There is only one Ridley Road. Ridley Road is a site of exceptional local cultural significance and heritage.  

Ridley Road is the embodiment of Hackney’s diversity and in particular it is essential to the London Afro-Caribbean community. Any new investment must be in this community’s interests.

Ridley Road is more than just its street market. Ridley Road encompasses the shops down both sides of the street, the Ridley Road Shopping Village and the stores on St. Marks Rise.

A threat to one is a threat to all. 

Ridley Road is a historic centre for music, art and culture. The affordable artists’ studio space in the Shopping Village continues this tradition and needs to be protected. 

Ridley Road Shopping Village was recognised by Hackney Council as an Asset of Community Value. We believe this recognition should extend to the whole of Ridley Road.

28 January 2026

Hackney Council hit traders with average 20% pitch-fee increase.

Since last year, Hackney Council has been planning an increase of market fees of almost 20%. After running a consultation on fees in which almost three-quarters of respondants replied that the proposed fees are too high, they have decided to proceed with the increases, starting this coming April.

Last week, we attended the Council scrutiny meeting after the decision to raise fees was ‘called in’, due to a request submitted by members of the Hackney Greens.

Together with Hackney Independent Socialists, Hackney Greens argued that the fee increases had been agreed without taking into account the equalities impacts for older, Black and Global Majority and women traders and customers in Hackney. They also argued that the decision had been made on the basis of estimates of costs and market footfall that are yet to be finalised and that have not been transparently communicated. 

The Labour councillors who spoke at the meeting were dismissive of these arguments. The scrutiny committee upheld the decision to increase market fees and charges.  

Save Ridley Road remains an independent campaign of Hackney residents and market supporters. We’ve been speaking to traders on the market who are deeply uncertain about whether their businesses will be viable after a 20% trading-fee increase. Ridley Road is still struggling from a downturn in business with many causes, including the ongoing development and gentrification of Dalston as a whole. The Shopping Village, which if refurbished sensitively could become a major driver of business for both indoor and market traders, remains under construction, four years after Hackney Council agreed to take over the lease. 

In Wards Corner in Tottenham, we recently saw how a well-managed, community-led redevelopment can meet the goals of safety, financial stability and community wealth-building and development. In the coming months, we will be campaigning for Hackney to reverse the decision to increase market fees and instead focus on the completion of projects that will increase trader income and safeguard the future of the market. We’ll keep mailing list members up to date on developments! 

Ridley Road is the heart of Dalston and we need the Council to think sensitively about both the struggles traders are facing and the possibilities for community-led development. A drastic pitch-fee increase without accompanying measures to increase trader income is unjust. It is also a failure of imagination. 

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