Darren Henaghan might have been the perfect fit as Borough Market’s new managing director on paper, but he’s even more so when you meet him in person. Henaghan is an experienced food industry expert and local government administrator but that pales into the background when you see his infectious enthusiasm for quality food and drink, and his desire to keep Borough at the vanguard of London’s food scene.
It all makes a refreshing change from the last time I was at Borough for FPJ. Six years ago, there was a row between traders and management, talk of disconnected bosses and even court dates – it was a time when food and drink had ceased to be the story.
Nobody could accuse Henaghan of not caring though – throughout our conversation he refers to numerous traders as if they were his best friends, beaming like a proud father when describing one of the businesses winning a prestigious award, and reeling off mouthwatering lists of his favourite products. It’s heartwarming to see.
The attitude now is one of inclusivity, and Henaghan insists he is not some office-chained administrator but instead wants to get out and speak to the traders, gauging their views on how the market can evolve for the future. Balancing the needs of the demanding millennial consumer with those of the rest is no easy task, but he’s determined Borough will give itself the best possible chance of success.
“I’m not going to figure it out sitting here in my office on my own,” he says. “I’ve got huge respect for what goes on out there in the market – I want to know what the traders think. I need to get as many views as I possibly can to make sure this is as rich as possible.
“When you’re right at the top of the game it’s difficult, so I need to make sure that the decisions we make about what happens next with Borough Market – how we keep it fresh and relevant – involves as many opinions as possible.”
There’s a lot to think about, with Borough Market receiving as many as 220,000 visitors a week. Its popularity is both a blessing and a curse, and Henaghan admits that managing the wide range of people that want to come – day trippers, foodies, people wanting to taste, or to do all their grocery shopping – is one of his great challenges.
That’s also a major appeal of the job, and Henaghan is a big fan of the diverse melting pot of culture and cuisine that is the capital. “I’m originally from further north, but I love London,” he enthuses. “I love the diversity of the place, and I love what Borough Market is, which is a real symbol of London to me. It brings together all of the best food from all around the world and just melds it all together. Food is a really great way to bring communities together, and that’s what’s so wonderful about London and Borough.”
The market already runs a number of events, such as Bastille Day, Apple Day and the Evening of Cheese, and there is discussion over whether further themed events could be held. Henaghan is also considering issues around the layout, both taking into account traders’ comments and a desire to make the market more easily navigable for the public. In a further initiative, chef Paul Hannagen has opened Borough Plates, whereby he takes produce from stallholders who don’t do hot food and cooks up a feast with it.
The brief, one might assume, would simply be to keep Borough Market on top as a leading destination for both casual and hardened food lovers, so you could be forgiven for thinking Henaghan might feel threatened by the development of New Covent Garden Market (complete with public-facing elements), the ambitious plans of London Union or the emergence of street food.
In fact, the opposite is the case: “In the market world we are really pleased that there are lots of other markets, so we don’t see that as a threat. On the Evening of Cheese [where Borough received negative headlines when massive crowds descended chaotically on the site] we got literally thousands and thousands of people that wanted to come here.
“That just showed to us that the marketplace, the demand for this stuff is so much bigger than what the current supply is. The demand is so much greater that we can share the love. We are just scratching the surface.”
It all seems extremely positive, but what of the wholesale element? Have relations been fully restored after those problems of six years ago? Henaghan believes they have: “We’ve extended the wholesale area. We’ve got a mezzanine floor above it, and it’s [both] production and wholesale now. Wholesale is at its core, it’s part of the DNA. Everything else follows on from that experience, and we have some of the best suppliers in the country here. Many of the best restaurants will have our food.”
For the future, more of the same: it’s evolution rather than revolution. And despite obvious pressure from property developers for such a prime piece of land, Henaghan insists Borough’s place is sacrosanct. “The site is protected by covenant,” he explains. “It was bequeathed to the trustees forever, and I can tell you now that the trustees I’ve met would never sell. They see how precious and unique this is, and are absolutely committed to it. There is no intention of ever moving, or developing something garish. Everything we touch has got our values written large through it.”
