Camden Town, London » Entertainment » Shopping Centres

  • Introduction:
When in Camden Town, it is an obvious decision for any tourist to visit Camden Markets as they are the fourth largest tourist destination in London. But shopping at Camden Markets is not a regular shopping trip, where you just buy a pair of trousers, a silhouette dress or an evening gown. It's all about discovering alternative fashion and letting yourself free from societal rules and regularities.
No corner of Camden Town is left free when it comes to setting up a shop, a stall, a pub or a restaurant. The Camden Lock Market, Camden Stables Market, Camden Canal Market, Camden Buck Street Market, Inverness Street Market, Electric Ballroom fashion market and the Main Streets of Camden all explode together to offer their customers various quality goods such as designer clothes, alternative vintage clothing, accessories, artifacts, handicrafts, jewelry and good food and wine.
Camden Town becomes hyperactive when the markets are set up and each market has its own distinct highlight due to which it attracts different kinds of customers to it.
Camden Lock Market is the oldest and the origin of all markets and was set up in 1974 and is known much for its crafts, though it has started offering much more than that.

Camden Stables Market is the most diverse of all, and tourists can get to experience what kind of life Goths, Punks live, what type of clothes they wear and what different kinds of fashion trends they follow. Tattoos, pierced bodies, heavy makeup, weird yet interesting styling of hair are some of the traits of Gothic subculture which can seen at Camden Markets. For some people this can be a shock while for others it can be a topic of research!

Camden Buck Street Market which was open to local trade long time ago is also one of the interesting places to hunt for alternative clothes, accessories and jewelry.

Inverness Street Market is a little different from all, as it was a fruit and vegetable market in the early 1900's, but over the time, stalls selling clothing, footwear and souvenirs have taken over.

Camden’s Main Streets includes the route from Camden High Street that finally ends at Chalk Farm Road and includes a multitude of shops, pubs, indoor markets (Electric Ballroom) and restaurants which pack up the road so much that sometimes not a inch of space is left free to walk.

  • Transport:

Camden Markets can be easily accessed via the Northern Line of Camden Tube Station. Rather than alighting at Camden Town Station, a better idea will be to get down at Chalk Farm Road so as to explore the markets in a more disciplined manner. During weekends, shops and stalls, jam-pack the road so much that there is very little parking space left and so the best option left is to catch a bus to the Market. If you are not in a hurry and would prefer a more relaxing way of exploring the markets then a walk down from Regent's Canals towpath will let you to the middle of the markets.

  • Markets:
Camden Lock Market
Uniqueness: board games, juggling equipment, music CD's and DVD's, bookshops, furnishings, clothing’s, handcrafted mirrors, frames, jewelry, designer clothes and accessories
Opening Hours: Daily 10.00 am to 6.00 pm

Camden Stables Market
Uniqueness: daring alternative fashion, vintage clothing and drinks, antiques, crafts, footwear, furniture, tattoos and piercing, casual wear, art and crafts.
Opening Hours: Daily 10.00 am to 6.00 pm

Camden Buck Street Market
Uniqueness: club wear, footwear, casual wear, alternative fashion, jewelry, accessories
Opening Hours: Thursday to Sunday 10.00 am to 5.30 pm

Inverness Street Market
Uniqueness: footwear, clothing, souvenirs, fruits and vegetables, continental bars and restaurants
Opening Hours: Daily 8.00 am to 5.30 pm

Main Streets
Uniqueness: Electric Ballroom indoor fashion market, pubs and restaurants, music venues such as Jazz Café, Dingwalls, Barfly and Underworld.
Opening Hours: Daily 10.00 am to 6.00 pm