It all started with Earl Camden in 1791 and other influential figures of that time, deciding to develop the land surrounding the main couch route to Hampstead, High Gate and the northern part of Britain. The main route north form the center of London as it is now is Camden High Street. Before the developments started taking place, there were very few buildings around the area. There was the Mother Red Cap inn (which is not the World’s End pub), some other inns, a few lone buildings and a lot of open countryside. The area that we know as Camden lock did not develop for a few years more and was mainly agricultural land. It only started developing when the Regent’s Canal (which was the brain child of Thomas Homer – with the opening of the canal in 1820) was constructed, linking the grand Junction Canal located at Paddington to the Thames at the Limehouse link.

Once the canal was built, they were forced to install double lock doors throughout the canal, so to control the levels of water, due to the lack of it. These doors were extremely well built and with a few minor repairs are still in use today.
The canals were one of the main routes used for transport of industrial and other kinds of good in those areas. The paths along the side of the canals were used to carry the goods onto the canal boats along the towpath, as well as being used for short distance goods deliveries.

With the increase in business and travel along the canals, warehouses and other business related buildings as well as business were built along the canal banks over the next few decades. They flourished until the end of the first canal era which was in the late 1940’s early 1950’s. The decline to the industry and canals was due to the improvement and increase in road traffic and the quality of roads.

With the massive decline in industrial business and trade in the area, the large amount of unwanted industrial buildings and land was leased out to three men with a new concept in 1972. They decided to sub-let a good majority of the old unwanted buildings to craft related workshops on short term leases, bringing rise to the weekend market that we all know and love in Camden. The reasons to the markets success was in its traditional arts and crafts that it was providing. After the initial success and the pull of new customers, new, wide and varied stoppers opened, hoping to cash in on its success. Antique shops, clothing stores and food stalls followed suit. The Chalk Farm Road rail way bridge was soon after painted with famous “Camden Lock” image that we all know today.

Camden market became known as the most exciting, high quality and diverse market in London, attracting large numbers of Londoners and tourists alike to its doors. The location of the market also helps. There is no London market with the interesting and diverse location like Camden lock. Not all visitors come to shop at the market. The large majority of visitors come for a walk along the canal, relaxing in local beer gardens or food stall areas or even watch barges pass through the old double lock gates.

Camden lock was one of the first markets to be given formal permission to “Sunday trading”. By 1985, due to the massive jump in popularity of the Camden lock and its main market (the Stables market – which is located on the original stables that were used for transport of goods up and down the canals, giving it its name), there have been many changes in the surrounding area and shops. Smaller markets have opened up around the Chalk Farm Road and Camden, shops and business have changed to catering to the visitors and tourists.

Also with its rise as a cool and trendy place to be and be seen, televisions studios followed suit. Britain’s first breakfast TV station opened up its door in Camden and was later taken over by MTV, who houses its London HQ there. After them even more media companies followed suit and opened up their offices there over the next 10 or so years.

In the 1990 the first set of major renovations started to sweep through the Lock. Many new buildings were built in the market, focusing around the main three story building that is built over one of the previously open plan areas of the market, directly connected to the main road.
Also the east, middle and west yards of the lock were refurbished to create space for stalls and shops, which are now one of the main attractions in the lock. All of the shops and stalls are independently owned, due to the strict policy of no multi-national corporations creeping in and changing the traditional feel of the Lock market. Also in keeping with tradition, the refurbishment has tried to use and keep as much of the ordinal feel of the stables and markets.

The rest of Camden has also benefited from the Locks popularity. Both sides of the lock have a large amount of stores, suitable for all of the locks customers. In these areas you are able to find a few chain stores, since it’s not as heavily regulated as the lock, but they are still very few in number, due to the fact that the original owners form 1972 still seem to be running business there.

Camden and its markets were the first to change their working hours to seven-days working week and for each of the 52 weeks in the year. Other markets through London and Britain followed suit.

There have been other major improvements in the area to support the growth of the market and Camden and it shops. The underground was redeveloped in 1997 to help with the commuting aspect.

Currently there is even more growth and development in Camden and the locks, presumably for the future success of the markets and the area.

Camden escorts are available from Black Label London escorts for incall and outcall services; all our Camdenescorts are located in the area surrounding the tube station.