Borough Market: classic or dud?

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A wonderful array of organic cornfed hand-reared free-range continental culinary delights? Or a big poncey rip-off?

― the guv'nor, Wednesday, 26 January 2005 13:19 (twenty-one years ago)

friday morning for the range and watching the professional chefs sniffing the merchandise. and last thing on saturday afternoon to pick up oddments going cheap (you'd never try them otherwise). also - it's a impossibly packed if it's been profiled on TV or in the paper the night before. this has happened to me more than once.

― nick.K (nick.K), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 13:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I think it's classic but then I'm a tourist when I'm in London, so I would. Mmm Cool Chile Co.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 13:28 (twenty-one years ago)

the only time it's not classic is if you go at the really busy period on a saturday - round about 11.30 - 2pm. If you get there early on a sat. then it's great, and it was absolutely fantastic at 8.30am on christmas eve!

You have to have your wits about you - you can easily find yourself ripped off if you're not careful. You need to think purchases through, and ensure that you're not paying over the odds for something you could buy of equal quality for less money in your local supermarket. It's generally fantastic for raw ingredients though, even if it's not cheaper than your local supermarket, because the quality is far superior so long as you stick to goods that are in season.Where you can get really ripped off is the 'processed' goods, as they have the biggest mark ups.

But for range of goods, finding fantastic stuff that you can't get anywhere else, and for quality, there's nowhere better.

― Vicky (Vicky), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 13:35 (twenty-one years ago)

TS: The Market Porter v The Wheatsheaf ?

Is it true that the MP is open from something like 3am to cater for market people who've worked through the night?

― Japanese Giraffe (Japanese Giraffe), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 13:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Dud if you have to commute into Charing Cross - the railway line from Metropolitan Junction to Borough Market Junction is a nasty bottleneck, because of the width of the viaduct that runs through the market.

― caitlin (caitlin), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 13:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Mmmm for the carribbean cook-up people alone, classic to the max.

― Starry Sarah, Wednesday, 26 January 2005 13:59 (twenty-one years ago)

The MP has great selection of ales, avoid Fri evening office knobheads though

― nobby, Wednesday, 26 January 2005 14:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Good, but too crowded and prices/quality variable. I'd say it's great for London, but it'd be a rather average market for Paris. London needs a lot more markets, I'm sure the demand's there.

― Jonathan Z. (Joanthan Z.), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 14:14 (twenty-one years ago)

six months pass...

I was in foodie heaven when i visited there on Saturday.

― leigh (leigh), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:24 (twenty years ago)

I went by it on the bus on Saturday. It looked very busy.

― Masonic Boom (kate), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:30 (twenty years ago)

My local market. Actually hasn't seemed so busy to me last couple of Saturdays. I put that down to fear of bombs. So often crammed with middle class Islington tossers and tourists taking bloody photos of everything while I'm trying to get around my usual round of Elsey and Bent veggies, Mr Bourne's Cheshire Cheese and the Cider man. Arrive early to avoid the wanker set or late to get the cheapies.

― Borough Boy, Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:35 (twenty years ago)

Yes, indeed, how dare the Middle Classes be enjoying markets? Shouldn't they be off shopping at Waitrose or something?

― Masonic Boom (kate), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:37 (twenty years ago)

only N. London middle class, mind. Stay out of my manor :)

― Borough Boy, Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:38 (twenty years ago)

Does the Cider Man stock Kopperberg perry by any chance?

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:40 (twenty years ago)

So I would be allowed because I'm South London middle class? I'm confused. I want a market that does nice, decent fresh veggies. Sainsburys has a better selection of weird veggies, but they all taste of plastic. :-(

― Masonic Boom (kate), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:41 (twenty years ago)

how dare these itinerant rural types clog up my manor wiv their poncey foods.

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:43 (twenty years ago)

I couldn't buy anything cos the fresh stuff wouldn't be by the time i got back to Edinburgh on the Sunday night and the non-perishable stuff i could get at home. It was packed to the gills. Didn't need lunch after stuffing my face on free samples.

