Smithfield’s Christmas Eve auction – cancelled for 2020

Sadly, and not surprisingly, but the annual Christmas Eve auction at Smithfield meat market won’t be happening this year.

Considering that much of the fun of the event is being part of a tightly packed crowd shouting for attention and waving money as fresh meat and turkeys are flung around — it was unlikely to take place. Smithfields meat market has now confirmed the auction cannot go ahead safely this year. They are hoping that they will be able to hold the auction next year.

It’s been a bit of a tradition for this writer going back the best part of a decade now to turn up, take photos and head home on the tube train with something gigantic under the arm. Not this year, but…

The man behind the Christmas Eve auction, Greg Lawrence is a Smithfield trader and Chairman of their Tenants Association, and he recently set up a home delivery service, so if you still want to get your turkey from the man – go here.

And if you fancy an early start, you can still visit the meat market though and go shopping during its normal opening hours.

• Mon 14 Dec to Fri 18 Dec – Market Open from 1am – 9am

• Sat 19th Dec – Open from 1am – 8am
• Sun 20th Dec – Open from 1am – 8am
• Mon 21st Dec – Open from 1am – 9am
• Tues 22nd Dec – Open from 1am – 9am
• Wed 23rd Dec – Open from 1am – 9am
• Thurs 24th Dec – Open from 1am – 9am
• Fri 25th Dec – Closed
• Sat 26th Dec – Closed
• Sun 27th Dec – Closed
• Mon 28th Dec – Closed
• Tues 29th Dec – Open from 1am – 9am
• Wed 30th Dec – Open from 1am – 9am
• Thurs 31st Dec – Open from 1am – 9am
• Fri 1st Jan – Closed

• From Mon 4 Jan 2021 – Market Opens on weeks from 2am – 8am as normal.

…and on to the Christmas Eve Auction 2021.