Westminster gets first new street market in 50 years

The first new street market in the borough for 50 years will open at Christmas, selling fresh food, clothes and household goods.

The Prince of Wales Market on Harrow Road will have 17 stalls that will be open until 8pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Councillor Steve Summers said: "All too often in the past we've seen stories of people desperately trying to stop their local markets closing down. I'm delighted that in Westminster we're opening the first new regular market for 50 years."

The news comes after the Standard reported the closure of Well Street Market in Hackney, where Jack Cohen founded Tesco 80 years ago.

A conference will be held at City Hall on Thursday to discuss the future of London's markets.

The London Markets Symposium will look at ways of preserving and revitalising the capital's nearly 200 retail and wholesale markets.

Speakers include London Food chairwoman Rosie Boycott, Gary Marshall, chairman of the Covent Garden Tenants Association, and Krys Zasada, of the National Association of British Market Authorities.

Most of 60 new markets in London in the last 10 years have been farmers' markets.