News 12•16
Entry, access and permits
Thank you for bearing with us during the recent permit renewal. This year, the process was more complicated than usual due to changes to access and parking to accommodate the construction. These are challenging times and sometimes changes need to happen at short notice.
We have put a summary of all the changes and how they affect you on our website. You can find them here.
We had to make these changes to help better manage the enormous number of vehicles that come into the market and to prioritise parking for customers, as well as for loading and unloading vehicles.
As you will see, we have now opened our new Entrance Plaza. It will operate in the same way as the old Plaza, although access is now only for Fruit and Veg Market tenants and customers with commercial vehicles. Cars need to park in the Multi-Storey Car Park.
If you have a private vehicle, and you buy in the Fruit and Veg Market, please speak to our Operations team (t: 020 7720 2211) to get an additional Buyers’ Permit. If you’re a Flower Market customer, you now need to use the Flower Market Entrance to enter the market.
Interim Distribution Units and Food Exchange construction starts
On the old Pavilion site, you can see a new steel structure is going up. Here, we’ve started the construction of our Interim Distribution Units and the Food Exchange.
The distribution units are for three of our largest wholesale distributors. They are moving in to help create space for the construction of the new Fruit and Veg Market. The units will be kitted out to the same spec as the new market and so will be a great preview of what’s to come in the future.
The Food Exchange is a new concept for the market. It used to be called The Garden Heart, but we felt the Food Exchange better captured the essence of the place. Part studios and offices, part co-working space and startup food factory, the Food Exchange is a new space for a community of food businesses of all flavours. It’s also a centre for food education and culture for aspiring chefs, cooks and foodies.
All of this will help raise the profile of New Covent Garden Market and everyone will become part of the market community, bringing new ideas, new customers and new ways to collaborate.
Construction for both will take about a year, due to finish at the end of 2017.
Opening of the new Recycling Centre
After just over a year’s construction, we are ready to open our new Recycling Centre. We are currently moving all the equipment from the temporary site into the new home.
Located adjacent to the Multi-Storey Car Park, this new facility will play a major factor in our commitment to sending zero waste to landfill. The fact that it is now under cover helps us continue to push the boundaries in helping the environment by recycling more of our waste. It also gives our recycling team some much needed shelter from these cold, wet, windy days.
Despite its scale, it is designed to be unobtrusive. We can continue to manage waste but out of sight.
We should be up and running in the new Recycling Centre during the beginning of December.
Edible Avenue now open on Thessaly Road
The market has always had strong links with the surrounding community. Part of Brand New Covent Garden Market is about helping our neighbours and making a difference where we can. Now, in partnership with VINCI St. Modwen, we have given the market’s boundary wall on Thessaly Road a major makeover.
The wall has been painted in a kaleidoscope of vibrant colours and line drawings, along the length of the wall, echo the area’s rich history and community.
A traditional white picket fence forms a series of seating and planting areas. Those living in the area have got involved with planting fruit bushes, trailing plants, edible flowers and herbs. We will do another round of planting in the spring so that by next summer, the place should be aglow with colourful edible plants and flowers for everyone to enjoy.
Pop along to Thessaly Road and have a look. We’ve already had some wonderful feedback from those living in the area and walking by, especially from the local school.
Construction Programme
Click on the image to view a larger version of the construction programme.
This is the latest Construction Programme for the next few months. As with any project of this size, all dates are indicative and are subject to change. As we get nearer to the start date we will be able to confirm timings with more certainty. The start date refers to the date that area is handed over to the contractor and is not the date significant works might start as, often, preparatory works are needed before demolition or construction can begin. The end date is our target end date.