please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I reckon they should change the name back to The Bell, get a bit of history back. I see they're making the effort by stripping that ghastly green paint off the lovely tiles at the front so credit where it's due for that.
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As an occassional visitor to London I always stay at the Travelodge round the corner from here, and always popped into the Trader for a pint or two and a bite to eat. I couldnt belive last week whats happened to the place, yet another good old boozer being turned into a gastro type place. If the city boys in the area want this sort of food they will go to one of the many restaurants. What a waste of a pub....no doubt the name will change sometime....
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Big Phil i agree mate,Michelin stars ?!! i can see the chef has high career objectives working in a east end boozer ,if i want food i would go to a restaurant ,saying that i thought the Thai food was bang on.
Obviously a few disgruntled peeps below and let me tell you the old landlady and her other half done everything they could to keep it and let me tell you all they would have increased the fantastic smile that they always displayed when i was in there. Fantastic nights,Karaoke nights,Dart nights ...Absolutely top draw !! my suggestion would be is go about setting up your bistro in the right way without the silly comments that i often see on the chalk boards when i walk by. Time will tell and i have been part of that pub for 30 years and lived in that area for 34 years. Time will tell...Good luck
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Fair play but id suggest if people, especially the business people (of which i was one but now work further afield) around there want good food then a proper restaurant would be in order. To say it isnt a gastro pub is nonsense if you've employed top class chefs to cook??.
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I’m the new owner of The Market Trader and after reading some of the reviews I thought I’d update everyone with what’s going on. I’ve taken over a site that in all honesty has been neglected for the last two years, which means I’ve got a hell of a job to pull it back into line!
I’m on a very tight budget but so far I’ve laid a new wooden floor and got rid of the health hazard of a carpet. I’ve painted the walls and ceiling, got rid of the wetherspoonesque signs, the gaming machines are gone but I will be replacing one of them when my licence comes though.
We are still a proper pub but we are doing good food as well. The food is “English Bistro” and we have a daily changing fresh menu. Feedback from those who have tried the food has been very positive and we are starting to get a lot of repeat business from diners. Our chef has worked in some of the top restaurants in the country and is Michelin Star trained. Come in, try the food and decide for yourself.
When trade picks up after the holidays we’ll be opening the restaurant upstairs and will be looking at starting a regular comedy night, pub quiz night and this Friday sees the 1st Acoustic Music Night with 4 up and coming musicians.
The outsides still needs work and will look rough until we get the new windows, if you can see past this you’ll find a great place in the making. Read the other comments with a pinch of salt, you only have to look at the times of the postings to realise someone has a chip on there shoulder because there old local has been tidied up ! Pop in, say hello and make your own minds up…….
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Used to be a top pub despite being owned by a complete loser. The governor's and bar staff were always friendly and my law firm has had some brilliant nights in there. On the bright side the governor and staff have moved to a new pub The Bar Locks, 5 mins away in Whitechurch lane off Commercial street. They are still as welcoming as ever. Take no notice of the low lifes slating the governor off while hiding behind their computers. They were probably barred in the past at the trader for good reasons. Jog on Losers!!
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I can't say enough about the previous couple who ran this pub - they were a smashing couple, had the odds stacked against them by the owner not spending any money on the place - the karaoke nights were excellent and always popular, the Thai food was exceptional, and they would always put on a splendid spread of food when we held informal office parties there. We miss them but will follow on to their new place - someone tell me the name of it please!
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I couldn't agree more with the last few comments. The Trader has definitely lost it's defining feature - a proper pub with a friendly atmosphere, which can only be a reflection on the previous landlady. Sadly, these are the sorts of places that are dying out and being replaced with cold, clinical 'Gastro Pubs' where the owners only see you as their next meal ticket when you walk in (as is the case now). I've stopped going to the Trader ever since it changed hands and have followed the previous owners to their new place just around the corner!
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The Trader used to be a regular haunt for myself and workmates.....the landlady always had a smile for us....unfortunately the owner seemed to try and run the pub into the ground but the landlady still ran it well. Used to be great for football nights.....seems a soulless place now......the food especially.....you have to pay for any veg!!!......blimey its a pub not a Ramsey restaurant!!!!.
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My commiserations go out to the new owner, they must be losing money hand over fist. I used to enjoy a trip over Tower Bridge for some East End hospitality but you don’t get that any more at the Trader.
The previous Landlady had it spot on, the place had a proper pub atmosphere:
TV screens for the sport and news, lovely Thai food in the restaurant upstairs and a friendly welcome from the bar staff. Alas that has all gone, and the place has a very poncey feel to it now. I shall not be returning and by the look of it neither is anyone else !
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Totally agree with the last 2 postings, the previous owners made the place. How the other recent reviewers (Mr Drink, beerdrinker & morganspice - same person?) can have a go at the them is beyond me.
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As one of the previous comments stated I do not normally write these things either.
