February 9, 2026
Fish, Fangs, and Market Feels
The Markets of Old London
Fish fanboys, Dracula jokes, and a brawl over which London market matters
TLDR: A stash of century-old photos and a Spitalfields walking tour reignited love for London’s markets, from Smithfield to Billingsgate. Comments split between nostalgic vibes, a capitalism critique, and outrage over missing Ridley Road—plus vampire jokes—proving markets are where history, hustle, and humor collide.
London’s old markets just crashed your feed with a time machine: a trove of century‑old glass slides at the Bishopsgate Institute and a fresh invite to the Spitalfields walking tour. But the real action? The comments. Fish die‑hards rallied: vhalan declared Billingsgate “amazing,” turning the thread into a seafood stan fest. Meanwhile, locals fired back with what-about Ridley Road outrage—how dare this love letter to London’s markets skip the most chaotic bargain strip in E8?
Then it got philosophical. dist‑epoch called the photos “beautiful images of Capitalism building itself,” igniting a nostalgia vs. economics cage match: are markets soulful community theaters or just profit mills with prettier awnings? Lio went full cinematic, swooning over the city’s imperial scale and dropping a campy zinger: “No wonder Dracula made a beeline for it.” Cue vampire memes and jokes about garlic prices at Covent Garden.
The most mysterious moment? gnabgib’s lone “(2024)”—instantly adopted by the thread as a wink that London’s markets still pulse today, even if Clare Market vanished in 1905 and others moved home. From Smithfield’s stubborn permanence to Leadenhall’s last poultry holdout, commenters turned history into a lively street performance, exactly as markets do. Comfy shoes, spicy opinions, ready.
Key Points
- •Historic glass slides from the London & Middlesex Archaeological Society at the Bishopsgate Institute depict London’s old markets.
- •Clare Market was demolished in 1905 to make way for Kingsway and Aldwych.
- •Smithfield Market still trades from its original building; several others continue as street markets.
- •Billingsgate, Covent Garden, and Spitalfields Fruit & Vegetable Market have relocated to new premises.
- •Leadenhall Market retains one butcher selling fowl, reflecting diminished traditional trade.