Flea is back in London Bridge.
My personal taste in outdoor markets runs towards the edible stuff, but for those of you who’ve been craving a sift through vintage wares for a fresh look, we’ve got good news. Flea, the delightful vintage market which operates out of Vinegar Yard in London Bridge, will throw open its doors once again this Saturday (June 13), with everything from retro outfits to kitschy antiques on offer. [Featured image: @flealondon]
A hit with bargain-hunters since Vinegar Yard opened last year, Flea trades in clothes, furniture, vinyl, books, ceramics, and more. They’re back this weekend as a result of the government’s new guidance on outdoor markets, which have been allowed to return since June 1. However, as with pretty much every returning public space, Flea will be putting in a series of measures to protect people from COVID-19.
The market is taking “all reasonable measures to minimise the risk of transmission of the coronavirus”, which includes a reduction in operating hours; Flea will be running from 12-5pm on Saturdays and Sundays, with cleaning taking place before and after the market runs. Stalls will be positioned a safe distance apart, a market manager will be monitoring the site during trading hours, and a queuing system will restrict entry to the market to ensure capacity isn’t breached. You’ll also see a one-way system, hand-cleaning facilities, and cashless payments here, and for obvious reasons, there won’t be any changing rooms on site (market traders will be able to offer information for returns). You can see the full list of measures here.
Flea will be keeping an eye on these measures to ensure they’re working as intend, and review them weekly. As for the wider Vinegar Yard site, you won’t be able to dive into the usual complement of street food, but coffee aficionados The Gentlemen Baristas are running takeaway brews and snacks. We’ll keep you updated on when the entire market returns, but for now, vintage is the way forward!