Columbia Road Flower Market

If you've never been before, you must head down to Columbia Road for their Christmas Wednesdays shopping extravaganza! The shops, which are usually only open on a Sunday, are open on Wednesday evenings throughout December. Columbia Road is home to a mass of lovely little independent retailers, selling everything from jewellery and vintage clothes, to antiques, toys, cupcakes and furniture. Expect honest, traditional service from the shopkeepers, and the cobbled streets and period shop fronts make for a charming backdrop. Last year there was live music, mulled wine and mince pies on offer, in my opinion it's the perfect way to warm up on a winter's evening, and avoid the high street Christmas crush!
www.columbiaroad.info

This much-loved market has in recent years become a big tourist draw. However the original Columbia Road Market was a very different affair began by Baroness Angela Burdett-Coutts. She was horrified at the dishonesty and crime of market traders in the 18th century and she intended this market to regulate trading and improve standards. It began in a mock gothic building financed by the Baroness who wasted her time and money. This enterprise was an abject failure within a very short time. The building was returned to the Baroness and demolished in 1960. Today’s market is the successor of this original idea. In the past the traders were locals who ran ...  Read the complete review

If you value your Sunday morning lie-in you probably won’t make it to the Columbia Road flower market, but it’s well worth dragging yourself out of bed for. Every Sunday from 7.30am until lunchtime this sleepy little Shoreditch back street becomes a hive of activity, buzzing with shoppers laden down with plants and flowers of all descriptions. This is typical East End, with bagels, shrimps and jellied-eels but it caters for the Shoreditch trendy crowd too with fresh, piping hot calemari and wine bars. Because of its proximity to so many east London night spots it’s become a bit of a haunt for clubbers in search of sustenance after dancing all ...  Read the complete review