23 September 2008
Lord Mayor's visit to the new Spitalfields
Lord Mayor of the City of London Alderman David Lewis paid an
early morning visit last Thursday (18 Sept) to New Spitalfields
Market in Leyton - Britain’s largest wholesale fruit and vegetable
market.
Lord Mayor David Lewis was accompanied by the Mayor of Waltham
Forest Councillor Sheila Smith-Prior, the Chairman of the City of
London’s Markets Committee Mark Boleat and the Chairman of the
Spitalfields Market Tenants’ Association Chris Hutchinson.
The Lord Mayor spoke to traders and checked out the huge range
of produce on show. He praised the hard work of stall holders and
staff at the market. He said: "We British love international food
and New Spitalfields is great at matching ever-changing consumers’
tastes, bringing us the best and freshest fruit and vegetable
produce from all over the world."
"I am a simple Welsh sheep farmer who does not know a lot about
fruit and vegetables. The scale of New Spitalfields market is very
impressive and is certainly an eye-opener."
"Markets are certainly an important part of the City of London
activities and I am glad that New Spitalfields has created many job
opportunities. I am also very pleased that the market is
thriving."
The Spitalfields Market Tenants’ Association has made a donation
of £500 in aid of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal – Orbis and Wellbeing of
Women.
The Lord Mayor makes 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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