As years go by

[flaviomatani]

Yesterday I went to Camden Market for the first time in, oh, a long time. It gets more hectic and less alternative as time goes by with lots of clones of shops selling the same tat. There even was a unit in the main Stables market selling a well known sports shoe brand (that doesn't need me advertising them, says I). Full of zombie tourists, even on a Monday when half the shops used to not bother opening ten years ago. The street food market by the canal is now a seven-day-a-week affair. Stopped by a Colombian stall, had an empanada, the attendant turned out to be Italian, he turned to his colleague in the Peruvian stall next door for change -and this one, too, was Italian. Authenticity at all costs, some things never change after all.

I don't think I'll be going very often; too hectic, too little of interest. Shame, I used to love the place

Comments

[beluosus]

I've pretty much been allergic to Camden Market since we moved here. It's one of those places I only go to to get something specific that can't be had elsewhere. There's a couple nice places left. I've had good luck at one of the hippy jewellery shops finding stuff for Mel; they don't have the same 5 necklaces everyone else sems to.

[zenithed.livejournal.com]

I guess places change, and that's the way of things (like when all the goth stuff moved from Kensington to Camden) - not sure where's coming up to replace it. Spitalfields? The market down there on a Sunday is heaving, and it's least it's not all off the peg stuff.

[kruku.livejournal.com]

Heh :D You could have posted this 10 yars ago and would have been true then too :) Alt events and venues get progressively mainstream all the time. It's in the nature of the beast; Capitalism :)

[androktone.livejournal.com]

I haven't been for years;  it used to be a magical place to explore.

[pleiadeslion.livejournal.com]

I find it useful to go there if I need something in a hurry - tights, hairdye, boots etc - for a last-minute costume (usually cosplay), and when people come from out of town they still generally seem to be fairly impressed by it. And having a mulled wine in the lanes is rather nice.

[djpsyche.livejournal.com]

Agree with everything everyone else has said here!