London's New Covent Garden Market, the capital's original fruit, veg and flower wholesale market, has unveiled the first phase of a £130m development towards becoming a food hub and incubator for the UK's most innovative food makers, creators and thinkers.
The Food Exchange; a flexible workspace, kitchen space and food culture venue already in place, will form the exciting first step in developing the new Food Quarter – a vibrant, creative food industry destination – which will cement the market's role as the epicentre of London's food and beverage startup scene.
Split across three floors the 40,000 sq ft location will aim to bring the UK's plethora of food entrepreneurs all under one roof, creating a hub where innovative tastes are made, food written and talked about, creating a home for the food industry. Find out more about The Food Exchange here.
We've recently seen other news from the capital where large scale units are being developed to cater for the food and beverage industry. One of the most exciting was the announcement that Oxford Street's old BHS store is set to become the biggest food hall in the UK. When it reopens this autumn, as Market Hall West End, the location is to host 25 restaurants, 10 food stalls, four bars, an event space and a demo kitchen within its 36,000 sq ft space.
Other markets coming to the capital include a new 10 kitchen hall at the entrance of the Edwardian Underground station at Fulham Broadway, as well as Victoria's Terminus Place, set to boast 14 kitchens, three bars and seating for 300 over its three-story market hall.
Find out more about London's new Market Halls here.
In our foodwatching September report, we touched on the topic of Food Halls Takeover around the world, in particular in America where they are gathering pace quicker than anywhere else. You can read the full report on our trendhub here. Can't see the report as you're not a subscriber? Get in touch today.