How to Get Antique Bargains at the Portobello Road Market

"Anything and everything is sold off the barrow at Portobello road," sang Angela Lansbury. Since opening in the 1800s, the Portobello Road Market has changed dramatically from its early days of gypsy traders. By the swinging Sixties it had developed into one of the places. Now tourists and collectors have driven up prices. However, with a little know how and patience, you can still find quality antique bargains.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Do your research. Professional collectors run the Portobello antique shops and the prices reflect this. Knowledge of antiques gives you ammunition to haggle the price.

2. Ask questions. Most stall owners love to talk, so use it to your advantage. By the end of the conversation, you could know the true worth of an item.

3. Go to Portobello on the Saturday, as this is the main day for the antique market.

4. Get there before the tourists. The Good Fairy antique market opens at 5 a.m. You can find the antique bargains between then and 9 a.m.

5. Most antique collectors go to the indoor arcades to look for bargains among the authentic antiques. However, you can find the real cheap stuff on the junk stalls outside.

6. Have patience and spend time looking at everything. There are 2000 stalls on the Portobello market, and it can take all day to find an antique bargain.

7. Know what you want. Many of the antique stalls are specialist stalls that sell a diverse collection of items, including amber jewelry, Beatles' memorabilia and stamps.

Tips & Warnings

• Always get a receipt.
• Be careful of buying counterfeit goods, particularly from the outdoor stalls.