Leadenhall Market – London

One magical thing about London is that you sometimes run into some architectural gems which may remind you of a movie. It is because often these places have actually been the background to a movie set. This is the case for Leadenhall Market which is famous among Harry Potter fans to have featured as the Leaky Cauldron Pub (not a Harry Potter fan myself so had to Google this one).

The grand gallery is squeezed between The City modern buildings. A real anachronism in an area known to be one of the main financial hubs in the world. It has not the most obvious entrance so chances are you will know you are close by when you will run into young adult tourists chatting about Harry Potter.

Leadenhall Market is absolutely stunning. The architecture of the galleries is so detailed it looks like a giant piece of jewellery.

Originally a Roman market, it became a centre for trade commerce in the 1400s before turning into a modern-day retailing area.

The place is now a bit of a shopping centre and food court with many eateries and pubs. This is where you will find bankers from The City gathering for a pint (or many) after 4pm on Fridays. It can get really busy so make sure you arrive early if you want to join London Friday ‘pub culture’.

Leadenhall Market has several alleyways so make sure to loop around them all to enjoy a sight of the very traditional and at times quirky shop’s fronts.

If you are feeling peckish, grab a tasty charcuterie and cheese platter at Viandas or a good old fish and chips at Chamberlain’s which is owned by fourth-generation fishmongers.

Leadenhall Market is a real time capsule which is a perfect example of the eclecticism of London – where old mix with new, bankers mix with blue-collar workers and old pubs mix with modern organic fast food chains.

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