You might struggle to imagine the street where you work crammed with hundreds of people at a lively market, but that’s what I experienced at the 2016 Bermondsey Street Festival.
I arrived fairly late in the day but the street was still full of people, as was the nearby Tanner Street Park. There must have been at least 50 stalls along the length of the road.
From pale ales to cake sales, sweets and toffee to weight-loss coffee, spices and shawls to paintings for your walls, it was quite a selection.
A few local brands I recognised, including pots of honey from Bermondsey Street Bees. I’d read about their rooftop hives only the week before, and was impressed by the young apiarist enthusing to tourists about the differences between urban and rurally cultivated honey.
The winter clothes stall was very popular, though the prices meant some visitors gave it the cold shoulder. Nonetheless I was very pleased with both my purchases:
The steak sandwich I picked up from Argentine grill Constancia, another of our neighbours. I was surprised by how well the rocket and ‘Chimichurri’ sauce went with the steak, and that combined with a layer of cheese…I could have had two more.
Finding the Oyster card wallet was like one of those rare moments when you get a non-edible Christmas present that you actually like and will be of practical use. It’s a lovely, unique souvenir from the festival and will bring a bit of brightness into my daily commute.
So next time there’s an annual festival or big one-off event near where you work, it might be worth popping along. And with hundreds of potential customers wandering by, maybe you should set up your own stall for the day.
