The trading boats have now gathered at Mile End on the Regent’s Canal in London creating a most unusual market. Strangely reminiscent of Neil Gaiman’s floating market, (featured in the 1996 urban fantasy TV series Neverwhere,) it is a vibrant and colourful place. This is all part of the changes to London’s canals during the period of the Olympics.

Just some of the boats moored between Mile End Road and Roman Road include;

A book selling boat
Frocks a Float - selling Vintage Clothes
Chapeau Bateau - selling hats.
The Sandwich Barge – selling sandwiches and other snacks.
Vareska Slovakian Kitchen
Rawlings Cakes

It’s a short walk from Victoria Park, where the Games are shown on big screens. The opening times are roughly 10am-8pm but individual boats may vary in trading times. Catch the central line tube to Mile End then head to the park in Grove Rd, London E3 5BH.

The boats are due to then move to Little Venice in West London from 20th August to 9th September.

Further west, catching the passing trade from trendy Islington the Floating Salon is moored on the Angel visitor moorings. Only five minute’s walk from Angel tube station the canal can be accessed from Colebrook Row, where Nicola Dawkins provides hair dressing services and sells fascinators from her wide beam boat.

We always have boats for sale in London, often with moorings. If you have a boat for sale in London click the tab above: ‘Sell My Boat’ and find out how Boatshed does it differently.

Peggy Melmoth
www.narrowboatwife.com

You may also like:
Living on a Boat: The Boatshed Guide (free) / New Boat Blog on the Block / Canal Diary 2012 / A slideshow of our boat of the moment./Blog Archive

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