Brick Lane Market

{{Short description|Markets in London centered on Brick Lane}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}} {{Use British English|date=December 2016}} {{primary sources |date=December 2023}} [[File:LondonMarketScene2.jpg|thumb|right|300px|People in Brick Lane Market]] '''Brick Lane Market''' is the collective name for a number of [[London]] markets centred on [[Brick Lane]], in [[London Borough of Tower Hamlets|Tower Hamlets]] in east London. The original market was located at the northern end of Brick Lane and in the heart of what is now [[east London]]'s [[British Bangladeshi|Bangladeshi community]] but now commonly refers to the various markets that are housed along the famous London street. The various markets that stretch the length of Brick Lane operate both weekdays but most historically weekends: Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The markets sell a diverse range of items, from antique books to eight-track cartridge decks, vintage clothing to street food, and for many years hosted a stall selling nothing but rusty cog wheels. The markets have always been popular with and much photographed by art students, and [[frugality|bargain hunter]]s from across London value it greatly.<ref name="All in London">{{cite web|title=About Brick Lane Market |url=http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/brick-lane-market.php |publisher=All in London|access-date=15 October 2012}}</ref>

==History==

===Early history=== The markets originally developed in the 17th century as a lone [[farmers' market]] that was held on Sundays due to religious observances by the area's then-prolific [[British Jews|Jewish]] community.<ref>{{cite web|title=History of Brick Lane|url=http://london.myvillage.com/article/a-guide-to-brick-lane|publisher=MyVillage|access-date=2 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425204016/http://london.myvillage.com/article/a-guide-to-brick-lane|archive-date=25 April 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the 20th century, the Brick Lane area experienced an influx of [[British Bangladeshi|Bangladeshi]] immigrants who transformed the marketplace. Even today, Brick Lane is very famous for its curry houses.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sandhu|first=Sukhdev|title=Come hungry, leave edgy|url=http://www.lrb.co.uk/v25/n19/sukhdev-sandhu/come-hungry-leave-edgy|access-date=1 October 2012|date=9 October 2003}}</ref>

===Recent history=== Since the early 2000s, several specific markets have opened within the premises of the [[Old Truman Brewery]]. Once one of London's largest breweries, The Truman Brewery is now home to roughly 250 businesses, shops, and eateries.<ref name="Old Truman Brewery">{{cite web|title=The Old Truman Brewery|url=http://www.trumanbrewery.com/|access-date=2 October 2012}}</ref>

==Truman Markets== {{wide image|Sunday Upmarket, East London, England - June 09.jpg|900px|a 360 degree view of the rear courtyard of the Sunday UpMarket}} [[File:Sunday UpMarket.jpg|thumb|The [[Sunday UpMarket]], one of the five markets comprising the Truman Markets]]

The ''Truman Markets'' forms a part of the wider Brick Lane Market and is located in the historic 11-acre [[Old Truman Brewery]], at the northern end of Brick Lane.<ref name="Sunday (Up)Market">{{cite web|title=Sunday (Up)Market|url=http://www.sundayupmarket.co.uk/venue.html|access-date=1 October 2012|archive-date=6 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206215054/http://www.sundayupmarket.co.uk/venue.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Truman Markets comprise six different markets, all opened at different times in the past two decade: Backyard Market, Brick Lane Vintage Market, Ely's Yard Food Trucks, Rinse Showrooms, Upmarket, and the Tea Rooms.<ref name=OTB-Markets>{{cite web|title=The Old Truman Brewery – Markets|url=http://www.trumanbrewery.com/cgi-bin/markets.pl?|publisher=The Old Truman Brewery|access-date=1 October 2012}}</ref>

[[File:Jewelry at the Sunday UpMarket.jpg|thumb|Handmade jewelry at the Upmarket]] [[File:Unique clothing and accessory designs at the Sunday UpMarket.jpg|thumb|Unique clothing and accessory designs at the Sunday UpMarket]]

The Upmarket, opened in 2004, houses almost 100 stallholders and boasts the biggest food hall in East London. The Backyard Market, formerly an 8,000 square feet warehouse, was added in 2006. The Brick Lane Vintage Market originally operated as a monthly event beginning in 2008 and as of 2010 has been a permanent fixture onsite. The Tea Rooms was founded in 2009, and the former Boiler House food hall opened in 2010.

===Layout=== The Backyard Market, Brick Lane Vintage Market, Ely's Yard Food Trucks, Rinse Showrooms and Tea Rooms are all located within the confines of the Truman Brewery on Brick Lane.

The Upmarket is housed in the Truman Brewery's 'F-Block' building and is accessible from Brick Lane and Ely's Yard (just off [[Hanbury Street]]). The venue is an old service yard and one of East London's busiest roadways. Ely's Yard also hosts many events and holds other shops, bars, restaurants, and artwork by the prominent street artists [[Banksy]] and [[D*Face]].<ref name="Larger Lets">{{cite web|title=The Old Truman Brewery – Larger Lets|url=http://www.trumanbrewery.com/cgi-bin/venue2.pl?sub=&rID=3244|publisher=The Old Truman Brewery|access-date=1 October 2012}}</ref> The Backyard Market, operating by the same hours as the Tea Rooms, is located in the Brewery's U Block, on the east side of the Brewery's estate, between Dray Walk and Buxton/Quaker Street.<ref name="Larger Lets" /><ref name="Truman Markets">{{cite web|title=Brick Lane Market Layout|url=http://www.sundayupmarket.co.uk/map.html}}</ref>

