Whitecross Street Market

Client / EC1 New Deal for Communities and Islington Borough Council

The brief / To improve one of London's oldest street markets, Whitecross Street Market and create a busy retail hub for the area.

The context / Following the refurbishment in 2006 of the public realm in and around the market area, including hard landscaping and new plug-services, the council wished to improve further upon the trading environment and encourage new traders to set up business at the site.  This initiative was created by the New Deal for Communities and Islington Borough Council together with additional grant funding to improve the retail shop fronts lining the street.  The street is approximately 200 metres long and is anchored to the south buy a Waitrose supermarket and car park. 

What we did/ Due to Greig + Stephenson's extensive experience of retail markers, we were asked to specify a programme of improvement and enhancement to build upon the physical interventions already completed.  We specified market equipment, trestle tables, light-weight demountable canopies, signage and lighting to promote the new weekly food market on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  Tapping into our Borough Market connections and network  of traders we introduced many new food businesses to the weekly markets and some of the larger Borough Markets tenants also trade during these days.

The impact/ The quarterly festivals that include barbecues and demonstrations by celebratory chefs and personalities have been well supported locally and by visiting city shoppers on the lunch-hour break.  Our involvement has been instrumental in the revitalisation of the area.  Our strong commitment and engagement in establishing the market between 2006 and 2008 placed Whitecross Street market on the food map.  In 2011 a national poll named Whitecross St as third 'hippest' street in the UK.  It continues ti evolve and grow under Islington management now opening Monday to Friday 11am - 3pm with a weekly specialist food market on Thursday and Friday.