RED Market: Last Days of Shoreditch – Review

RED Market has returned to “its spiritual home” of Shoreditch this summer for the sixth year. This year it plays host to some great street food, art and music, plus crazy golf.

But why the last days of Shoreditch? Well in its simplest terms, when you see a Pret and an EAT next to each other, a place is no longer cool or won’t be cool for much longer. That aside, RED market are actually referring to planning permission for a luxury, five-star hotel that has been granted for the site (Just what Shoreditch needs???) and the rapid changes in the area, they are exploring a theme of ‘The Last Days Of Shoreditch’ which though gimicky, is actually closer to the truth than I would care to admit.

So for potentially the last summer at its current home, visitors to RED Market will be able to sample the likes of Yeah Burger which was a bloody good burger, plus the mac and cheese burger which was wonderfully odd and Crabbie Shack which is a must for fish lovers. Also there will be more in a rotating line-up, basically expect some of London’s best street food.

To keep the party going, promoters and clubs that have defined Shoreditch, such as Blue Note, Blah, Norman Jay, mulletover will be to keep revellers dancing deep into the summer nights.

New for 2016 is the addition of RED Market’s very own crazy golf course, provided by the renegades behind Junkyard Gold Club. The nine-hole course titled ‘Café Del Par’ is a pun-filled nod to Ibiza, cue ‘Carl Crocs’ and ‘It’s All Gone Pete Thong’ holes. This held up very well to the main Junkyard Golf Club courses, in fact in some ways we actually preferred it, but that might have been because we were more sober this time.

The layout is pretty well thought out with plenty of places to hangout, either near the street food or higher up in various cooky hangout areas. While functionally a very good idea to keep the people well watered, each bar has its own function, beer/ cider / wine, cocktails etc. so getting a round in might be difficult.

For those of you wondering football or market, football or market??? Don’t worry, they are showing Euro Championship football, the Wimbledon final and both opening and closing ceremonies of the Rio Olympics.

Last Days of Shoreditch will open every Thursday and Friday 6pm until 11:30pm, Saturday from 4pm – 11.30pm, situated on the corner of Old Street and Great Rivington Street. Thursday will see free entry whilst Friday and Saturdays entry is priced at £5.  Which you can book here Game of crazy golf priced at  £11 each, which is a little steep, but wyou’ll probably do it anyway.

RED Market is running from 25^th May until 28^th August. For more info and event listing visit www.lastdaysofshoreditch.co.uk