Market Value
Phoebe Gardner
pgard001@gold.ac.uk
For centuries, traditional markets have provided food to many Londoners, they have the capability to serve anyone at any income. What many peo- ple don’t realise is that these markets are so much more than places to buy food. Not only supplying produce for customers and providing income for hundreds of traders, they are institutions within their local communities. Unfortunately, they are in trouble.
Traditional markets are declining. Markets have started to become exclu- sively for the rich. Street food and farmers’ markets have seen standard foods, like fruit and veg, that were once affordable, increase in price and become replaced by artisan goods. London is gripped by inequality; with over 5,700 emergency food packages handed out in the capital alone in April to September last year.
What will happen to the the trader, the customer? Where will they go? Will the disappearance of the traditional market signify the end of real culture in the capital?