Sent Monday 27 October (a similar letter was sent
to the Evening Standard)
Dear Sir,
I write to correct an error on page 39 of Monday's (27 October)
Times headed "Smithfield Market office-block proposal may be for
the chop if banks change policy on property".
The illustrated article says the Smithfield meat market is under
threat. This is not the case: the planning application referred to
in the article did not relate to the working meat market but to
buildings nearby; in fact the meat market traders supported the
planning application.
The existing, historic (and unthreatened) meat market comprises
two buildings nearer to Bart's Hospital known as the East Market
and West Market - both Grade II star listed buildings and both
refurbished by the City of London Corporation at a total cost of
£80 million.
The buildings that the planning application related to are not
listed and are not part of the working meat market. They are known
as the General Market building, the Annex Market building, the Red
House and the Lavatory Block. They are all within the Smithfield
Conservation Area and parts of these buildings are over railway
tunnels.
The City of London is proud of its support for the wholesale
food markets of London, including Smithfield, and I am grateful for
this chance to put the record straight.
Yours faithfully,
Mark Boleat
Chairman
Markets Committee
City of London Corporation