London’s Historic Smithfield Meat Market Hosts Christmas Auction Amid Uncertain Future

The 800-year-old market faces potential closure and relocation by 2028, casting doubt on its cherished holiday tradition.

Smithfield Market, a cornerstone of London's meat trade for centuries, held its annual Christmas Eve auction, attracting large crowds seeking bargain-priced cuts of meat.
The auction, paused during the pandemic and revived in 2023, has become a festive tradition where surplus meat is sold in a lively, cash-only event.
City authorities plan to close the market by 2028 to repurpose the site for redevelopment, leaving the future of this historic landmark uncertain.
Traders and attendees celebrated the event with enthusiasm, describing it as the unofficial start of Christmas and a unique community gathering.
Plans are in place to relocate Smithfield Market and Billingsgate Fish Market to a new £1 billion facility in Dagenham, but the move remains years away.