Inverness Street: what is left of Camden's old market street

Inverness Street is a one-street market in Camden Town, NW1, about 0.1 miles from Camden Town tube. It links Camden High Street with Arlington Road. It costs nothing to walk, and the pubs and bars sit at the High Street end, so it works as a stop on the way up from the station.

What the market used to be

According to Wikipedia, this is a remnant of the old Camden Town Market, which moved off Camden High Street after the late-19th-century electrification of horse-drawn trams. Henry Mayhew described that market in 1851 as having 50 stalls. The Camden New Journal called it the borough’s oldest market in 2010 and said it had supplied fresh fruit and veg for more than a century.

That same 2010 piece carried traders’ warnings that the market might not last another year. They blamed the relocation of a bus stop on the High Street for a collapse in trade, and one clothing-stall holder claimed a 90% loss of business. The council said 72% of respondents to its High Street consultation backed removing the bus stop. Camden Council is the traders’ landlord.

What is there now

Be realistic. Visit London describes stalls selling clothing, souvenirs and street food, and does not mention fruit and veg. Wikipedia says the market shifted that way as traditional shops became bars and eateries for the tourist and night-time trade. One review summary calls it “definitely not the traditional grocery market it once was”. Another listing still mentions fruit and veg alongside clothes and gifts, so if you want produce, look when you arrive rather than count on it. Visit London puts stall hours at roughly 09:00 to 18:00, though that varies by stallholder.

A Camden New Journal resident, writing after lockdown, argued that pavement tables for cafés and restaurants had vastly improved the street. The same writer complained about weekend stalls all selling the same T-shirts, and called Inverness Street “the real Camden”. That is one local’s view, but the tables are the part worth your time.

Where to drink and eat

The Good Mixer, 30 Inverness Street

The pub for the Britpop story. DesignMyNight says it became the epicentre of the 1990s scene, and listings also link it to Amy Winehouse. CAMRA says the Cricketers stood on the site until it was destroyed in the Second World War, and the Good Mixer replaced it in the 1950s. Inside are two rooms around a big island bar, a pool table, a stage with a piano and walls of band photographs. There is a large outdoor seating area and a jukebox. DesignMyNight lists live music on Sundays. Opening hours differ between listings, so check before a late visit.

Ma Petite Jamaica and its Rum & Reggae Bar, 4 to 6 Inverness Street

Hot Dinners says the restaurant has been going since 1985. Order from the jerk menu (pork, chicken or red bream), curried goat with rice and peas, or ackee and saltfish. Red Stripe is on tap and rum cocktails are the drink of choice. Next door, Time Out says the rum bar stocks hundreds of rums and plays weekly live reggae, with peppered shrimps among the plates. Check the reggae night before you plan around it.

El Cenote, 2 Inverness Street

A Mexican bar and restaurant on the old Bar Gansa site, just off Camden High Street. Hot Dinners reported that chef Daniel Sanchez, from Mexico City, runs the kitchen. Go for the birria tacos or the Carne Asada Norteña. Vegetarians get sweet potato or crispy mushroom tacos. The margarita list is strong, including a cucumber and blue curaçao house version.

Shops

Visit London names Out On The Floor Records, which it calls Camden’s oldest record shop, and Forbidden Planet Camden, also known as Mega City Comics, as independents on the street. Out On The Floor is listed at 10 Inverness Street.

Getting there

Come out of Camden Town tube (Northern line) and walk a couple of minutes. A sensible order: wander the stalls first, then lunch at El Cenote or Ma Petite Jamaica, and save the Good Mixer for a pint and a game of pool.