In Hackney, a market is never just a place to shop. It is the soundtrack of Ridley Road, the weekend buzz of Broadway, the treasure-hunting spirit of Kingsland and the young creativity of The NEXTGEN young traders in Hoxton. In a borough shaped by movement, enterprise and reinvention, our markets are where all of that becomes visible. They are where trade, culture and community still share the same stretch of street.
What sets Hackney apart is depth as well as variety. Hoxton Street Market dates back to 1687. Ridley Road has been part of Dalston since the late 1880s and today has more than 100 stalls. Broadway Market has welcomed traders since the 1890s. Well Street helped launch Jack Cohen before he went on to found Tesco. Across the borough, people can buy fresh produce, household essentials and specialist goods, but also street food, arts and crafts, locally designed fashion, vintage finds and products that reflect the borough’s many communities.
That range matters because markets do something many modern high streets struggle to do. They serve daily life and create discovery at the same time. They give independent traders, family businesses and first-time entrepreneurs a realistic route into business, while giving local people a reason to shop locally and spend time locally. Hackney has modernised that gateway too, through its Open Markets platform, which makes it easier for traders to apply for pitches here and, in some cases, in other London boroughs.
Hackney’s markets are not thriving by accident. They are supported by an award-winning Markets team that has earned national recognition. LGC judges highlighted Hackney’s markets service for supporting 296 new businesses and creating more than 3,000 local jobs, and the service was Highly Commended nationally in 2023 before being shortlisted again in 2025. Behind every stall is a livelihood, a family, a supply chain and a local customer base. That is why markets matter so much. They do not just add colour to the borough. They keep money, opportunity and energy circulating within it.
Most of all, markets matter because they keep public life human. They are among the few places where generations still mix naturally, where neighbours still stop and talk, and where the character of a borough is felt rather than advertised. At a time when too many town centres are becoming flatter, quieter and more uniform, Hackney’s markets still feel alive. They honour the borough’s history, back its entrepreneurs and give people a genuine reason to come together. That is not nostalgia. It is one of Hackney’s greatest strengths.
To find out more about our markets, please visit us at www.hackneymarkets.co.uk.
Follow us at @MarketsHackney.
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