Deptford Market Yard

Independent Businesses In Railway Arches

Deptford has had a bit of a face lift over the last few years and the new instalment of this fantastic little row of independent businesses is the next step in the process. Deptford is famed for its market, with the authenticity and character of the area being incredibly vital to its charm as it fights off the inevitable gentrification of gritty London boroughs. I went along to the opening of the brand new and trendy Market Yard to see how it was going to intertwine with the old, more rustic side of Deptford and it’s safe to say I was pleasantly surprised.

The market yard is built into the railway archways underneath Deptford station and is home to some fantastic local business ranging from a florist (The English Flower House) to a urban streetwear brand (Childsraw) via a cocktail bar that has some of the most eclectic fittings I’ve ever seen in my life (Little Nan’s Café). There’s also great Caribbean food available from the guys over at Mama Jerk and plenty of other nibbles and street food on offer to keep you fuelled up. The thing that impressed me the most was how community focused the yard was. All the shops had seating outside and often their displays spilled out onto the streets, meaning everyone was chatting away to each other as they browsed.

Deptford has a very strong community vibe to it and it was vitally important that The Market Yard captured this and embraced it rather than caused a separation between new and old. From what I saw on the opening night, this shouldn’t be an issue and The Market Yard with its eclectic range of shops that cater to all sorts of people should slip seamlessly into life in Deptford.

Jake Taylor

TripTide User