Love London History? Join our Facebook group, Londonist Memory Machine.
Borough Market is now old enough to adopt a child, hold a transport airplane licence and supervise a learner driver. That's right, the market has been open to the public for 21 years.
To celebrate, the team at the Market dug up these extremely nineties photos from the Southwark Festival in November 1998. That's why someone's walking a donkey through the middle of the market — we assure you this wasn't a regular occurrence.
Some of you might be scratching your heads thinking 'I thought Borough Market had been around for way longer than that?' Well, you're right. It has. But before 1998, it wasn't open to the general public — instead, it was a wholesale market.
To see just how much things have (and haven't) changed, here are some photos of the stallholders who were around on day one, and have stuck it out until now.
Here's Mrs Kings Pork Pies, on day one. Back in the day there was an 'Elizabeth' in that name too.
The pies today look pretty similar, even if the set-up is a little more 'profesh'. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Next up there's Wild Beef. As the picture shows it really did used to just be about beef.
Whereas nowadays products have diversified.
Finally there's the fruit and veg specialists Turnips.
Quantity — and a much better photo — are the main changes here.
Here's hoping for another 21 years.
