small fish stalls to large ones such as

400-477: Was fought between modernisers and traditionalists. The modernisers won and the role of the porters ended. In early 2019, the City of London Corporation's main decision-making body, the Court of Common Council, proposed that Billingsgate, New Spitalfields Market and Smithfield Market should move to a new consolidated site in Dagenham Dock . A formal planning application was made in June 2020, and received outline permission in March 2021. The new consolidated market

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