[Riise]

I've been living in London for a while now and yesterday I had one of my most well spent Sundays, all thanks to Spitalfields Market. It is such an enjoyable place that I seriously cannot stop gushing about the market and surrounding area even though I'm not a typical market enthusiast or fan. Although it is an old market, it has been refurbished and expanded. While some are not fans of this change, the market is still superb. The modern elements of the market are actually what make me think that something similar could really take-off in Calgary if done correctly. Here's the scoop on Spitalfields:


Spitalfields Market

http://www.oldspitalfieldsmarket.com/typo3temp/pics/eb0e218ff8.jpg
Source: Oldspitalfieldsmarket.com

http://www.oldspitalfieldsmarket.com/typo3temp/pics/9281e3fbaf.jpg
Source: Oldspitalfieldsmarket.com

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/Old_Spitalfields.jpg/800px-Old_Spitalfields.jpg
Source: Wikipedia

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Old_Spitalfields_market_zz.JPG/800px-Old_Spitalfields_market_zz.JPG
Source: Wikipedia


Intro
London's oldest market, Spitalfields is now a seven-days-a-week destination. Spitalfields markets, once a Sunday-only mainstay, are open every day except Monday and Saturday. Resplendent under a Fosters & Partners-designed glass canopy, the market and shops offer cutting edge fashion and interiors, original artworks and as well as food.

Spitalfields market is surrounded by independent shops, cafes, bars and awarding winning restaurants like Canteen, Galvin La Chapell and Giraffe.


Review
It is the best of markets, it is the worst of markets. Since the 2003 renovation and total overhaul of the much loved Spitalfields Market, it’s a leaner, cleaner, Norman Foster-designed affair, bulked out with slightly soulless boutiques and missing the majority of its displaced stallholders.

It now offers a different shopping experience, but by no means a bad one. With the feel of a mall-with-market, it is now neatly cleaved in two by a slick of chain restaurants like Canteen and The Real Greek. On one side lies an arcade of smart shops and eateries bordered with orderly market stalls (Spitalfields), and on the other, a cross section of stalls crammed into Old Spitalfields, the last remaining portion of the original market.

A pitch here is expensive, meaning that Sunday stalls are fairly safe bets: gastro-nibbles, wittily sloganed baby T-shirts and leather bags. Sunday is also when the market becomes a melting pot of young designers; with achingly cool handmade clothes, vintage accessories and jewellery, it’s like a Topshop Oxford Circus for indie hipsters. If you want to avoid the crowds and come across some more idiosyncratic finds, then forget the popular Sunday market and come on a Thursday – this is where you’ll find heaps of vintage fashion, a great selection of antiques and space to breath and browse around this quite spectacular development.

Complete Guide (http://www.timeout.com/london/shopping/features/8803/Spitalfields_Market_guide.html)


Old Spitalfields Market
Welcome to Old Spitalfields Market, one of London’s finest Victorian market halls set in an historic location in the heart of the City and one of the crown jewels of East London.

Firmly established as the ‘must visit’ London attraction for Londoners and tourists alike, Old Spitalfields Market offers a fusion of Victorian splendour and contemporary architecture, bringing together some of the Capital’s finest restaurants, shops and an array of themed, stall market days.

You can dine in style, browse through the antique market, buy unique designer clothes and relax with a glass of fine wine watching the hustle and bustle of the City pass you by. Easy to find, Old Spitalfields Market is a short walk from both Liverpool Street and Aldgate East stations.


Spitalfields Traders Market
Open Tuesday to Friday and Sunday every week, Spitalfields Traders Market has up to 110 stalls on its busiest days. Spitalfields Traders Market in Crispin Place is weather proof and totally wheelchair and push chair accessible.

The stalls range from contemporary and vintage fashion, music, bespoke children's toys, jewellery and accessories and home interiors. The market is also surrounded by a host of independent boutiques, food shops and restaurants. Plus you have Old Spitalfields Market right next door.


Spitalfields Arts Market
Every Thursday to Sunday from March through December

Set on Market Street, Spitalfields Arts Market is a great place to browse and buy affordable art direct from established and up and coming artists. There's a wide choice of original artworks from paintings to photography.


Estate Map

http://www.spitalfields.co.uk/img/Estate-map-2009.gif
Source: Spitalfields.co.uk


Virtual Tour
Click Here (http://193.219.108.188/fileadmin/virtual_tour/master/start.swf)


Links
Overview @ Oldpitalfieldsmarket.com (http://www.oldspitalfieldsmarket.com/london-markets.html)
Independent Guide @ Timeout.com (http://www.timeout.com/london/shopping/features/8803/Spitalfields_Market_guide.html)
Independent Guide @ visitspitalfields.com (http://www.visitspitalfields.com/)
Official Guide (http://www.spitalfields.co.uk/)


Spitalfields In Calgary
There is so much that I love about Spitalfields but what I really love is the outing that a day at the market can be. Sometimes Calgary, fairly or unfairly, gets labelled as being boring and places like Spatialfield Market is what helps make great cities great. The market is the centre of a vibrant area that thrives off of the destination that the market has become. For instance, there are a number of various pubs serving up different atmospheres for different crowds. Other speciality stores have opened around and near the market due to the “creative cluster” effect. In regards to this, it is also a place for local artists, cooks, designers, and sellers to display and sell their wares.

