December 24th 2023.
The Smithfield Market in London is a centuries-old tradition that has returned this year for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic shut down the UK. Every year, the market hosts an auction of surplus meat ahead of the Christmas festivities, and this year was no exception.
When the auction began, hundreds of people crowded the market to purchase the centrepieces for their holiday dinners. Bidders clutched cash in their hands as the auctioneers sold huge cuts of meat for bargain prices. Sometimes, the auctioneers even offered joints for free if someone called out a winning coin toss. It was quite a sight to see!
Everyone was quite excited to be back at the market, even those who had been attending for 50 years. Greg Lawrence, a meat wholesaler, told the BBC: “Everyone is a bit excited. This starts our Christmas and I know for a lot of people who attend the auction, it starts their Christmas too. It’s a lot of fun as well.”
The market was packed with people, all wanting to grab a bargain before the meat was gone. And it didn't take long - within 90 minutes, the thousands of meat cuts were sold out! People were throwing the meat through the air, not just turkeys, but other cuts as well. It was quite a spectacle!
This market is an institution for locals, who often come back year after year to buy their holiday meats. It was really nice to see the tradition being upheld, even during a pandemic. It's just a shame that it was all over so quickly!
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