18 July 2007
Lord Mayor's visit to the New Spitalfields
Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman John Stuttard, paid
an early morning visit yesterday (17 July) to the New Spitalfields
Market in Leyton - Britain’s largest wholesale fruit and vegetable
market.
Lord Mayor John Stuttard was accompanied by the Deputy Mayor of
Waltham Forest Councillor Sheila Smith-Prior, the Chairman of the
City of London’s Markets Committee Deputy Stanley Ginsburg and the
Chairman of the Spitalfields Market Tenant Association Chris
Hutchinson.
The Lord Mayor praised the hard work of stall holders and staff
at the market. He said: "We British love international food and the
New Spitalfields is great in matching to the ever-changing
consumers’ tastes, bringing us the best and freshest fruit and
vegetable produce from all over the world.
"Markets are certainly an important part of the City of London
activities and I am glad that the New Spitalfields has created many
job opportunities."
The Lord Mayor spoke to various traders and checked out the huge
range of produce on show. The highlight of his visit includes
driving a forklift truck – a distinctive feature at New
Spitalfields.
The visit to New Spitalfields Market concludes the Lord Mayor’s
annual visits to Britain’s three largest food retail markets, which
also include the world-famous Billingsgate fish market and the
Smithfield meat market, all owned and run by the City of London
Corporation.
Notes for Editors
New Spitalfields Market
is owned and run by the City of London Corporation. The market
houses the largest number of wholesalers and has the highest
turnover, making it the UK's leading horticultural market. The
continuing specialisation by wholesalers in exotic fruit and
vegetables means that New Spitalfields provides the greatest choice
of these products of any market in Europe.
Operating under a Royal Charter granted in 1682, Spitalfields
moved out of the City in 1991 and now occupies a purpose-built 31
acre site in Leyton, East London. The market hall houses 115
trading units for wholesalers dealing in fruit, vegetables and
flowers. Modern facilities in the market hall include cold storage
rooms, ripening rooms and racking for palletised produce. The site
has extensive parking facilities for customers, delivery vehicles
and market personnel.
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