High Street Minister Marcus Jones MP popped down to Portobello and Golborne Market to meet traders and get a first-hand account of what street markets can offer shoppers.

The visit on December 15 also highlighted Love Your Local Market’s seasonal #lylmxmas campaign and the online competition to find Britain’s Favourite Market.

Mr Jones, whose department has supported the Love Your Local Market Campaign since 2012, met a variety of traders representing the market’s many traditions, including 90-year-old Dolly Stallard, its oldest street trader.

He was accompanied on his visit by Kensington MP Victoria Borwick , received a Portobello Market shopper-bag and pin badge to mark the 150th anniversary and a 2016 calendar created by Year 9 GCSE photography students at Sion-Manning Girls’ School .

Speaking about his visit the minister said: “Just before Christmas, I’m delighted to be here at Portobello and Golborne’s award-winning markets to support the Love Your Local Market campaign, and to be picking up some presents at one of London’s oldest and best markets.

“As these neighbouring markets celebrates their 150th anniversary I’m pleased to see that Britain’s markets are just as important to their communities now as they were more than a century ago.

“I’d like to wish them the best of luck in their bid to become Britain’s Favourite Market and would urge local people to come down and see what’s on offer.”

The competition to find Britain’s favourite market is organised by NABMA (the National Association of British Market Authorities). To vote go to www.nabma.com/britainsfavouritemarket and type the market’s name Portobello and Golborne Market and submit your entry.

The competition, which closes on December 31, last year attracted over 100,000 votes.