Is Camden Market Worth visiting?

When I first read about Camden years ago, it was one of those IT places to visit if you want to scour for vintage gems and quirky finds. Decades have passed and the shine of Camden have dimmed. Still, I put it down as part of my itinerary to London last year.

The market was still quiet when I arrived on a Saturday morning, at around 10. Majority of the shops were just beginning to open. Crowds here start to pile up only at noon. There are six markets that make up the Camden Market, and each of them hawk different types of items. Near the Camden Tube station is the Buck Street Market, with small metal-grilled stalls selling T-shirts, souvenirs and accessories. Don’t waste your money on anything here. These stalls remind me of the Chatuchak weekend market in Bangkok, except that the same shirt in Chatuchak sells for 199 baht (around 3.5 pounds) but a staggering 20 pounds here.

The Camden Main Street greets you the moment you exit the Underground. Lining both sides of the street are shops sell clothing, accessories and vintage items which aren’t very vintage-like. While the items sold in these shops are common and tacky, their facades’ décor are the opposite. Walking the street admiring the different façade designs is one of the highlights of my Camden experience.

I didn’t enter the Inverness Street Market, which sells mainly fruits and vegetables. I figured my precious holiday time is better spent exploring the other markets. Likewise, I skipped the Electric Ballroom, an indoor market selling music and fashion related items, like Goth and vintage clothing. It looked dingy from the outside, making me hesitant to enter.

Then there is the Camden Lock Market Camden Stables Market (I was corrected by the Camden Lock Market folks that I got them mixed up!) which is more of a flea market style bazaar, selling handmade trinkets, leather-bound notebooks and hand-crafted leather bags, amongst others. This I love, the things sold here beat all the commercial items I saw in the other markets. There are also food stalls here, but most of them don’t appear too appetizing.

The last stop I made was the Camden Lock Village. This is where food and shops collide. You can find an explosion of cuisines here, from Thai, to Chinese, to Turkish and Japanese. Once again, the shops here are almost exactly like Chatuchak, most are not eye-catching and clearly targeted at wide-eyed tourists.

 

I spent a whole morning at the Camden Market and left empty handed, although I did manage to fill my tummy. Looking back, I enjoyed strolling through the main Camden Street and browsing the handmade goods at the Camden Lock Market.

As I left Camden, I felt that a layer of invisible dust had settled over the place, and my visit was two decades too late.  It needs a makeover to be more relevant. For first-time visitors to London, I would say go for a visit if you have more time to spend in the city, but I wouldn’t return for seconds.

Tip: If you plan to visit, go early. The crowds in the afternoon make browsing a nightmare. Bring cash if you intend to buy anything, especially if you’re under 25 (I find that items sold here appeal to a younger demographic). Stall owners here are not going to accept credit cards. And with all that cash in your bag, be alert. Afternoon crowds mean the need to jostle around, and that’s when Pickpockets strike.