Maltby Street Market opened in 2010. This unlikely south-east London backwater quickly became a popular weekend destination. The Ropewalk bears this name as a reference to a nearby ropewalk owned by notable Bermondsey eccentric Robert Rich in the eighteenth century and marked thus on John Roques’ map of 1746. The area was disrupted by the the construction of the London to Greenwich railway completed in 1836. The viaduct that carried the railway consisting of 40,000,000 bricks [not verified by us!] now provides a home for both Maltby Street Market and many other food and beverage traders in Bermondsey. Maltby Street Market has been fully subscribed since its origination. Its very limited size and the picturesque character of the railway arches and decoration encourages and allows for careful curation and a churn of start ups and star traders.