The Camden Markets

The Camden Markets Review

This area is actually composed of several alternative markets that are gathered around a pair of locks in Regent's Canal. Camden Lock Market proper began in 1973 on the site of a former timber yard. The Lock studios attracted artists with reasonable rents and gave customers the chance to see goods being made. Today, the Market includes some of London's most creative types, with products still designed on sight and market stalls offering a spectacular array of merchandise: vintage and new clothes, antiques and junk, jewelry and scarves, candlesticks, ceramics, mirrors, and toys.

Still, the variety of merchandise is mind-blowing:

The markets on Camden High Street (both outdoors and within the Electric Ballroom) mainly sell cheap T-shirts, secondhand clothes, and tacky pop-culture paraphernalia; it's best to head to Camden Lock and Stable Markets. Though much of the merchandise is youth oriented, the markets massively appeal to aging hippies, fashion designers, and anyone with bohemian taste who doesn't mind large crowds and a bit of a madhouse scene (there are loads of shops that cater to Goths). Don't miss the "Horse Hospital"(weekends only) for quirky antiques dealers by day and home to Proud Camden, a lively bar/lounge that plays live music at night.