Imagine 57 acres filled with the freshest produce. This is New Covent Garden Market. It is not just a market. It’s a vital artery pumping life into London’s food scene.
New Covent Garden Market is the largest wholesale fruit, vegetable, and flower market in the United Kingdom. About 200 companies call this place home. They supply 40% of the fruit and vegetables eaten outside homes in London. This includes restaurants, hotels, schools, and even prisons.
The Flower Market is a vibrant explosion of colors and scents. Seventy-five percent of London’s florists visit here. They come for flowers, plants, and decorations from the UK and all over the world. Imagine the early morning hustle. Wholesalers open as early as 4 AM.
Driving in? There is a small entry fee. But the closest Underground stations, Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms, make access easy. These stations opened in 2021.
Let’s step back in time. The capital’s main wholesale market was once in central London at Covent Garden. Other foods were at Smithfield, Billingsgate, and Leadenhall Market. In 1961, the Covent Garden Market Authority was formed. Its job was to modernize the produce market.
Construction of New Covent Garden Market began in 1971 in Battersea. This was the site of the former Nine Elms Locomotive Works. The new market opened in November 1974. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened it in June 1975.
The Covent Garden Market Authority reports to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. In the 1980s, supermarkets threatened the wholesale industry. New Covent Garden Market shifted focus to the hospitality industry.
By 2005, the buildings needed modernization. A redevelopment plan was created. The Covent Garden Market Authority was allowed to keep profits. These profits funded the initial planning work.
In 2013, a contract was signed with Vinci and St. Modwen for regeneration. The project is funded by releasing spare land for residential properties. The project is expected to create jobs and homes. It is part of the Nine Elms Regeneration area.
The new Flower Market opened in April 2017. The Food Exchange opened in January 2018. But traders were not impressed with the new units. They sued over breach of contract. A settlement was reached in December 2020.
The second phase of works started in January 2021. It is to be completed in 2026. The newest block will comprise 24 units. A new Southern Access Road opened in March.
The New Covent Garden Market has been selling fresh produce and flowers since 1670. The market’s traders have moved with the times. Great relationships, expertise, and passion remain.
New Covent Garden Market is in Nine Elms. This location allows for fast deliveries throughout London. Shorter journeys also reduce environmental impact.
The New Covent Garden Market is where London’s restaurants source their ingredients. It’s where market traders buy for their stalls. Even your local pub gets its fresh produce here.