The core of the market is still the Sunday cut flower market that goes back to the nineteeth century. Many of the traders now also offer live plants – a nicer way to buy a bamboo for your back garden or a banana plant for your flat than visiting one of the big out-of-town warehouses.

The colour and bustle of the market has a particular appeal to photographers. There are masses of flowers – particularly in early summer, when bedding plants for the windowboxes of blocks of flats all around the area are being sold from temporary scaffolding – and some of the vendors are almost as colourful as their produce.

But more recently, the market has become trendy too, with a tapas bar and French patisserie joining the bagels at Columbia Cafe. There’s a pottery, and a Mexican glassware and tile shop, fine furniture and a couture fashion and bridal shop. An eclectic mix! And that’s after all part of the attraction of this part of London – variety and the unexpected.

A warning though – like most London markets, Columbia Road starts early (8 am) and finishes early. So even if you’re used to a Sunday lie-in, you’ll want to get out of bed good and early to go to the market – it’s all over by two in the afternoon!

Post from: The London Traveler