I could definitely see the idea and design of Spitalfields Market working in Calgary. I imagine that one end of the market would be shops for local: art galleries/dealers, clothing stores, furniture dealers, and restaurants/food shops. The other end would see markets stalls under a contemporary glass canopy framed by a two-sided U-shape border featuring food-stalls facing the market stalls and shops facing the surrounding streets. The two ends of the market could be divided by a row of cafes/bars/restaurants that front onto the markets stalls on one side and farmer's markets stalls on the other.

Thoughts?

[Rusty van Reddick]

Our Farmers' Markets have never been just "produce," so you're referencing a straw man here. With the new CFM we're going to have three permanent markets all a stone's throw from one another, with all of Crossroads, Kingsland and CFM open.

None of these markets only sells produce.

[Riise]

Our Farmers' Markets have never been just "produce," so you're referencing a straw man here. With the new CFM we're going to have three permanent markets all a stone's throw from one another, with all of Crossroads, Kingsland and CFM open.

None of these markets only sells produce.

From the bottom of my heart, I am very sorry. I actually had a cool name for the thread picked out but I went for breakfast and forgot it.

While it is a bit misleading, does that really matter? I was going to point out that I have been out of the loop with the Farmers' Markets in Calgary for some time but I think that is besides the point. My point was about creating a comprehensive central market, one that can become a vibrant urban hub of activity.

[Innersoul1]

The market scene in Calgary is an interesting one that is actually quite divisive. Most people who run stalls at our various markets are individual entrepreneurs who are very much free thinking, to a level they want things done their own way. The relocation of the CFM has really highlighted the vendors who are happy with the way the CFM is run and those who aren't. Many vendors have chosen to spurn the CFM in favour of the Kinglsand market.

I guess the point that I am trying to make is that having multiple markets adds to the vibrancy of the market scene. It's nice that they offer different shopping experiences. Those who really have their ears to the ground with the grassroots market scene are savvy to the travelling markets that move from city to city. For example, there was a great travelling market of grassroots vendors at the Carriage House Inn yesterday. In November there was one at the Chinese cultural centure.

I would say that the scene is developing and getting better by the year. I don't think that we have enough vendors at this point to support an all things under one roof style market without cheapening the experince. I shudder when I think of the old crossroads market.

[Rusty van Reddick]

From the bottom of my heart, I am very sorry. I actually had a cool name for the thread picked out but I went for breakfast and forgot it.

While it is a bit misleading, does that really matter? I was going to point out that I have been out of the loop with the Farmers' Markets in Calgary for some time but I think that is besides the point. My point was about creating a comprehensive central market, one that can become a vibrant urban hub of activity.

MY point was that we have our own market culture here and it's awesome.

[Riise]

The market scene in Calgary is an interesting one that is actually quite divisive...

I guess the point that I am trying to make is that having multiple markets adds to the vibrancy of the market scene. It's nice that they offer different shopping experiences...

I would say that the scene is developing and getting better by the year. I don't think that we have enough vendors at this point to support an all things under one roof style market without cheapening the experince. I shudder when I think of the old crossroads market.

Thanks for the peak into Calgary's market scene!

In regards to the ability for Calgary to support a market like Spitalfields in addition to what the City already has, might Calgary already be capable of doing so? South London alone has 11 markets, is it possible that Calgary could handle four small markets?

It is also important to emphasize scale as what I am suggesting could simply be a smaller version of Spitalfields.

In addition, it could target a different market. For instance, there are some criticisms of Spitalfields that after the Foster redesign it has become too up-scale. Could a Spitalfields-type market that targets those seeking a higher-end experience work in central Calgary?

One of the things that fuelled my mind was the emergence of places like Fashion Central and the art gallery in Inglewood. These scenes are growing and I thought it would be nice to give them another space in which to grow. I believe a Spitalfields-type market could combine the goals of putting a market in the heart of the city and providing room for the emerging local designers of art, clothes, and furniture.

It would be awesome if we could do that and create a vibrant urban space. However, it's just an idea.


MY point was that we have our own market culture here and it's awesome.

Fair enough, but couldn't you have just said that?

[Policy Wonk]

This was tried in Vancouver, but the RCMP kept showing up and busting all the merchants for counterfeit merchandise with Revenue Canada closely in tow.