Borough Market: The Gold Mine Under the London Bridge

Underneath the London Bridge lies Borough Market, one of the largest and oldest food markets in all of London. This world famous market has many elements to it, both good and bad. It is a place to socialize with delicious food and drinks but also a place of history and significance dating all the way back to about 1,000 years ago to present day. For centuries, London Bridge was the only way across the river to the capital, making it the perfect location for individuals to sell their goods to travelers. The marketplace lived and grew through the medieval era, the 16th and 17th centuries, its death and rebirth, the wholesale era, and the renaissance developing it into how we know it today.

Upon arriving at Borough Market, I knew it as a marketplace filled with every type of food you can think of. From English desserts to Pad Thai to Soul Food, the options were endless. The market is the perfect place for a family outing or lunch date with friends because of its positive and lively environment filled with people and cultures from all over the world. Although that all may be true, while I was exiting the market, I was faced with the much deeper and recently dark history that lie within it.

Borough Market has held significance since it first began but today, although it's not pleasant, the market continues to make history. This week, the market is especially significant as June 3rd, 2018 marked the one year anniversary of the terrorist attack that took place on the London Bridge and Borough Market. The attack involved three radical Islamic terrorists working for ISIS who rammed their vehicle into innocent pedestrians on the London Bridge then ran through the market stabbing people in and around the marketplace. The terrorist attack left 8 dead and 48 people injured which changed the view and structure of London's society.

This past Sunday, Londoners moved through the market in silence as people remembered the horrible events that took place last year. Family and friends of victims laid down flowers commemorating the life of their loved ones while others gathered in support. The attack left a lasting impression on all Londoners and gave the London Bridge and Borough Market a much sadder meaning.

Pictured above: The memorial I saw as I walked out of Borough Market.

Although the feelings towards Borough Market market vary amongst people, it still has a large relevance to London and gives visitors a good taste of their multicultural society. Borough Market truly is a "gold mine" as it is a place full of profit and history which gave the market its fame. It stimulates the local economy with its sales while also holding a mass amount of meaning to Londoners. After exploring Borough Market and learning more about both the good and bad events that took place there, I found a new appreciation and understanding for the marketplace.


Sources:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40147164
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44350278