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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Comment
Evening Standard Comment

OPINION - The Standard View: The ending of 900 years of Smithfield Market is a shameful abdication of duty

Smithfield The City of London Corporation London Luxury the City of London
Smithfield is set to close in 2028 after a vote by the City of London Corporation (Jordan Pettitt/PA) - (PA Archive)

The City of London is a world-leading business and financial district. One only has to gaze up to see the extraordinary skyscrapers, full of workers in offices, or dining restaurants, or enjoying luxury living accommodation. Yet one only also has to look a little lower down to understand the City is a place bursting with history, something at grave risk being forgotten.

The announcement that Smithfield meat market appears set to be shut after nearly 900 years of trading is a case in point. The City of London Corporation is seeking to effectively absolve itself from responsibility of running both Smithfield and Billingsgate, and with it has abdicated its responsibility as custodian.

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