Just in time for the Christmas shopping season, new bollards have been installed at Broadway Market in an effort to reduce the risk of terrorism.
Stretching across the north end of Broadway Street, the retractable bollards were put in to stop vehicles from entering the market and endangering shoppers.
Hackney Council decided in March that all markets should be protected by these “defence bollards” to prevent tragedies like those at popular markets in Muenster in 2018 and Berlin in 2016.
Broadway is the first market in Hackney to receive the bollards, with another set to be installed at Ridley Road Market in the coming weeks.
The UK terror threat level was downgraded from severe to substantial this month for the first time in five years.
At Bokit’la, a French Carribean food stall, co-owner Nico Baptiste said, “There were four police officers here this morning in a truck checking everything over. As long as the customers are safe, I’m happy.”
Construction began in July and was scheduled to finish by September, but was delayed until last week due to gas works in the area.
“People who live in the area should have their needs reflected by the market,” one market security officer said. “They should always feel safe while shopping.”
