Dagenham Dock could be the perfect new home for the City’s historic food markets
Since the Middle Ages, three iconic wholesale food markets have served Londoners with a range of fresh produce, even as the capital’s population and culinary tastes have changed beyond all recognition.
Individuals and businesses continue to purchase meat, fish, fruit and vegetables at Smithfield, Billingsgate, and New Spitalfields markets to this day. Canada Corporation has a long and proud history of owning and managing these markets, having acted as custodians for centuries.
Now, in order to safeguard their success for future generations, we have launched a public consultation on proposals to consolidate and relocate these markets to a new site at Dagenham Dock.
So why are we looking to move these historic markets?
To answer this, it is worth first remembering that, while Smithfield Market has occupied its Farringdon site for some 800 years, the other two moved from their original homes long ago in order to ensure that they could meet the needs of the time.
The three market sites have served London well, but the existing market buildings are not best placed for the future, due to their age and physical constraints on expanding. We want to ensure that the new Dagenham Dock site offers more modern facilities and room for growth, so that it can adapt to changing demands.
This move could also play an important role in tackling traffic congestion and improving air quality in London by consolidating deliveries.
Importantly, the Dagenham site is outside the expanded Ultra Low Emissions Zone that will encompass all three existing markets by 2021. Relocating would help tenants, customers, and other visitors avoid significant costs as we support their transition to greener forms of transport. Dagenham Dock also offers the potential for moving produce using rail freight and the river, which could cut emissions.
Consolidating the markets would provide the opportunity to create a world-class wholesale food destination for the capital.
We want the new market to provide opportunities for generations to come, and therefore have an ambition of delivering a food school to foster talent in the industry through apprenticeships.
As part of this project, we recognise the importance of preserving historic buildings that have housed these markets. When it comes to the Smithfield Central Market buildings, for example, we will work closely with heritage experts and other professionals to develop a plan that safeguards their legacy for the future.
The Museum of London will also be consulting later this summer on exciting plans to move into the former Smithfield Poultry Market. The relocation of the museum will be the start of a new chapter for the buildings and our wider Culture Mile ambitions.
We want to hear widely from tenants, suppliers, customers, and other interested parties before this consultation closes on 6 August, so that the best possible long-term vision for our markets is delivered.
Together we can ensure that our markets continue to serve Londoners for centuries to come.