![]() ![]() “They are more democratic and less formal places to eat, and the food is more affordable. “These markets are blurring the lines between street food and restaurants,” said food writer Hugh Thomas. The independent food outlets either pay a fixed rent or a share of their turnover. In most UK food markets, a developer will operate the venue, choose the independent food businesses for the hall, pay business rates, utilities and insurance, provide cutlery and crockery, hire uniformed staff to clear tables and clean toilets, and – critically – the developers run the lucrative bar. In Chicago, customers can choose from 19 outlets and three “beautiful bars”. The concept has spread across the world and moved upmarket: last week, the 50,000 sq ft Time Out Market Chicago opened following similar ventures this year in Miami, New York, Boston and Montreal, five years after the first Time Out Market opened almost 4,000 miles away in Lisbon. Photograph: Paul Lawrenson (Kent)/Alamyįood courts are a common feature of Asian cities, but there they can be chaotic and brash experiences, with noisy hawkers, formica tables and bright fluorescent lighting. The Goods Shed, a farmers’ market and food hall in Canterbury. The new wave of food halls with multiple restaurants in one venue is “sweeping the UK at an alarming rate”, it says. The food market movement is a “runaway train”, according to Big Hospitality, a website that reports on the industry. One of the smallest, the Street Food Market in Preston, will open on Wednesday after local businessman Irfan Asghar borrowed money from family and friends for the venture and spread the word on social media. The largest, Market Halls West End, opened nine days ago in a redundant BHS store at Oxford Circus, London, offering more than 900 covers a day in a 35,000 sq ft venue. “We’re still doing the van, but this is a toe in the water to see if there’s scope to become a bigger company.”įrom Durham to Brighton, Preston to Cheltenham, in Liverpool, Leeds and London, food markets and halls are bringing street food indoors. In another booth, Richie Parker of Spread From The Med – offering chicken gyros, souvlaki and halloumi fries – had spent the summer touring festivals in a converted horse box. ![]()
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