Camden Market, in Camden Town, is one of London’s most popular destinations for both tourists and locals. It has a rich and unusual variety of sights including shops, pubs, restaurants and market stalls.
The shopping venue is also well known for a wide variety of services such as tattoos and piercing which has aided in bringing an alternative clientele to its streets.
Many shops in the area have gained fame for both the high quality of international arts and crafts on offer at the markets.
Today, Camden Market gets as many as 150,000 visitors every week and has become one of London’s major shopping venues as well as been a top tourist attraction its own right.
Historically, Camden has not always been a thriving area for visitors. In 1791, some development was started by the canal. This would later become the southern end of the market. The first commercial aspects of the area started to appear from 1971 with a small market, by Camden Lock, which sold goods such as arts, crafts, antiques and clothing.
Over time Camden Market gained in popularity with many locals and tourists. The introduction of the London tube system made travel to the market much easier. In turn, this enabled an increase in the number of visitors and also the demand for products and entertainment.
There was a major renovation of most of market’s buildings in 1990, with several major international companies deciding to make the hugely successful and popular Camden Town their London base of operations. This allowed the further growth and development of the local economy and brought the status of Camden and its market to new heights.
Camden Market became so popular that it was awarded a license to trade on a Sunday, a privilege that was awarded to few other commercial sites.
The many markets, Camden coffee shops, Camden pubs and bars and Camden restaurants that had been set up around the area met the increased demand by trading 7 days a week.
This prompted the development of new businesses in the area, and helped to create the markets we see today, including Stables Market, Lock Village Market, Buck Street and the Electric Ballroom.
Many of the traditional trading circles can still be seen in Camden. For example, the Inverness Street Fruit and vegetable stalls have been running to the same standard for over 100 years.
The Loch still exists in its original condition and is now a favoured and recommended for a relaxing walk or an excellent choice as part of any sightseeing trip.
The modern additions to market include a large collection of alternative clothing stores, some of them unique to the location. Gothic, Punk, Industrial and other types of alternative fashion, clothing and accessories can be found on the streets with an even larger selection to browse on the market stalls.
In addition to the old local pubs and restaurants that still call Camden their home, many new businesses have appeared. Camden nightlife venues have also been established with the idea that the fun should not stop when the sun goes down. This and other factors have changed modern Camden Market into an almost 24-hour entertainment zone.