Shopping and Markets

Market Trader of the Year Competition 2008

Islington’s street markets have been the thriving hubs of our busy shopping areas for years – in the case of Whitecross Street for well over 150 years! And of course without the trusty traders, who are out in all weathers to provide us with their great products, Chapel, Exmouth, Archway and Whitecross Street and all the other markets in Islington, wouldn’t survive. In recognition of the vital role they play we’ve decided to honour Islington's licensed traders by holding our first ever Market Trader of the Year competition – and if you nominate your favourite trader you could be a winner too!

All we need to know is the name of your favourite trader, which market they trade at and a few words about why you think they deserve to win. You can either email us at street.trading@islington.gov.uk, call us on 020 7527 3830, send in a nomination form (ask your trader for details), or write to us directly at:

Freepost RRLU-SEAE-HELS
London Borough of Islington
Public Protection Division
N1 1XR.

All nominations must be received by 15 August.

Everyone who nominates will be entered into a free prize draw and the winner will receive a voucher worth £25 to spend on their star trader’s stall.

Flower market comes to Nag's Head

Traders from Columbia flower market - London's most famous flower market - are coming to the Nag's Head in August. The market, which will be located on Holloway Road between Seven Sisters Road and Lorraine Road, will be open from 10am to 3pm from 6 - 8 August so be sure to check it out and bag yourself a selection of beautiful blooms, perfect plants and fabulous flowers. Joyce Pollaya, Nag's Head town centre manager, has been trying to get a flower market up and running for a while so to get traders from Columbia flower market is a real coup.

Islington's Markets

To see an illustrated guide to Islington, detailing how to get to the shops and markets mentioned below, click the Islington Village Map link on the right, under Useful Websites. This link also has information on other designer boutiques, interior design agencies, and property and specialist businesses in the borough.

Camden Passage Market is known throughout Europe, and with over 350 shops, it's a haven for antique hunters and browsers. It stretches from the Angel to Islington Green. Wednesdays and Saturdays are the best days and there's a book market on Thursday mornings.

For more information about Camden Passage and nearby Angel Art Arcade, click on the links on the right, under Useful Websites.

If you want quirky and unusual shops, Islington has them in abundance! Upper Street plays host to some great specialist shops selling designer furnishings, wacky gifts, second hand musical instruments, and designer clothes.

The N1 shopping centre, which runs from Upper Street through to Liverpool Road, is a full shopping and entertainment experience. It offers a range of quality high street stores, along with smaller shops for those with more eclectic taste.

For more information, click on the N1 Shopping Centre link on the right, under Useful Websites.

For a colourful local street market, Chapel Market at the Angel is the place to go. Open six days a week, from Tuesday to Sunday, the range of stalls changes from day to day, although you can always be sure of a bargain!

The Islington Farmers' Market comes to town every Sunday at William Tyndale School. The market specialises in top quality produce, including organic food.

For more information, click on the London Farmer's Market link on the right, under Useful Websites.

Exmouth Market is home to a number of interesting boutiques and furniture shops. For more information, click on the Exmouth Market link on the right, under Useful Websites.

As well as those places detailed above, there are dozens of other areas to satisfy your retail desires. Whitecross Market, between Old Street and Fortune Street, is the oldest market in Islington. It has gone through a renaissance over the last couple of years, having established a really popular, successul food market, which runs every Thursday and Friday. There is also a general market running every day, selling a range of goods.

The Nag's Head in Holloway has a selection of the major chain stores such as Argos and Woolworths to choose from. Fonthill Road in Finsbury Park is great for high fashion at low prices. It's a wholesale area where members of the public can buy direct on Saturday mornings.

For further information on the shops Islington has to offer, visit Street Sensation by clicking the link under Useful Websites, on the right of this page.