A new beginning for The Blue Market

On January 2021, Warwick Landscaping contractors started working in the regeneration of Market Place, the pedestrianised square off Southwark Park Road and home to The Blue Market. The improvements are part of £2m capital investment programme for the area.

The funding from the Mayor of London’s LEAP Good Growth Fund and supported by Southwark Council was possible thanks to the community campaign led by Blue Bermondsey BID with local charity Big Local Works and social enterprise Community Opportunity.

Locally based Turner prize winning collective, Assemble + Hayatsu Architects were appointed to design the improvements, after their tender proposal entitled ‘Made In Bermondsey’ won the contract to design the improvements.

More traders

The new layout will include two fixed structures providing a roofed four pitches areas in both side of the front of the square as well as new electrical installation; the current system was not fit for purpose. More pitches are planned to support market initiatives such as Make It Blue and Blue Latino Market, two themed market events which were launched on 2019

Additionally the project will aim to build upon The Blue’s manufacturing heritage and embrace the emerging range of local 21st century food production businesses, centred around a thriving and authentic local market hosting the cream of new makers, regular cultural events alongside a thriving High St and booming local business community.

Beyond Market Place

Though the initial works started at Market Place, the project has the long-term aims to help transform the Blue into a thriving area, once more recognised and celebrated as Bermondsey’s historic town centre.

One of the feature of the current works will be the demolition of one of the shops in the square to create a new pedestrianised access from Market Place to Blue Anchor Lane. This route will connect the Blue with the site of the Biscuit Factory on the other side of the railway line.

Grosvenor is the owner of the former Peek and Frean’s Biscuit Factory and Southwark Park College and they got planning permission to build 2,548 new homes for rent, a school, new play and public spaces, including a large public roof terrace.

The project aims to create 150,000 sq ft of flexible employment space as well as maintaining all the office and work space managed by Workspace Group.

Please click the link below to see an overview of the project, the designs, and how they were developed.