London’s labyrinth of avenues, alleys, pathways, and passages is filled to the brim with history and charm. But few of the city’s streets come quite as historic or charming as this one. Columbia Road can be found picture-perfectly perched over in East London and is known best for its weekly world-famous flower market. But it’s also one of the few remaining roads in the country to be composed entirely of independent businesses – and it’s certainly well worth wandering down.
The history of Columbia Road
Columbia Road’s roots are far less pleasant than the street we know and love today, having started out as a pathway along which sheep were transported to the local slaughterhouse. The road was later built upon to meet the needs of the hastily-growing population of the capital city. It wasn’t until the 1860s that Columbia Road became – well… Columbia Road. Heiress and philanthropist, Angela Burdett-Coutts built an indoor market with over 400 stalls in a bid to provide affordable and good-quality food to the poorer population of east London. That market ran for around 17 years before transitioning to the outdoor market that still lives to tell the tale today.
Columbia Road nowadays
Nowadays, Columbia Road is bursting at the seams with independent and boutique businesses. The hand-painted Victorian shopfronts and picturesque terraced houses are a lovely snapshot into the area’s lengthy past. From galleries and gift shops to cafes and clothing stores, you’re guaranteed to find exactly what you’re looking for – and a whole lot more – when perusing the picturesque shops that line Columbia Road.
Every Sunday, the street is flooded with flowers and foliage and you can snap up a bouquet of your favourite blooms for a pretty decent price. The flower market only runs on Sundays and so I’m sure you can imagine just how busy and bustling it can get. Some of the shops on Columbia Road do open throughout the week, too – but it really is Sunday that this picture-perfect pocket of London comes into its own. If you do plan on paying it a visit, ensure you are armed with an empty tote bag and a full wallet – as you’ll certainly be making liberal use of both.
đź“ŤYou’ll find Columbia Road over in East London at E2 7RG.
🚇 The nearest station to Columbia Road is Hoxton.
