Mayor urged to step in on London markets

The London Assembly has called on mayor Sadiq Khan to step in and stop the planned closure of Billingsgate and Smithfield markets. Andrew Boff, chairman of the planning and regeneration committee at the London Assembly, has sent the London mayor a letting urging him to call an urgent meeting with the City of London Corporation. The move comes after the City said it had decided against moving the markets to new premises in Dagenham. The council said its decision reflected a “careful balance between respecting the history of Smithfield and Billingsgate markets and managing resources for this project responsibly”. New Spitalfields Market and plans to create a new London Museum were unaffected by the announcement. The London Assembly had labelled the decision “concerning”. It said: “Smithfield and Billingsgate markets are London’s oldest markets and provide an important seam in London’s rich cultural tapestry. The committee believes the decision to close the markets fails to appreciate the immense social and cultural capital these two markets contribute to London.” It added: “Further, this news comes only four years after planning applications were submitted to relocate Smithfield Market with Billingsgate and New Spitalfields at a new purpose-built site in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham as part of a ‘major regeneration’ project – now cancelled.” The assembly has urged Khan to call a meeting with City of London Corporation policy chairman Chris Hayward to ask for the decision to be reversed. If the decision is not reversed, it wants the mayor to work with members across London to “urgently seek suitable locations for these two iconic London markets”. The mayor has until 10 January to respond.