Developers finally kill Greenwich for good

[havocpaul]

Decided to take the bus down to Greenwich as it was a nice day, haven't been for 18 months and shocked to see that developers (nearly as low a life form as bankers!) have closed the last good market that had been there for several decades and so there are no sellers of vintage jackets, clothing etc left. Sure it has been in gradual decline as more and more of those quircky sometimes unique small second-hand shops got pushed out, replaced by up-market eateries and faux vintage fashion and furniture with prices that only an idiot would/could pay (those bankers perhaps!?). Anyone in the Uk who might have seen the recent Harry Enfield sketches of the obnoxious antique dealer ripping off the dumb women of kensington/Notting Hill will know what I mean. I will not visit again, it was too depressing and I feel for the dealers who were pushed out, one guy from a barbers I know there said a couple had decided to retire and the rest just disappeared. So no chance of finding a flight jacket or field jacket or vintage biker jacket anymore. And yet the sun still shone except for the dark shadow over Greenwich market...R.I.P.

 

[johnwayne]

Hey dont be too hard on Greenwich, anywhere in or near London must be going if not gone the sam way. I live in the borough, have all my life so go there reasonably regular and yes it is very touristy now but then has been for some time. Must say I gave up seeking that holy grail of a 'real' flight jacket for silly money years ago. Of course I always live in hope and do keep the eyes peeled but in many years I've only ever really seen one and that was only a few months ago - not in Greenwich though but Spitalfields (on Thurs) near where I work. I'm sure it was a private purchase A2 with no lablel but only about a 38" - to small for me but decent nick - the guy only wanted £150 and I couldn't make up my mind whether he didnt know exactly what it was or was spinning me yarn as it could possibly have been a very used repro but it did look genuine I've sen enough to believe it was. Ultimately, I was pushed for time as it was my lunch break so didnt bother - may have made few quid on ebay. G1's are quite a common find but do tend to be 70's versions mainly, with the faux collars!!!

 

[havocpaul]

I know it is a sad sign of the times but Greenwich which I live near and have worked in, even played in my band there years back, is a tragedy as many shopkeepers, stall holders and businesses have been forced out since they built the Dome and it is a poor parody of Covent Garden in the style of shops etc. I heard today one dealer did relocate to Spitalfields market. Interesting your comments on that A-2...there was a lady who ran a stall in Greenwich who had at various times several nice military jackets ranging from the usual MA-1's, M-65's to flightsuits, WW2 USN waterproof 'smocks', a few G-1's and she had an A-2 with no label for £125, I looked at it several times but convinced myself it was a 1970's repro of sorts, the knits were thick and the leather thin. That was pre-eBay, if it were there today I might have chanced it.