Billingsgate Market — Restaurant in London

Long queue, one rude security staff, not allowed to toilet On 27/03/21, around 5 to 5:30am, the queue was very long (almost 500 people). At 6:30 to 7am, We stayed in the queue for around 1 and half hour until my husband couldn't wait for toilet. It was only around 10 people before us for entering to the market. He couldn't wait any more so he approached to the security man who controlled the queue in the front and explained his situation. The man asked him to go back to the queue rudely and didn't allow him for the toilet. This officer said he didn't believe it because some people would use toilet for excuse to avoid the queue. My husband came back to the original queue and waited for another minute. He told me he started to feel sick so he went to the man again and this time he was still not allowed for toilet, so he continued to walk towards the direction of toilet because he couldn't wait any more. The security man shouted to him loudly and I went to him and explained again we were only minutes away from the entrance (he could see it as we were only meters away from him) and my husband would come back to join me after if we were still not called for entering. He still insisted going to toilet was not allowed and shouted to me that both of us wouldn't be allowed for entering to the market on that day. Many people heard it and it was really embarrassing. He knew we had been in the queue for a long time and there was no other purpose to request for toilet near the end of the queue. Actually they shouldn't make assumption that the people asked for toilet were for the purpose of avoiding the queue. We finally reported the incident to the head of the security and formally made a complaint by writing later. We requested for a sorry. Although the manager had promised to undertake further training to improve the service which we appreciated, he also replied the officer concerned had told him differently and we didn't receive any sorry from this officer. We did nothing wrong. We personally felt to be bullied and assaulted. There is no toilet outside of the building and the queue could be 2 hours or more in early morning. We are Billingsgate regular customers for over 20 years , but we haven't been there any more since the incident happened. We have been happy with the quality of the seafood and all traders have been very polite and professional. I don't leave negative feedbacks normally, but I am still feeling very hurt from that officer. So I have to speak up for all the people who have honesty and dignity. This comment is left not for the traders and products. The traders are 5 stars. If you visit this place, try to avoid weekends during Pandemic time and don't drink too much water because there is no toilet available outside...

This is the best place for all your fish and seafood needs. It boasts such an eclectic mix and speciality fish and seafood spices, and all at extremely competitive prices than you will find to buy anywhere else outside this historic landmark London fish market.

The opening hours for Billingsgate Fish Market are very early in the morning from 4am until 8.30am Tuesdays to Saturdays only. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

However, during this period of the Covid-19 pandemic, be prepared to queue to get inside this wet fish market, as the numbers are controlled by the wardens to ensure that the market is not overcrowded.

Children are not allowed in this market, and please remember to dress appropriately too! Do not wear any fancy and expensive apparel and shoes here, as it is a wet fish market, which means the floors are constantly wet and you bump up against all sorts of people. Infact, you may want to wear shoes with good grip and traction to prevent slipping.

You are required to wear a face mask all the time when inside, as this is mandatory. You also have to wear a face mask anywhere in the perimeter of the market, immediately from when you alight from your car.

There's a pay and display car park at £2 for 2 hour's stay. However, you can also pay online or by using the Parkonomy App, which I have now downloaded on my phone. There are add on charges to using the online payment of around £0.40p, where as a pay and display is £2 flat charge. So you have the choice what option you want to use.

The fins of the fresh fish tends to perforate the bags you are served with so do remember to bring some additional black bags/newspapers to line up the boot of your car to stop any ingress of fluids from the fish and seafood into the lining of your boot.

If nothing at all, it is an amazing and historical market for all fish and seafood lovers.

Sadly this week, i noticed somensignage inside the market talking about plans to move Billingsgate Fish Market and relocate it to Dagenham. It would be a crying shame if they did, but I suppose the current site has some serious prime real estate value to it and will sell like hot cakes if it came onto the open market. Money talks £££££!! Big money talks!!

From discussions that I had with one of the fish vendors, I understand that the proposed move to the new location will be on the site of the now closed Ford factory in Dagenham. The vendor thought that if handled correctly by the Corporation of London, who own Billingsgate, that it would be a positive move for all.

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Ah, a fish market.. images of wooden boats landing with burly, barrel-chested, pipe-chomping, sailors throwing sacks of fresh fish onto the docks for the men inside with flashing knives to clean, gut and and help you pack it into coolboxes for transport home. Ahh.. the romance..

Ahh.. the unreality. None of that applies to any real fish market, let alone Billingsgate, so if the above is what you're after - you may want to head to Cornwall where you can intercept boats as they land.

If you head to Billingsgate, what you WILL get is a large warehouse, packed with scads of people walking around staring at fresh and frozen fish, prawns, live crab, marron, and shark, packed into styrofoam boxes with ice. There'll be a general slickness underfoot as the water drains from melting ice into channels carrying off water, and you'll be cheek to jowl with many others looking for fresh fish.. this means that you MUST be early - we got there at 5:30 (an hour and a half after opening) and we were still getting good stuff, but it was clear that the very best fish had been taken already, and we were left with merely excellent fish, rather than amazing fish.

Things to be aware of: a lot of sellers would much prefer you having cash, to the point of NOT having card machines. The nearest ATM is at the McDonald's near the entrance gates. you get fish, fish, and nothing BUT fish. Bring your own coolboxes (well, you can get a styrofoam box if you buy fish by the box, and if you ask nicely they can give you a spare box. Maybe) and chilling gear for the fish. You will have to gut, scale, etc etc it yourself be early. a lot of purchasers will be commercial, and a lot of sellers will be used to that, so if you ask to buy one fish, make sure they understand, and don't accidentally think you mean 'one box of fish' you get your fish in plastic (bin) bags. It's really stylish. there's a knockabout cafe in there, so coffee is available at all hours.. coffee! wear closed shoes.. thongs aren't really a good idea in a fish...