Covid and lockdowns have been something all of us have had to deal with and work our ways through, whether it be finding new hobbies, exercising more or even working from home. It’s taken its toll and it’s safe to say that we look forward to the days when we can get back to normal! 

Some industries have had to work on producing all sorts of new ideas and facets to continue to keep themselves going. With all the hardship many have had to endure, we wanted to create a project based around a place that many of us at Footpatrol hold close to our hearts and also the home of Footpatrol. Being based in Berwick Street, we have always been proud to be a part of this famous street and for our latest own brand project we want to introduce to you the Berwick Street Market Collection. 

Being around for 250 years, we wanted to put together a project that showcases the longevity this market has had and help encourage people to head down and support the small local businesses that find themselves based there. From all your milk and fruit needs, all the way to middle eastern and far east asian cuisine you are spoilt for choice with the selection there is to offer. But who better to share their stories, than some of the locals and market stall owners of Berwick Street! 

The collection features a puff printed t-shirt and hoodie hosting an original image of Berwick Street Market during the 1968 across the whole collection. The hoodie also features an embroidered quote ‘Soho Since Forever’ placed along the front. Launching on the 24th June, the Berwick Street Market collection will be available to buy in store and online.

Pitstop

Footpatrol: Could you tell us a bit about who you are and what you do?

Pitstop: My name is Carol, I started this stall in 2008 with a small trailer and gradually grew into this big gazebo making Pan Asian food. People tend to come ask for whatever they want, allergies or preferences and we just try to cater for those people. 

FP: How long have you been based in Berwick Street and how important is the market to the area?

Pitstop: I’ve been here for 13 years ever since we started. I came here in 1990 from Malaysia and started when my daughter was born in 2008. It’s a smaller capital to invest into, kind of like a restaurant but with better hours. I am a big community person, we used to go to a community center on Brewer Street which has closed down now, we have always tried to give a helping hand. I love to cook and love to see people enjoy the food as well. Gradually our menu is getting slightly bigger and bigger!

FP: Why is visiting and supporting the market after lockdown important for the community?

Pitstop: I started this business to try and get a bit more flexibility and give myself some off days. Berwick Street is close to home and if that wasn’t the case I’m not sure I would have been able to do it. Our trade depends on the workers from the area and passers by and with Covid that has reduced traffic in the area a lot. Hopefully more people will be able to make it over here, we are also trying to change our containers to help also reduce single use plastic!

Fruit Stall

Footpatrol: Could you tell us a bit about who you are and what you do?

Fruit Stall: We are your local Berwick Street Fruit Vendor!

FP: How long have you been based in Berwick Street and how important is the market to the area?

Fruit Stall: I have been here for 28 years but the stall and business has been here for around 55 years in Berwick street.

FP: Why is visiting and supporting the market after lockdown important for the community?

Fruit Stall: We get a lot of office workers from the area getting fruit boxes and all sorts, same goes for the community, locals, restaurants, bars you name it. It’s important for us for people to come by, 3 words – WE NEED YOU! Bring people back to the market!

So High Soho

Footpatrol: Could you tell us a bit about who you are and what you do?

So High Soho: My name is Anna Boil, I am a founder member of So High Soho with a lady called Marsha and that was nearly 28 years ago. We started as a hippy head shop kind of thing and evolved into more about what he had come from which was the festival scene. 

FP: How long have you been based in Berwick Street and how important is the market to the area?

So High Soho: So the store has been here for 28 years as I mentioned but Marsha used to run a stall in the market which I used to work at. When we started the shop there were friends backing us and I was the partner because I had a moped at the time! The street used to be full of wholesalers up the road, many of which wouldn’t deal or speak to the public. So we have managed to build up a little archaeology of bits here, coming from the market, relationships with wholesalers, material shops and also record shops! With that we saw a relationship between the music, artists, costumiers and this really interesting bit in between. That’s what Berwick Street means to me, it’s that overlapping of different generations from you guys and the trainer scene to traditional aspects that are here in the bricks & mortar where people meet. We just hope that as people create new traditions it keeps us all alive! People may walk down and what they pick up is a umami of the street which they may not know what it is yet but should come down and find out!

FP: Why is visiting and supporting the market after lockdown important for the community?

So High Soho: For us it is an always alive place, where people are always responding to what people’s interests and values are. That is why we still have people like the guys at the Fruit Stall, many have closed but this one still stands! The shops have the people that are making the shops, it’s not disconnected here, we are really connected to the people who started the businesses. Next door for example we just had a new vintage shop open with 2 guys who have had a shop before and try out something new for them, which I am so glad they have been given access to do so! Fortunately there are little bits that are continuing to grow and I think that will only be dependent on more people visiting the area. It’s a shared space that we have here and we can’t share it without people visiting.

The Jerk Drum

Footpatrol: Could you tell us a bit about who you are and what you do?

The Jerk Drum: We are the Jerk Drum and we specialise in the best Jerk Chicken in London, simple as that! 

FP: How long have you been based in Berwick Street and how important is the market to the area?

The Jerk Drum: We have been here since 2019 but the market has been here since 1778 so it’s incredibly important. Markets are the hub of any town center. When you go on holiday in that town, that city usually has a market. What more is there to say! Markets are like the salt of the town, where the real people are around and bearing in mind we have only been here since 2019 it is a family round here, everyone is nice, everyone has each other’s backs so it’s nice to be a part of it.

FP: Why is visiting and supporting the market after lockdown important for the community?

The Jerk Drum: Small businesses have been hurt the most, big businesses have all sorts of clever people that can help them refinance and things. With small businesses though, we don’t have so much luxuries, so much network that some people do. We just want and need people to come down and buy good produce that we have put a lot of love and care into and help keep the economy running.