― leigh (leigh), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:46 (twenty years ago)

S. Londoners welcome. I'm gonna stop talking about it before it gets even more overun with tourists from over the river. The best pub south of the river is just a way off Borough High Street and that will remain a secret.

― Borough Boy, Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:46 (twenty years ago)

The answer to Dan Giraffe's question upthread is: the Wheatsheaf, always the Wheatsheaf.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:46 (twenty years ago)

as an islington tosser, i can't be bothered to go down there. we've got our own little market on sundays anyway. (not that i'm ever awake in time to go)

actually, even when i lived in butler's wharf, i didn't enjoy borough market that much. i like the idea, but found it too crowded and fairly annoying.

― colette (a2lette), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:53 (twenty years ago)

The best pub south of the river is just a way off Borough High Street and that will remain a secret.

Lord Clyde? WHOOPS

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:55 (twenty years ago)

my point exactly. there should be more of these held locally for tossers from all classes. it's the tourists that ruin BM

NOT Lord Clyde!

― Borough Boy, Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:56 (twenty years ago)

So few Northerners ever poke their noses on this side of the river that I doubt they could pose much of a thread. Oh no! Muswell Hillbillies! Come to pillage our cheap veggies, our reasonable real estate and our sandy, tubeless earth! Oh no!

― Masonic Boom (kate), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:57 (twenty years ago)

I wonder if you mean the Royal Oak? But the Lord Clyde is better, it's my favourite pub in London.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:57 (twenty years ago)

would that be the same pub where we had an FAP a couple of years back? oh hang on that was actually ON borough high street (that WAS the royal oak, wunnit?).

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:58 (twenty years ago)

we were in The George last night which is just opposite Borough Market. that said, i think it was chosen for it's proximity to Chicken Cottage rather than the market...

― koogs (koogs), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 08:59 (twenty years ago)

Oh yes, it was the George where we had the FAP.

I think we picked Kastoori for the curry FAP on Friday because of its proximity to what is probably the largest Chicken Cottage in the world (Upper Tooting Road, I've seen none bigger).

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 09:01 (twenty years ago)

It's become something of a fixture in our schedule.

― BARMS, Wednesday, 3 August 2005 11:13 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

i received this from an actual barrow boy:

Save Borough Market... London needs posh veg!

…..Borough market is London's oldest market. It was established on the south bank of the Thames when the Romans build the first London Bridge and people have been trading on this site for over 2000 years. it's a beautiful undercover food market and a truly wonderful part of London's history.
Some bright spark has decided to expand the railway line running through the roof of the market, which will also involve knocking down 23 of the beautiful listed and unlisted buildings in the closely surrounding area.

They already have planning permission, but are waiting funding and there is a strong local campaign to put a stop to it.

If you know and love the market in its present state, please sign the petition to prevent this from happening. The plans, photographs and the petition are on the following

site: http://www.sabmac.co.uk
Unfortunately not a lot of people are aware of it so please sign it and pass it on to anyone else you know who loves this great bit of London heritage.

personally i think the idea of 'london heritage' is oxymoronic but ya know...

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Friday, 26 January 2007 14:06 (nineteen years ago)

not too busy on a friday lunchtime as i discovered.

― vita susicivus (blueski), Saturday, 27 January 2007 00:20 (nineteen years ago)

i heard there is some hauntology round the back

― David Lucifer (688), Sunday, 28 January 2007 14:08 (nineteen years ago)

dear visitors to Borough market:

"food is not a fucking spectator sport"

― Porkpie (porkpie), Sunday, 28 January 2007 20:22 (nineteen years ago)

Before and after pics of the proposed redevelopment, and guess what it's yet another steel and glass box. Notice how they've photoshopped the cathedral tower to be higher in the second pic.

