Not Westfield or Harrods – Brits name UK’s best place to go shopping | UK | News
There are more than 100 stalls, shops and restaurants in a maze-like layout. (Image: Getty)
The United Kingdom is home to some of the world’s most famous shopping destinations. Westfield attracts millions of visitors every year. Harrods is known worldwide for its luxury products and history. Covent Garden and Camden Market are also among the favorites of tourists and locals.
With so many well-known names, choosing the best place to shop is not an easy task. However, according to TripAdvisor’s traveler favorites ranking, neither Westfield nor Harrods took the first place. Instead, a historic market has been named Britain’s best place for shopping.
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Borough Market is located on the south bank of the River Thames in Southwark, London. (Image: Getty)
Borough Market has a 4.6 out of five rating from nearly 14,500 reviews on TripAdvisor.
Harrods ranked fifth and Westfield ranked 12th in the rankings. Covent Garden and Camden Market also took part in the top three.
Borough Market is located in Southwark, London, on the south bank of the River Thames. It has operated as a market for nearly 1,000 years, with its origins dating back to at least 1014, when traders gathered at the south end of London Bridge to sell grain, fish and livestock.
In 1756 Parliament attempted to close the market due to congestion in Borough High Street.
Local residents stepped in and raised £6,000 to move it to its current location, known as the Triangle.
For much of the 19th and 20th centuries, the market focused on the wholesale sale of fruits and vegetables. In the 1990s, it branched out to retail and artisan producers, selling directly to the public.
Visitors can find everything from fruit stands to baked goods (Image: Getty)
Borough Market is a food paradise (Image: Getty)
Today there are more than 100 stalls, shops and restaurants in a maze-like layout.
Visitors can find everything from fresh meat and fish to baked goods, cheeses and street food from around the world.
Three Crown Square is the largest commercial area and is popular with those looking for high-quality products.
The Green Market is known for its ready-to-eat food, with merchants serving international fare from Ethiopian stew to gourmet grilled cheese.
The market’s Victorian glass and iron structures date back to the 1850s. There is also an Art Deco entrance added in the 1930s. Parts of the Royal Opera House’s Flower Hall were moved to the site in 2004.
Borough Market says on its official website: “At Borough Market we don’t just sell good food and drink, we celebrate it. We enjoy the taste and the way it makes us feel, but we also appreciate its ability to connect us with the people who produce it and the places where it’s made.”
Despite the crowds, most who visited absolutely loved it (Image: Getty)
“If all you come for is your appetite, you can satisfy it in a thousand ways. But if you care about what you eat and where that food comes from, our traders can satisfy your curiosity too. Here, in this historic setting, you’ll find an incredible variety of food from all over Britain and the rest of the world, and every item has a story to tell.”
Visitors seem to agree. One person wrote in a review on TripAdvisor: “We hadn’t done any research on food markets and chanced upon it and stopped for lunch. What an impressive place! It was very crowded but the food and atmosphere were worth a visit.”
Another added: “Borough Market delivers on every level, from the atmosphere to the food. We have different types of food every time we go and I’ve yet to find one I don’t like. You should definitely go and get the best sausage rolls known to man, but be prepared to queue.”
A third wrote: “This market is simply extraordinary! A constant explosion of colour, smell and irresistible taste that fascinates you as you walk in. There’s food from all over the world, with amazing stalls offering cheeses, mushrooms, cold cuts and specialties of all kinds.”
