Is Billingsgate shutting down?

Billingsgate Market is not closing down permanently, but it is moving from its current Poplar site to a new location in the Royal Docks (Albert Island), with the transition expected by 2028. Following a halt in plans for a Dagenham move, the historic fish market will relocate to maintain operations, with traders supported through the transition.

Is Billingsgate fish market going to close?

Jason Holland. Billingsgate fish market – which is the oldest fish market in the U.K. capital of London and what was once the world's largest fish market – is set to close in 2028 after the City of London Corporation recently decided to withdraw its support.

What is happening with Billingsgate?

After almost eight centuries at the heart of life in the capital and a period where their future lay in doubt, the historic Smithfield and Billingsgate markets are to get a new home on a former industrial site in east London.

Why is the Billingsgate Market moving?

New site near Thames planned for historic markets

They need a new home because Smithfield Market's current site in the City of London is to be turned into cultural space, while Billingsgate Market at Poplar, east London, is to be used for new homes.

Are Smithfield meat market and Billingsgate fish market set to close in 2028?

The oldest meat and fish markets in London, which date back 850 years, are facing permanent closure from 2028. Smithfield meat market, near St Paul's Cathedral, and Billingsgate fish market in Canary Wharf are to be closed after the City of London Corporation voted to withdraw support for them.

Historic London Markets To Close: Smithfield & Billingsgate Could Shut After Centuries Of Trading

What will replace the Billingsgate Market?

On December 3, 2025, Albert Island at the Royal Docks was announced as the new preferred site to co-locate Smithfield and Billingsgate Markets. These markets will become known as New Smithfield and New Billingsgate Markets.

Why is Smithfield closing?

London's historic Smithfield and Billingsgate markets are set to shut after the City of London Corporation voted to withdraw support for them, bringing down the curtain on two establishments that have been part of London life for the best part of a millennium.

Where are Londoners moving to in 2025?

In 2025, 68% of London leavers stayed in the South of England (South East, South West or East of England) – the highest proportion since 2021 and up from 62% in 2024. This marks a reversal of the pandemic and then affordability-led trend that pushed buyers further into the Midlands and North.

Who owns the Billingsgate Market?

When the plan was made public, in April 2019, excitement was expressed about the City of London Corporation, owner of the Smithfield meat market in Farringdon, Billingsgate fish market in Poplar and the New Spitalfields horticultural produce hub in Leyton, consolidating all three in one place.

Is fish cheaper at Billingsgate?

Yes, fish is generally cheaper at London's Billingsgate Market, especially if you're buying in bulk (by the kilo or box) and are willing to get up early to shop, offering wholesale prices that beat many high street retailers, though some find prices similar to supermarkets for smaller quantities, with the main benefit being freshness and variety.

Why is the stock market suddenly crashing?

A stock market crash is a sudden dramatic decline of stock prices across a major cross-section of a stock market, resulting in a significant loss of paper wealth. Crashes are driven by panic selling and underlying economic factors. They often follow speculation and economic bubbles.

What will happen to house prices in 2025 in London?

The outer London borough saw a 4.7 per cent rise in the average asking price over the course of 2025 to £498,000. The four top boroughs were all in east London, with Tower Hamlets (up 4.1 per cent), Hackney (up 2.9 per cent), and Waltham Forest (up 2 per cent) also high on the list.

What is the petition for Billingsgate market closure?

The petition was created by former London resident Peter Acton to oppose plans to close Billingsgate and Smithfield markets by 2028 after relocation plans were rejected. He argued that these historic sites are vital to London's food supply and cultural heritage, and that relocating will not suffice.

Why is Billingsgate closing?

Billingsgate Market (and Smithfield) is closing because its current site is outdated, inefficient, and causes congestion, with plans for relocation to the Royal Docks in East London scrapped due to soaring costs, leading the City of London Corporation to halt support and plan permanent closure, though a new site may yet emerge, with current operations continuing until at least 2028.
 

What is the oldest food market in London?

Borough Market is a wholesale and retail market hall in Southwark, London, England. It is one of the largest and oldest food markets in London, with a market on the site dating back to at least the 12th century.

Is Billingsgate Fish Market moving?

Smithfield and Billingsgate markets are set to move to a new location in London's Royal Docks. The future of London's Billingsgate Fish Market and Smithfield Meat Market – each the largest markets of their kind in the UK – has been in the lurch for a while.

Where do rich Londoners live?

Knightsbridge. Wealthy places in London don't come much wealthier than Knightsbridge. Period townhouses and cute mews set along cobbled streets jostle for attention with lavish new developments, including The Knightsbridge Apartments and One Hyde Park.

What will happen to the Billingsgate Market?

April 2019: The City of London Corporation announces plans to move Smithfield, New Billingsgate and New Spitalfields markets to one mega-site in Dagenham. November 2024: Dagenham is off! The City of London announces that the markets will still close, but they will NOT now relocate to Dagenham.

Who actually owns Smithfield Foods?

2013 purchase by Shuanghui Group

On May 29, 2013, WH Group, then known as Shuanghui Group and sometimes also Shineway Group, the largest meat producer in China, announced the purchase of Smithfield Foods for $4.72 billion, a sale first suggested in 2009.

What happened to Fulton Fish Market?

In November 2005, the Fish Market relocated to a new facility in Hunts Point in the Bronx, from its historic location at the South Street Seaport (along the East River waterfront at and above Fulton Street) in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan.