- Walthamstow Market
infobox UK place
country = England
map_type = Greater London
region= London
population=
official_name= Walthamstow High Street
latitude= 51.5910
longitude= -0.0135
constituency_westminster= Walthamstow
post_town= LONDON
postcode_area= E
postcode_district=E17
london_borough= Waltham Forest
dial_code= 020
os_grid_reference= TQ385865Walthamstow Market in theLondon Borough of Waltham Forest , is the longest (though not the largest) daily outdoor market in Europe. It occupies all but the last 100 metres of Walthamstow's High Street. It is reputed to be a mile long, but in fact measures approximately one kilometre.History and characteristics of the area
The 19th century Marsh Street, a rural lane, was transformed into the High Street by Victorian expansion. The street market dates from 1885. Today it is the centre of Walthamstow, with the main rail and tube station, bus station, post office and Central Library, and most of the commercial development and activity located around the High Street.
Five days a week (Tuesday - Saturday), the High Street is dominated by Walthamstow Market, and Saturdays are crowded. The Town Square, adjacent to the main market, is currently home to a Saturday
French market . On Sundays the street is quiet, with only a few shops and cafes open, and a morningfarmers market at the Town Square.The
street market stretches the entire length of the High Street, apart from the last 100 metres of the street, and has about 500 stalls. The street is lined with shops of different sizes, from small traditionally sized shops to large supermarkets. Generally, the shops do not extend into the side streets, which are densely populated with terraced houses.The High Street area has a diverse, ethnically mixed population. Forty-one per cent of residents (in the ward as a whole) are classified as black or minority ethnic, mostly Pakistani and African-Caribbean.
The market has kept a traditional
cockney feel whilst absorbing influences from the diverse cultures of the area. The overall tone is downmarket but with many interesting and enjoyable aspects.High street chains
There are two main areas of new building which break away from the traditional character of the street:
Sainsbury's supermarket is set in a new development which includes a few other shops, which use the street frontage that Sainsburys does not need, and a two storey car park above. There is a lift connecting the car park to the supermarket, but is not reserved for customers only.
The Mall Selborne Walk is a much larger complex with shop frontages on the High Street, and an indoor shopping mall. Most of the units are chains, the largest being BHS. The back of the complex, on Selbourne Road, is blank apart from car park entrances, and a pedestrian entrance linking to nothing in particular.
Independent retailers
There are many independent small shops specialising in ethnic foods (Polish, Russian, Indian, Chinese, Caribbean, South Asian etc), Halal and English butchers, fabrics, household goods etc. as well as cafes.
One of London's increasingly rare
pie and mash shops, L. Manze, opened in 1929 and still serves the traditional meat pie, mushy peas, 'liquor' and mashed potatoes, with jellied eels on the side.Market stalls
Stalls sell 'fruit and veg', cheap clothes, kitchen and hardware items including a vacuum cleaner spares stall, and a few stalls sell music CDs.
Market infrastructure and management
The market is managed by the London Borough of Waltham Forest.
Transport
Victoria Line
*Walthamstow Central tube station
*Blackhorse Road tube station Lee Valley Line
*St James Street railway station
*Walthamstow Central railway station References
External links
* [http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/town-centre Walthamstow Market]
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