Smithfield and Billingsgate market closures: Thousands 'denied a voice' as petition blocked by MPs

The objection, filed by Peter Acton with Parliament, has been withdrawn after it was deemed not to have met strict rules around who can submit petitions against Private Bills.

Mr Acton has queried the process involved regarding objecting to such Bills, saying people of the UK ‘should surely have an opportunity to voice their concerns about two major closures here that will affect not just Londoners but people outside London’.

The City of London Corporation agreed last November to cancel a proposed relocation of Billingsgate and Smithfield to Dagenham and pull out of running both markets.

This was largely due to ballooning costs associated with the move and concerns about the long-term viability of both sites.

The Corporation has said it will support traders to find new premises, with the existing markets to continue until at least 2028.

Both are earmarked for major redevelopment, with Smithfield to become a cultural and commercial hub, including the new London Museum, and Billingsgate to be turned to housing.

Go beyond the story - sign up for our LondonWorld newsletter

The Corporation’s decision required a Private Bill to be submitted with Parliament in November, which must make its way through both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

It passed its Second Reading in the Commons on January 30 and is next to go to Committee Stage. It is at this point when arguments for an against the Bill can be heard.

Following its First Reading on January 22, objectors were able to submit petitions against the Bill until 5pm on January 30.

Three were filed, which as well as Mr Acton’s included one by a former Smithfield trader and one on behalf of Ridley Road Market fishmongers and customers. Mr Acton’s and the former trader’s objections have since been withdrawn.

In his objection Mr Acton wrote he had submitted it on behalf of those who had signed his Change.org petition calling for the Corporation to reverse its decision to close Smithfield market. At the time of writing this stood at almost 37,000 signatures.

In a recent post on the Change.org page, Mr Acton however wrote his objection had been withdrawn after the City of London Corporation challenged the submission.

He wrote: “Following our submission to Parliament, The City of London Corporation raised an objection to our petition being heard by MPs because we were not directly affected by the closure and that our 34,500 petition (current total) signatures did not directly object to the Bill, and so are denied a voice.”

It is up to Parliament whether it upholds objections submitted against petitioners. Mr Acton added: “It seems that requirements of being directly affected apply to Private Bills of this nature and we do not meet them. It is a shame that the wider public cannot object to legislation that affects wider communities of the UK outside the environs of the markets.”

Mr Acton, who lives in Cardiff but previously spent 13 years in London, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he has concerns about the process regarding objecting to Private Bills.

He said: “London is our capital city, supposedly our capital city of the UK of which Wales is a part, so if you live outside a parochial small area of the Smithfield market you don’t have a say? Is that what we’re saying?”

See what’s going on in London - check us out on TikTok

“People of the UK should surely have an opportunity to voice their concerns about two major closures here that will affect not just Londoners but people outside London,” he added.

A spokesperson for Parliament said they cannot comment on the process involved with Private Bills. They did however point to relevant information on Parliament’s website, including an explainer on what Private Bills are and how to petition.

A City of London Corporation spokesperson said: “We acknowledge the sentiments expressed by the petitioner. The City of London Corporation’s vision for the future of Smithfield and Billingsgate is not just about enabling traders to relocate their businesses, it is also about creating a thriving, sustainable city that respects its past and shapes the future. Developing that vision includes the City Corporation giving careful consideration as to how best to reflect the history of the markets and their legacy.”

In the remaining objection, compiled by food poverty organisation Bags of Taste on behalf of Ridley Road Market traders and customers, three fish sellers are listed as raising concerns about the impact of the proposed closure of Billingsgate market on their businesses.

Check out the latest developments in London

The petition claims they would have to close without a central market available for them to purchase fish from, with Billingsgate offering good prices and the ability to buy smaller quantities.

The LDRS previously reported how the majority of traders at both markets are wanting to continue operating once they leave their current premises in 2028, with Smithfield looking for a new site within the M25.

The Corporation also recently published an independent report assessing the impact on food security if the markets are to close and move to new sites.

It found concerns about the plans were ‘overstated’ with minimal disruption expected, and that there was a general acceptance the current sites are operating at full capacity.