Smithfield Meat Market

Tom Hixson & Co Ltd have operated from Smithfield Meat Market for over 20 years.

Smithfield Meat Market is one of the oldest of the network of markets that are the lifeblood of the City of London. Approximately 85,000 tons of produce pass through the market each year. Bargaining between buyers and sellers sets the guidelines for meat and poultry prices throughout the UK.

Up until the mid 20th century there was a livestock market on the Smithfield site since the 10th century.

During the late 1990's the market underwent extensive modernisation works.

The market building sits on top of a labyrinth of tunnels: in earlier times live animals were brought to the market on foot and later by rail and slaughtered on site. This no longer takes place and the tunnels are used for storage, parking and as basements. An impressive cobbled ramp spirals down round the public park now known as West Smithfield, on the south side of the market, to give access to part of this area: some of the buildings on Charterhouse Street on the north side have access into the tunnels from their basements.

Some of the buildings formerly associated with the meat market have now been put to other uses. An example of this is the former Central Cold Store which is now, most unusually, a city centre power station operated by Citigen ( a commercial power provider). The public park comprises the centre of the only part of Smithfield which is still open space - this is in effect a large square with the market making one side and mostly older buildings the other three.