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/imageuploads/1163177574_80.177.117.97.jpg

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/imageuploads/1163177557_80.177.117.97.jpg

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 29 January 2007 10:22 (nineteen years ago)

yet another steel and glass box.

replacing yet another bricks-and-windows box.

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Monday, 29 January 2007 10:26 (nineteen years ago)

It's sunnier in the 2nd pic too! See how much better things will be in the future?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 29 January 2007 10:30 (nineteen years ago)

a fair point

xpost

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 29 January 2007 10:32 (nineteen years ago)

that's yer global warming factor innit

― vita susicivus (blueski), Monday, 29 January 2007 10:44 (nineteen years ago)

It's sunnier in the 2nd pic too!

And the railway bridge has been transformed into some sort of futuristic bowstring.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Monday, 29 January 2007 11:05 (nineteen years ago)

That'd be the attractive new viaduct:

http://www.sabmac.co.uk/Images/affectedareas/prop2.jpg

http://www.sabmac.co.uk/Images/affectedareas/prop4.jpg

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 29 January 2007 11:12 (nineteen years ago)

Where's yer sunny blue sky now eh? It's all gone a bit dystopian.

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 29 January 2007 11:14 (nineteen years ago)

I like that bridge.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 29 January 2007 11:15 (nineteen years ago)

The removal of the flat junction between London Bridge and Blackfriars will be a boon to anyone on thameslink, charing cross or cannon st trains.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 29 January 2007 11:16 (nineteen years ago)

Metropolitan Junction?

I'd say four-tracking the London Bridge - Metropolitan Junction stretch would make a bigger difference than anything else - although yes it would be a Good Thing if then the chord from Blackfriars connected to the southernmost pair of lines in order to avoid conflicting moves with Slow Line traffic going from Charing Cross towards Greenwich or Lewisham. At the moment I believe most trains from Blackfriars switch over to the LBSC tracks at Spa Road Junction, so have to cross the paths of everything going in and out of Charing Cross.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Monday, 29 January 2007 12:13 (nineteen years ago)

Lack of grade separation is the killer. 4 tracking won't matter a jot if thameslink trains are still having to cross over charing cross trains. The plan is to grade separate at London bridge by putting in high and low level through platforms and at blackfriars by putting the bay platforms on the west side and having the thamslink cross to the eastside to the north of the platforms.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 29 January 2007 12:17 (nineteen years ago)

four years pass...

Opening in Borough market later this month: Starbucks.

― James Mitchell, Sunday, 7 August 2011 07:29 (fourteen years ago)

Got a link?

― ledge, Sunday, 7 August 2011 09:23 (fourteen years ago)

http://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk/shops/the-borough

― Dark Noises from the Eurozone (Tracer Hand), Sunday, 7 August 2011 09:27 (fourteen years ago)

It's from an interview with the company's director of design Thom Breslin in the business section of today's Sunday Times.

― James Mitchell, Sunday, 7 August 2011 09:28 (fourteen years ago)

fucking times paywall

― ledge, Sunday, 7 August 2011 09:48 (fourteen years ago)

One way around it:

http://i.imgur.com/EszOJ.jpg

― James Mitchell, Sunday, 7 August 2011 10:07 (fourteen years ago)

Cheers. Have asked about this on the london-se1 forum, BM always a hot topic there.

― ledge, Sunday, 7 August 2011 10:17 (fourteen years ago)

On Borough High St, not in the market. Lazy journalism or opportunistic PR.

― ledge, Sunday, 7 August 2011 21:45 (fourteen years ago)

two years pass...

so is this the best market in London? been here almost a week and I'd like to visit a market to see how things go, get some decent cheese, and so on.

― Euler, Tuesday, 8 July 2014 13:55 (eleven years ago)

basically yes - it's not a yelling-barrow-boys old-school market, and there are smaller/cooler foodie markets, but it's the number one. I think of it being a bit thin outside the weekend, but that might not still be true – I haven't been along on a weekday afternoon in ages.

― woof, Tuesday, 8 July 2014 14:57 (eleven years ago)

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