Wood Street Indoor Market in East London is a unique historical market, and is only 15 minutes from Liverpool Street Station and a 2 minute walk from Wood Street Station and only 10 minutes from Walthamstow Central Underground Station There is 2 hours free parking outside the Marlowe Road entrance every day of the week and parking is free everywhere on Sundays
This is the place to find unusual second hand furniture, antiques, an amazing collection of retro & vintage music, vinyl and shellacs. There is also picture framing, cake decoration and various other Arts and Craft shops. A yummy cafe and an African grocers. In all there are about 50 units to walk around.
The market has recently begun to find interest from artists and makers who are seeing the potential in the niche retail spaces and in the community of collectors and antique dealers.
History:
The quirky indoor markets were originally built as a cinema, but now they have a reputation among shoppers and antique and record collectors as one of London’s secret gems!
Between 1912 to 1955 the building was run as the Crown Cinema with seats for 650 people and operated by the Penny Picture Theatre Co.
(photo of Wood Street in the 1920s with Crown Cinema on the right)
Success Stories:
The Markets have also acted as a springboard for up-and-coming businesses in Wood street, with the Florists, the Uniform Shop, the Healthfoods Shop and Silkwoods the Curtain Shop all starting their businesses in the Market before expanding into shops on the High Street.
Recent Regeneration
The market has been open for over 30 years. In 2011 the Mayor’s Outer London Fund for high street regeneration worked as part of a team in the regeneration of Wood Street Indoor Market. It was seen by Design for London as one of the major success stories of the Outer London Fund, Round One.
The market was regarded as offering huge potential to the high street, but after suffering years of decline had become cluttered and uninviting. In response work was carried out to the interior and a new facade and signage was designed on the Marlowe Road entrance.
A competition was devised in conjunction with the Council and the market owners to invite a diverse range of new tenants to apply for discounted rents in the market. Over 160 applications were received and 21 winners were selected. The launch in February 2012 was a massive success and shortly after Boris Johnson, the London Major attended and met and spoke to the old and new tenants.
The on going success of the market is due to the present management and John Burton and Urban Space Ltd
http://www.urbanspace.com/
who have been working closely with them to ensure its survival.
