Margate Old Town Market has lived a hundred lives over the last century. Born as a traditional trading spot for farmers and fishmongers, it weathered wars, post-war decline, and the long shadow of seaside tourism’s golden age. By the late 20th century, it had shrunk into something quieter — a scattering of second-hand stalls and antiques dealers holding ground against the tide of supermarket chains and economic downturn. But even in the lean years, the spirit of the market never vanished — it shifted, adapted, and waited.

Then came the artists, the dreamers, the builders of something new. From the early 2000s onward, Margate’s creative revival breathed fresh life into the Old Town, and the market followed suit. What was once a space for produce and second-hand books is now a vibrant stage for handmade craft, vintage finds, and cultural happenings. It’s no longer just a market — it’s a curated expression of Margate itself. A living archive of resilience and reinvention, still rooted in its past, but unmistakably of the moment.