In this regular feature we turn the spotlight on three of our favourite Portobello and Golborne Market stalls.
Robert’s Vintage Barbours
If you’re looking for some quintessentially British vintage clothing, visit Robert’s stall where you’ll find a superb selection of vintage Barbour waxed jackets and hats. Robert, a relative newcomer to the market after four months of trading, says that the hardest part of running his stall, about 80% of the work, is actually sourcing his stock. Robert is selling vintage jackets in good condition for around £50 – a very keen price given that new Barbours sell for £200 and upwards.
You’ll find Robert just off Portobello Road on Thorpe Close (under the Westway) on Fridays, and under the canopy at the Portobello Road/Cambridge Gardens junction on Saturdays, on the Cambridge Gardens side.
Temptation Alley
Temptation Alley sells ribbons, buttons, braids, lace, brocades, buckles, feathers – essentially all things haberdashery. Haberdasher’s shops used to be on every High Street, but today they’re a rarity and that’s the gap that Vigi’s stall fills. She’s a second-generation market trader, and she’s also an artist and interior designer, which explains the attractive layout of her stall. As well as everyday market customers, people from the worlds of TV, film and theatre flock to the stall for items they can find nowhere else.
Vigi has been trading on the market for six years and you’ll find her stall on Fridays and Saturdays on the corner of Portobello Road and Lancaster Road, outside the UKAI restaurant and bar.
Golborne Fisheries Stall
Phillipe Low runs the fish stall on Golborne Road, which is a satellite of the Golborne Fisheries fishmonger at 75-77 Golborne Road. Phillipe, who’s originally from Mauritius where he had his own fishmongers, has been running the stall for seven years. The stall has a fantastic selection of fresh fish and seafood with some extremely attractive deals such as two sea bass for a fiver.
Philippe, who’s always happy to clean and gut your fish for you, is on Golborne Road, right outside Clarke’s shop at 68 Golborne Road, every Friday and Saturday. Watch out for the large herring gull that hangs around the stall, which actually stole a small fish while Shopportobello was chatting to Philippe!
Fish-loving Golborne Road herring gull
Read previous episodes of Three of the Best:
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
