London's defiant market
One month on from
the London Bridge attack
This article was first published in July 2017
Fruit and veg salesman Paul Crane uses his distinctive Bermondsey rasp to tout his produce at Borough Market.
“Strawberries, get 'em by the pound,” he bellows to the punters, trickling down Stoney Street, in London Bridge.
The trader has been a staple in Borough for 18 years.
On 3 June, he had packed up his stall - as usual - at the end of a busy Saturday. The market had been packed with foodies, locals and tourists.
That evening, the nearby pubs and restaurants gradually filled with people enjoying the summer evening.
But it all changed shortly after 10 o'clock, when a hired van sped across London Bridge driving into pedestrians.
Out jumped three knife-wielding men wearing fake suicide vests - who proceeded to wreak more havoc in the historic market and surrounding streets.
“My daughter called me [that night] and said there'd been an attack. Ten minutes later it [turned out] it was the market so I stayed up watching it on TV,” the 46-year-old Crane says.
I was just worried that friends that were up here were injured or worse.”
Borough Market was closed for about 10 days after the attack, and it's now back open and filled with the usual heady mix of colours, sounds, smells and tastes.
But for the stallholders and their customers, is it business as usual?
Over the two decades Paul Crane has been working there, Borough Market has been transformed into a place where culinary cultures collide.
Fishmongers, butchers and greengrocers now sit alongside street food stalls. There's an enticing aroma in the air.
As it approaches midday, business picks up at the Borough Wines stall - with customers tempted by the Prosecco and elderflower cocktails.
Stall manager Ian Campbell, 46, says the attackers struck at one of the busiest times.
“A lot of traders would hang about on Saturday, it's the last day of the week for a lot of them in the market,” he says.
Everyone was touched or affected by it in some way.”
He talked about how he knew a female manager from one of the restaurants close to the stall who had been stabbed.
The attackers' rampage on London Bridge, left eight people dead and tens more were injured.
Although hesitant, stall traders seem happy to talk about the effect of the attack on the market.
But for businesses directly involved on the night, the emotions are too raw. The bars and restaurants that were open on the night of the attack politely refuse to talk.
One restaurant manager says the staff are too upset. “Some of them were involved. It's too soon.”
But inside the market, the pain and loss felt by many is not showing publicly.
Punters continue to ogle croissants and Chelsea buns at a bakery stall.
Eva Law returns to the market for the first time with her brother-in-law.
The 35-year-old, who lives in Wapping, says:
“We tried to come the week after and it was closed. I think it's great, the atmosphere feels exactly the same.
“It's good to see the tourists have come back, I feel there's a similar amount of activity as before.”
For others though, the atmosphere of the market - one of London's go-to tourist attractions - has changed.
Alison Monroe, 25, has been working at Wyndham House Poultry for two years and says the market is far less busy than usual.
She was drinking on Stoney Street before the attack happened.
“If I had gone out for more drinks afterwards I probably would've been involved.
“It's just because I'm not very organised and I had a holiday the next day so I had to quickly go home and pack.
“Thank God for my poor organisation skills.”
Hopefully people will think stuff them, we're going to stand all as one.”
As the lunchtime rush continues traders are competing for customers.
One man is thrusting forks of paella on passers-by, steam gently rises from the colourful rice.
Idie Shashimal Idirisinghe smiles as he prepares salt beef sandwiches.
The 39-year-old says: “We had a big problem here but everybody is smiling back, we've got a bit busier every week.”
I'm always happy, I always have a smile on my face.”
The smell of melted cheeses, cured meats and barbecued seafood becomes even more powerful as the rush continues.
Jat Vithlani scoffs his fish and chips around the pillars of the market, looking on to Stoney Street.
The 28-year-old, and 10 of his colleagues, make a weekly trip to the market from their offices in The Shard, which looms over the stalls.
“I didn't think something like that would happen so local to where we work but it hasn't changed our mindset.
“We haven't stopped coming here less frequently, it hasn't changed our daily routine going forward.”
The defiant spirit of many Londoners can be seen throughout the market.
Teresa Vanneck-Surplice chose to visit in the hope of using scenes from the market in a painting.
As the 86-year-old eats an almond croissant, she describes how the market has changed since she visited 30 years ago.
“There were no cakes, no young tourists, but with all the publicity I thought I'd come back.”
When asked if she thought it was odd that the market could return to normality so quickly, she cackles:
That's London darling, you're obviously not a Londoner to ask such a silly question.”
By one o'clock the market is in full swing.
Tourists can be seen scrolling through their Instagram picture filters, before sending an artistically-lit snap of a roast tomato focaccia.
But for fishmonger Max Tucker, the market is still feeling the effects of the attack.
“For me, there's [got to be] an energy in a market.”
It's just starting to get the atmosphere back, it's sort of been a really dull place.”
“We don't all love each other, but we are a whole when it comes to it. I think the day we reopened you got a sense of that.”
Many traders are concerned about how quiet it is on Saturday.
The tourist trap seems to be losing trade from out-of-towners, concerned about the recent events.
Police officers can be seen patrolling the railway archways of the market, putting traders and punters at ease.
Inspector Rob McElroy was on duty the day after the attack.
He said that “stubbornness” got a lot of people through the most recent atrocities in London and Manchester.
“Particularly within the Met, that Blitz spirit is still with us, nothing will stop us.
“It's a world city, carry on as normal, ain't gonna get us down or stop us doing what we want to do.”
Do whatever you want to do, they can't beat us, we'll carry on as normal.”
