In search of London's earliest pint

Early houses-pubs open in the early hours to feed and water the market trade-have been a cornerstone of London for centuries. Yet, as Will Hosie finds, they aren't stuck in the past

- Will Hosie

THE last grocer at Covent Garden packed up his stall in 1973.

The flower, fruit and vegetable market, which had operated continuously for centuries, was relocated to Nine Elms after traffic congestion made trading untenable. The site languished for decades before giving way to the smorgasbord of luxury shopping and wine bars we know today, all dutifully lined up in the shadow of the Royal Opera House. Over in The City, Leadenhall Market—which once sold game and poultry under a roof of green, maroon and cream—is now home to jewellers and bouji cheesemongers and is a favourite among tourists visiting a spot where Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was filmed.

The reinvention of our markets is one of London's great success stories. With few left, however, the sentiment has shifted in favour of conservation. Last year's announcement that Smithfield Market, EC1, was due to relocate somewhere outside central London caused an outcry from wholesalers and customers alike. The move is due to take place before the end of the decade—albeit no earlier than 2028—and a new site has not yet been confirmed.

A couple of wholesalers also remain on site at Borough Market, SE1. They jostle for space with more and more artisanal shops that have set up stalls in the area. There are countless cheesemongers, deli stands, bakery outposts and even one man selling truffles. Another stand sells oysters and another Dorset venison. On Park Street, one of the market’s tributaries, is a row of upmarket shops, including Aesop, Cubitts and APC. Pictures of Borough are among the first results when doing an online image search on the theme of gentrification.