Major London station to get UK’s ‘first’ inside food hall as it replaces iconic clothing shop

Market Hall will be adding the station as its sixth location in London

One of London’s major stations is set to open the first-ever food hall in a UK railway station this October on the former site of one of the UK’s largest clothing stores.

Market Place Food Hall will be opening in Victoria Station on October 16. Located inside the Victoria Place Shopping Centre, with entrances via the main station concourse, the taxi rank, and Eccleston Bridge, Market Place Food Hall will offer 10 independent global food traders

This will be the sixth Market Place venue in London, joining Peckham, Harrow, St Paul’s, Vauxhall and Leicester Square. This will be the first located within a station in the UK.

Located at unit 16/16, the unit was previously occupied by clothing retailer Dorothy Perkins. The women’s fashion retailer was acquired by Boohoo Group (now Debenhams Group) in 2021 following the collapse of the Arcadia Group. The store closed down and the site had remained vacant until now.

The new venue will have 180 seats, 10 different vendors, and a live departure board so passengers can stay informed about their train times.

There will be Mexican tacos, Greek food provided by Hide and Greek, Jollof Mama, who will provide West African dishes, and Thai House, to name a few.

There will also be screens throughout the venue showing major sporting events and a bar where passengers have access to cocktails and craft beer.

On top of it, during the opening week, there will be exclusive opening hours, from free meals to 50 per cent off. From October 16 to 26, the venue will give away 50 free offers every day from 5pm, with each day’s giveaway announced via Market Place Food Hall’s . Over the first 11 days after opening, guests will have 550 chances to bag free items as they experience the new food hall.

Holly Hilton, Marketing Director at Market Place Food Hall, said: “Victoria is one of the busiest stations in the country, so we wanted to create something that feels completely different from the usual train station food experience. We want to make grabbing a proper meal before your train just as quick and easy as standing in a queue to pay for a meal deal, but with 10 independent food traders, great drinks and a proper place to sit and enjoy it.

“And because we have the live departure screen inside the food hall, you can even sit back with a pint, keep an eye on your train and know exactly when it’s time to head to the platform. It’s about making the journey feel like part of the experience, rather than something you simply rush through.”

Full list of traders: