A temporary market is being created in Seven Sisters to allow traders from the ‘Latin Village’ to return to the site after more than three years.

Work is underway at Wards Corner to set up temporary indoor and outdoor spaces for traders at Seven Sisters Indoor Market, which remained closed after Covid-19 lockdown restrictions were lifted because of health and safety fears.

The market, known locally as the Latin Village because of the Latin American heritage of many traders, was formerly at the centre of a controversial regeneration plan that would have seen 196 flats built at the site by property developer Grainger.

Fearing it would put their livelihoods and culture at risk, many traders spent years battling the scheme and developed a ‘community plan’ aimed at restoring and improving the existing building.

When Grainger finally pulled out of the scheme in 2021, Haringey Council lent its support to the community plan and revealed it would spend up to £25 million buying up land at the site to allow the project to go ahead.

The existing market has been out of use since March 2020, however, when it was closed at the beginning of the pandemic. It was not reopened when lockdown restrictions were eased because of health and safety issues with the building.

Transport for London’s (TfL’s) wholly-owned property company has now begun creating a temporary indoor market space that will house around 20 traders in vacant retail units next to the existing market. This will mainly include spaces for professional services, retail, and hair and beauty salon uses.

An outdoor market space designed to host around 20 food and beverage traders as well as retail space is also being established on a vacant plot bought by the council from Grainger.

TfL is hoping to complete work on the indoor and outdoor market spaces by the end of this year.

Cllr Ruth Gordon, the council’s cabinet member for housebuilding, placemaking and development, said: “This is great news. I’m delighted work has begun on site enabling the traders to return.

“The temporary market is just a start, and a fantastic example of the public sector working together, so that it can be at the heart of the community in Seven Sisters. It is vital [to] the market’s future, and the Wards Corner site is driven forward by the community.”

The council plans to work with residents, businesses and local partners on a new design for the area that complements TfL’s plans for a new market.

Graeme Craig, director and chief executive officer at TfL’s wholly-owned commercial property company, said: “We are very pleased that work on site is now underway to deliver new temporary market space at Seven Sisters. We are keen to see traders of Seven Sisters Market able to operate safely again as soon as possible and these works will enable them to reopen their businesses to the public by the end of the year.

“This is only the first stage in a programme that will see TfL working closely with traders, the council and others to create an asset for the community that will reflect and enhance this unique part of London.”