In London a market has been at the site of Smithfield for over 1,000 years: http://www.smithfieldmarket.com/the-market/the-market-today/ http://www.smithfieldma

In London a market has been at the site of Smithfield for over 1,000 years: http://www.smithfieldmarket.com/the-market/the-market-today/ http://www.smithfieldmarket.com/the-market/the-market-today/ Over the next few years it will see a transformation as the market is moved East beyond the existing Olympic site and the old market site becomes another block of glass offices and shops: http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2013/07/17/contentious-smithfield-market-rebuild-approved/ http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2013/07/17/contentious-s... Currently it's blocked though, local resistance did make a difference: https://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/documents/s44835/Appendix%201%20-%20Summary%20of%20Smithfield%20Market%20Site%20Visit.pdf https://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/documents/s44835/Appendi... It's the same story everywhere, and it has a lot to do with city growth. These markets are still central to their cities and deliveries are now by HGVs which cannot fit the spaces easily. The roads around cannot take the congestion of vans and re-deliveries, and the land itself now has a very different (much higher) value if used for a different purpose. A lot of the old city markets face the same fate.