But having also been regulars for the last 3 years, my wife and I live and work in the area and do not agree with the comments below.
This pub used to have a great atmosphere, sports on TV and good food – until it changed hands.
Yes the pub is under new management but the truth is, it is empty and has lost all character.
They ask on the boards outside "Where have all the regulars gone?”
Well let me tell you. Most have followed the Landlady to her new pub. Obviously the comments about a bulldog do not ring true. Those that haven’t moved, now go to other pubs in the area.
The new owner states that it is not a Gastro Pub, but any decent East End pub would not sell Vichyssoise, eel with beetroot and horseradish and charge extra for the vegetables!
The Landlady did not run the pub into the ground, quite the reverse, it was a thriving business just lacking some capital investment by the owner.
Hope you all enjoy your “Bistro” food (as advertised on the boards outside) and fancy wines (which you can’t buy by the glass), we will not be going back there.
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I can't disagree more with the comments on here. The only thing about this pub that gave it anything special were the ex-owners. I was gutted when i went in there and found a shell of a pub with no character! Will not be returning, it's been ruined!
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Don’t normally write these things but just had a rather pleasant lunch at The Market Trader, met the new owner and felt I should leave a message on here to wish him good luck.
I work round the corner and have been a regular at the Market Trader for about 3 years and thank god it now has a new owner. The old landlady, putting politely was a miserable nightmare and had run this potential jewel of a site into the ground. The new young owner sounds like he knows what he’s doing and has already made a good start on doing the place up. Gone has the Thai kitchen (which I was never a fan) and by the sounds and tastes of it have some fancy new chef in. The shoulder of pork I had was amazing, it did take a while to come out but was well worth the wait.
Sounds like they have some big plans for this place and I look forward to seeing how they transform it, and wish them all the best.
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morgan spice is right - its been bought off the brewery by someone who knows what he's doing.
theyve already got rid of the stinking carpet and cleaned everything - you can see out of the windows now - and they've got a proper chef cooking real food!
its my new local. done.
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Well this pub is now open under new management and it is going to remain a proper pub and NOT a gastro bar, i think it will become a little gold mine
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well used to like this pub years ago but unfortunatley it's gone really down hill the landlady looks like a bull dog and very rude i think she's on pmt 24/7 her husband seems quite nice can't understand how he copes with her nice to see quite a few of the old men in there still atleast they keep the character in there as there's not much left
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Good pub for a beer, but as it is quite a narrow bar you always seem to be in someones way during busy times. The Thai restaurant upstairs has a good reputation
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Another Ex co Or a ex London used car salesman who between him and his Chef { ha ha ha } wife think they can run a pub.
What a load of crap.
Were did the money come from and how on earth was permition given by any pub co for this to happen,
Dont bother i already know the answer.
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Qiue like it, proper pub type place, is it a good proper pub though?. not really, but ok for a couple after work.
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This is a great boozer. A proper pub in the ever widening spread of the chains. Good beer, good atmosphere and the Thai menu is pretty decent grub. Landlord and landlady are very sociable. It's the pub in the City that everyone's looking for.
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Rather interesting to see revews on here congratulating the Market Trader as a traditional London pub because it had the dreaded makeover and name change about 12 years ago (it used to be called The Bell).
It's an unfortunately rare example of a good makeover though and does have a nice feel to it. It is also far enough along Middlesex St that it doesn't attract the sort of back office arses that places on Bishopsgate tend to get.
A good place to meet a mate and have a few quiet ones
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An honest, if smoky, pub. Only had two out of four ales on (the rather run-of-the-mill Youngs and Courage if memory serves) when I went in there. Bit of a strange layout and the large LCD TVs detracts from the more traditional feel for the place, but even so, pretty good and I would go again, perhaps even to try tha appealing lunch menu.
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Great pub,a proper London pub.Service good,Guiness good.
Good mix of punters as well.With the total destruction of the Classic British pub,its good to see some that are holding out,
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Love this Pub!!! or I did when Clayton ran it and it was a Thorley Taverns gaff! Great place, location, fab food and even better locals.....(most of them!)
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One of the last few boozers in the area that at least feels like a pub should. Been drinking her for years. It's a Thorley Tavern like the Aldgate Exchange down the road next to Tubby Isaacs.
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Really rather good - Stella_Bills comments are spot o - the Thai curry was excellent, decent beer, friendly staff. Plenty of screens if you are a footy fan, and music (Virgin radio sort of stuff) if there's not a game on. Even the toilets were clean!
Recommended.
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A stones throw ftom Aldgate, Aldgate East & Liverpool Street Stations. Reasonabley priced for the city. Great staff, Missues & Guv'nor always very friendly. Screens everywhere for the big game.
Mixed clientele, regulars, builders & suits.
Plus quite a nice Thai resturant that do a take away service.
Cannot beleive it is not already listed on BITE.
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