Traders at London's Smithfield Market are devastated by the decision to close the world's oldest meat market, which has been operating for nearly 900 years, marking a significant shift in the local butcher community's livelihood.
Butcher Joe Howgate expressed the emotional impact of the closure, stating, "It's going to be a nightmare for some of the butchers in London as some will have to travel across London to go elsewhere. It's difficult but we'll carry on elsewhere,... things change so we'll see."
Another butcher lamented the loss, saying, "My dad was a butcher here in the 1960s. I was here as a little baby... Many of the people here are local. They've only known market life. It's the end of the work life I know."
Despite the closure, a source noted that some tenants are ready to relocate, saying, "Smithfield with its current space is not the best option... Some tenants are prepared to move once the details of the relocation have been clarified."
Collection
[
|
...
]