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Old Spitalfields Market

Trading much-neglected for most-visited

  • Location London, UK
  • Client Tribeca Holdings
  • Year 2011
  • Status Built
  • Sectors: Retail

The historic Spitalfields Market in east London is now one of London’s most visited spaces. Our regeneration scheme carefully restored the market’s listed 19th century buildings, delivering new retail, leisure and hospitality space as well as site-wide infrastructure renewal.

Awards

2011

National Association of British Market Authorities: Best Private Market - winner

Old Spitalfields Market
Project info
  • Location London, UK
  • Client Tribeca Holdings
  • Year 2011
  • Status Built

Spitalfields Market is a former fruit and vegetable market and one of London’s historic market halls. The market’s 19th century buildings were much-loved but, by the 21st century, had fallen into a state of considerable disrepair: underutilised as an eclectic consumer market a few days a week, but closed and empty for much of the rest.

Jestico + Whiles was commissioned by developer Ballymore to restore and regenerate the market alongside historic buildings specialist Julian Harrap Architects. The wide-ranging commission included new, high-quality café, restaurant and retail space under a restored Victorian market roof structure. It also included new shopfronts in the listed building, hardscape and site-wide renewal of infrastructure.

Stripping away years of accumulated detritus revealed a spectacular market hall structure into which servicing has been discreetly integrated. The market hall was activated for a variety of cultural activities and events, alongside a basement storage facility that allows stalls to be removed and stored for special events. The commission also included the redesign of external shop fronts, branding and visual identity.

An overall masterplan for the future long-term development of the market envisaged an intensification, including additional food court units and wooden market stalls. Jestico + Whiles has maintained a role monitoring and advising on various developments at the market.

The project reinvigorated the market into a thriving seven-days-a-week destination and one of London’s most visited spaces, attracting up to 180,000 visitors a week.