Abandoned UK shopping centre to be revived as first trader confirmed – shut for 5 years | UK | News
A derelict UK market will reopen this summer after sitting empty for five years. The Model Market at Lewisham Shopping Centre, which closes in 2021, will become a “vibrant all-day hub” for commerce, dining and socializing in London.
German Kraft brewery, which was first established at the Elephant and Castle food market in 2017, has been confirmed as the operator of the facility. The brewery will select street food traders, who will be announced in due course, and will also trade on site selling craft beer from a taproom. Model Market has a long history as a hub for small traders until the 2000s. It reopened as a popular street food market in 2014, but closed in September 2021 following the collapse of its operator, Street Feast.
Images on the developer’s site show the dilapidated units overrun by plants and weeds after lying unused for five years.
The new design will retain the “distinctive architecture and time-honored appeal”, paying homage to the original market’s heritage from the 1950s.
Patrons can expect live DJ sets at the venue, as well as pop-ups, events and cultural programs “celebrating the intersection of food, art and community.”
The wider regeneration proposals have been shaped by three years of public consultation, including a revitalized shopping center with more shops, cafes, restaurants, live music venues, new housing, a street food market, parks and community spaces.
LandSec is accepting bids from food and retail operators at Model Market while construction continues, with a focus on small-scale traders.
Paul Redden, center manager at Lewisham Shopping Centre, said: “We are incredibly excited to be partnering with German Kraft to bring the New Model Market to Lewisham.
“German Kraft’s proven track record of running vibrant, successful venues means they know how to create an environment that is welcoming, energetic and full of character. We can’t wait to see it all come to life when the Model Market officially opens.”
The brewery made its debut in 2017 at the Mercato Metropolitano at Elephant and Castle in south London. Felix Bollen, co-founder of German Kraft and MOSAIK, said they will “continue the community social center we have run at Elephant and Castle for the last nine years.”
