Spitalfields

Spitalfields is an area I love dearly, especially as recent innovations have firmly placed it at the centre of the foodosphere*.

I heard today that it is further enhancing its credentials by upgrading its food market.  Whereas currently the food market is only one element of a larger Sunday market selling all kinds of rubbish, there will now be a much larger area dedicated to food.  Best of all, market days will be Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.  It will make a change for a decent market to be open at some time other than the weekend (and Fridays in the case of Borough Market).

I was particularly intrigued to hear that the stall holders will include several of the fresh-produce stalls from Borough.  It appears that a number of the meat, fruit and veg and seafood purveyors are getting sick of Borough's mobs and the never-ending queues of people buying sandwiches.  Borough has become more like an enormous and expensive food-hall, than a true market selling fresh produce.

So, Spitalfields is opening its arms widely to these stall-holders and offering them a berth.  I don't think they are leaving Borough for good, just diversifying their outlets.  Hopefully, prices will be a bit cheaper than Borough's extortionate rates.

It will not just be fresh produce, some of the local food shops will have stalls in the market, including A. Gold, that merchant of all things British.  Before I forget, A. Gold are closing for a few days later this week to rejig the store and introduce some new lines, including seafood - one to watch even more closely than usual.

*As far as I'm aware this is a neologism - I hope it is anyway.  It is a pretentious alternative to foodie, gourmand and their ilk.  If readers have a better term, please let me know.