Old Spitalfields Market to stop selling fur

Old Spitalfields Market has announced that it will no longer allow its stallholders to sell real fur following a review.

On its Facebook page, Old Spitalfields Market said: “Following a review carried out by the Market, we have taken the decision to request stall holders do not offer animal fur for sale from the beginning of next year. The exact wording and details are still being worked out but we thought we’d share this now.”

The market in East London came under attack early this year from anti-fur protestors who held demonstrations at fur stalls in Old Spitalfields Market.

In response to the decision, Humane Society International UK director Claire Bass added: “HSI is delighted that Old Spitalfields Market has made the compassionate decision to request that its stallholders no longer sell animal fur.

“Real fur is extremely cruel, environmentally-unfriendly and should be confined to the history books. Companies who are still peddling fur are becoming more and more isolated, particularly after Gucci’s CEO, Marco Bizzarri, branded fur “outdated" and announced that the fashion house is going fur-free from 2018.

Bass continued: “The UK banned fur farming on ethical grounds in 2002, now it’s time for us to stop outsourcing cruelty and ban the import of fur into the country. HSI is calling on the government to use Brexit as an opportunity to close our borders to fur. It's time that Brits live up to our reputation as a nation of animal lovers and leave fur where it belongs – on animals.”