Weekend Record Shopping in London: Shops & Markets
What opens Saturday and Sunday, and when to turn up
The weekend is the obvious time to hunt records in London, and the trickiest: Saturday opens almost everything, but Sunday narrows the map and a few shops stay shut. The upside is that the weekend is exactly when the markets appear, and they aren't there midweek. This guide tells you what opens when, and how to fit shops and stalls together without dead time.
Weekend record shopping in London
The basic rule: Saturday is the full day, with almost every shop open and the street markets at their peak. Sunday is more selective — some shops close, hours shorten — but it's also the day for markets that aren't there on Saturday. Planning by the day, more than by the area, is the right move.
Always check hours before you set off: they swing more at the weekend than midweek, and a shop open till evening on Saturday may shut mid-afternoon on Sunday.
The basic rule: Saturday is the full day, with almost every shop open and the street markets at their peak. Sunday is more selective — some shops close, hours shorten — but it's also the day for markets that aren't there on Saturday. Planning by the day, more than by the area, is the right move.
Always check hours before you set off: they swing more at the weekend than midweek, and a shop open till evening on Saturday may shut mid-afternoon on Sunday.
Saturday: Portobello and the centre
Saturday belongs to Portobello Road in Notting Hill: the market is at its height, and steps away sits Honest Jon's (278 Portobello Road), an institution for soul, funk, reggae, jazz and world. A morning here pairs the stalls and a major shop in the same block.
In the centre, Soho's shops are all open and busy on Saturday: it's the ideal day for the Berwick Street route, though also the most crowded. If you'd rather dig in peace, arrive at opening.
Saturday belongs to Portobello Road in Notting Hill: the market is at its height, and steps away sits Honest Jon's (278 Portobello Road), an institution for soul, funk, reggae, jazz and world. A morning here pairs the stalls and a major shop in the same block.
In the centre, Soho's shops are all open and busy on Saturday: it's the ideal day for the Berwick Street route, though also the most crowded. If you'd rather dig in peace, arrive at opening.
Sunday: Brick Lane and Camden
On Sunday the centre of gravity moves east. Rough Trade East (91 Brick Lane, in the Old Truman Brewery) is open seven days a week and is the Sunday certainty: new releases, reissues, in-stores, with the whole Brick Lane area alive with its Sunday markets. It's the place to launch a day of records.
North, Out On The Floor (10 Inverness Street, Camden) opens daily: reggae, soul and used stock steps from Camden Market, which is in full swing on Sunday. Two poles — east and north — cover the day well.
On Sunday the centre of gravity moves east. Rough Trade East (91 Brick Lane, in the Old Truman Brewery) is open seven days a week and is the Sunday certainty: new releases, reissues, in-stores, with the whole Brick Lane area alive with its Sunday markets. It's the place to launch a day of records.
North, Out On The Floor (10 Inverness Street, Camden) opens daily: reggae, soul and used stock steps from Camden Market, which is in full swing on Sunday. Two poles — east and north — cover the day well.
Markets and fairs
Beyond the shops, London's weekend has its markets: Portobello on Saturday, the Brick Lane area on Sunday, and record stalls that surface inside the covered markets. Add to these the periodic record fairs — the Independent Label Market and the fairs that move around town — which don't keep a fixed schedule: check the dates before you plan.
A collector's note: at markets the sellers know their Discogs values, so a bargain on rare titles is rare. Stalls reward luck and volume more than the targeted hunt.
Beyond the shops, London's weekend has its markets: Portobello on Saturday, the Brick Lane area on Sunday, and record stalls that surface inside the covered markets. Add to these the periodic record fairs — the Independent Label Market and the fairs that move around town — which don't keep a fixed schedule: check the dates before you plan.
A collector's note: at markets the sellers know their Discogs values, so a bargain on rare titles is rare. Stalls reward luck and volume more than the targeted hunt.
Who this page is for
Anyone in London over a weekend who wants to use it well, without finding the shutters down. For a compact walking route go to the [Soho guide](/en/guides/london-record-shops/soho/); for a single day, the [one-day itinerary](/en/guides/london-record-shops/one-day/). For the full map, start with the [London record shops guide](/en/groove/vinyl-cities/02-london/).
Anyone in London over a weekend who wants to use it well, without finding the shutters down. For a compact walking route go to the [Soho guide](/en/guides/london-record-shops/soho/); for a single day, the [one-day itinerary](/en/guides/london-record-shops/one-day/). For the full map, start with the [London record shops guide](/en/groove/vinyl-cities/02-london/).
Saturday in the centre and at Portobello, Sunday at Brick Lane (Rough Trade East, open seven days) and Camden. Check Sunday hours, and treat the markets as luck, not a targeted hunt.
Which record shops are open on Sundays in London?
Rough Trade East on Brick Lane is open seven days a week and is the safest Sunday choice, along with Out On The Floor in Camden. Many Soho shops open on Sundays too, but with reduced hours — always check first.
Where are the weekend record markets in London?
Portobello Road in Notting Hill is the Saturday market, while the Brick Lane area is the Sunday one. There are also periodic record fairs such as the Independent Label Market, with no fixed dates, so check each time.
Is the weekend a good time to buy vinyl in London?
Yes for availability and for the markets, which only run at the weekend. The downside is the crowds, especially Saturday in the centre and at Portobello — arriving at opening helps you dig in peace.