[[File:'Mexichino' food stand at Boiler House Food Hall.jpg|thumb|Mexican-Chinese fusion food stall at the Boiler House Food Hall in the Truman Markets]] [[File:Japanese food stand at Boiler House Food Hall.jpg|thumb|Japanese food stall at the Boiler House Food Hall in the Truman Markets]]

===Backyard Market=== The Backyard Market was established in 2006 and is one of the Truman Markets’ youngest vendors.<ref name="BackYard Market Facebook">{{cite web|title=BackYard Market |publisher=Facebook|url=http://www.facebook.com/BackyardMarketE1|access-date=28 September 2012}}</ref> Housing over eighty stalls, The Backyard Market is unique in that it allows young artists and designers to be part of a creative community in which they have the opportunity to showcase their work. The Backyard Market was the first of its kind in the area to open on Saturdays.<ref name=OTB-Markets/>

The Backyard Market offers an eclectic mix of independent businesses and retail outlets, such as cafes, boutiques, and hair salons that cater to a diverse clientele, with an emphasis on arts and crafts.

===Brick Lane Vintage Market===

The Brick Lane Vintage Market is composed of more than 60 small businesses owned by British and European vintage specialists offering clothing and accessories ranging from 1920s haute couture to 1990s sportswear. Also on offer are vinyl record, upcycled fashion and an array of unique, vintage trinkets.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vintage Market|url=http://www.vintage-market.co.uk/|publisher=The Old Truman Brewery|access-date=1 October 2012}}</ref>

The Brick Lane Vintage Market is open 7 days a week: Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 6.30 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m and attracts millions of visitors every year.

===Rinse Showrooms===

Rinse Showrooms derived its name from the community radio station Rinse FM that formerly operated from the same venue. Rinse Showrooms first opened in July 2016 and is home to a small collective of emerging, independent fashion designers. The venue is open Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m

===Tea Rooms=== The Tea Rooms, founded in 2009, is a market named for its large selection of teas and coffees and traditional baked goods as well as antiques, silk cushions, furniture, collectibles and handmade goods. It is open Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Old Truman Brewery – Shops|url=http://www.trumanbrewery.com/cgi-bin/shop.pl?|publisher=The Old Truman Brewery|access-date=1 October 2012}}</ref>

===Upmarket===

The Upmarket is open every weekend: Saturday 11 a.m. from to 5.30 p.m and Sunday 10 a.m. from to 6 p.m. having first opened in September 2004. It has almost one hundred stallholders and is East London's biggest street food hall as well as selling a variety of vintage clothing, handmade accessories, illustrations, arts and crafts as well as organic produce, cakes and desserts.

Many of the items that are sold at Upmarket are one-of-a-kind items that are produced by the stallholders themselves. Stallholders frequently sell their products directly to the customers, as Upmarket is a self-reported "platform for emerging designers and organic cuisine".<ref name="Sunday (Up)Market" />

===Former Boiler House Food Hall=== Dating as far back as the 1830s, the Truman Brewery's Boiler House served as both a historical landmark and the site of Brick Lane's former food hall, with 7,700 square feet of space. The Boiler House Food Hall was founded in 2010 and operated from an almost a decade until closing in March 2020. The venue is now predominantly used as an events space. Visitors were previously allowed to dine outside in the beer garden, or be seated inside around the great chimney at the lounge bar.<ref name=Boilerhouse>{{cite web|title=Boilerhouse|url=http://www.boilerhouse-foodhall.co.uk/|access-date=29 September 2012}}</ref>

The Boiler House was home to over thirty stalls of international cuisine; the variety of dishes includes Italian, Polish, Lithuanian, Mediterranean, Mexican, Peruvian, Japanese and Caribbean-Asian fusion.<ref name="Boilerhouse Facebook">{{cite web|title=Boilerhouse|publisher= Facebook|url=http://www.facebook.com/BoilerHouseE1/info|access-date=29 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Boiler House Food Hall|url=http://www.boilerhouse-foodhall.co.uk/|publisher=The Old Truman Brewery|access-date=1 October 2012}}</ref>

The former food hall was once a hot bed for London's burgeoning vegan street food community and was the genesis for the Truman Brewery's hugely popular 'Vegan Nights' event.

==Transport== The closest [[London Underground]] stations are [[Aldgate East tube station|Aldgate East]] and [[Liverpool Street tube station|Liverpool Street]]. The [[London Overground]] [[Shoreditch High Street railway station|Shoreditch High Street station]] is also within walking distance.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brick Lane Market, Borough of Tower Hamlets, United Kingdom – Google Maps|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Brick+Lane+Market,+London+Borough+of+Tower+Hamlets,+United+Kingdom&hl=en&ll=51.523818,-0.070875&spn=0.00773,0.01929&sll=51.523904,-0.071423&sspn=0.01546,0.038581&oq=brick+lane+market,+&hq=Brick+Lane+Market,+London+Borough+of+Tower+Hamlets,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=16&iwloc=A|publisher=Google|access-date=23 September 2012}}</ref>

==See also==

*[[History of marketing]] *[[Market place]] *[[Market hall]] *[[Retail]]

;Nearby attractions *[[Christ Church, Spitalfields]]: nearby church, built 1729, now includes an art gallery and concert hall *[[Columbia Road market]]: internationally known Flower Market *[[Old Spitalfields Market]], an ancient covered market site *[[Old Truman Brewery]]: frequent subject for urban architecture photography, and host to photographic exhibitions *[[Whitechapel Gallery]]: one of the first publicly funded galleries in London, renowned for its community involvement

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== * {{commons category-inline}} * [http://www.bricklanemarket.com/ Brick Lane Market]

[[Category:Retail markets in London]] [[Category:Streets in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets]] [[Category:17th-century establishments in England]] [[Category:Spitalfields]]