NW8: Church Street

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Emmily steps through the looking-glass and finds herself in Alfies Antique Market…

Stepping into Alfies Antique Market is a bit like stepping into another dimension. More experienced travellers are likely to notice the signs of inter-dimensional merge as they advance towards it through Church Street, with its unlikely combination of market stalls, Halal butchers and exclusive antique shops. Once inside, even the non-believers can’t deny that they are suddenly somewhere entirely different. Alfie’s unostentatious Art Deco facade contains a hive of dealers, scattered around a building so confusing that it makes Hogwarts look like something designed by Le Corbusier. Second-time visitors may be delighted, if not surprised, to step through an innocuous Victorian doorway into a glass-covered atrium that had previously quite eluded them. Even more inspiring than the building itself are the antiques and collectibles that it, and the surrounding area, contain. Twentieth century furniture and lighting are a particular strong point with a trip to Decoratum a must: occupying 5,000 square feet of basement it is Europe’s largest showroom specialising in mid-twentieth century design. Back out on Church Street, you can visit Andrew Nebbett Antiques, which exemplifies the strong, clean design aesthetic and impeccable standards of restoration typical of shops in the area. Its strangely harmonious mishmash of statement pieces is neatly summed up by their tagline ‘Design for Discerning Rebels’. An astonishingly high number of shops (70 plus dealers spread over Alfie’s four-ish floors alone) means that whether you’re looking for period costume jewellery (try Francesco Martire) or a 1920s movie poster (check out Dodo), you’ll most likely find it. What you won’t find is anything of less than impeccable quality. Finally, if you’re not out to buy, well, at least Alfie’s has a buzzing rooftop cafe and retro hairdressers to guarantee a memorable experience.