The UK’s longest paper chain has been unveiled at Borough Market.

Members of the public were invited to spread the love by contributing festive messages to the chain which at 472 metres long, is over 150 meters longer than the height of The Shard (306m).

The paperchain included over 150 hand written #BoroughChristmasWishes by visitors to the market and 367 messages from around the world. Even Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, added his Christmas Wish with, ‘I wish for lots more surplus food to reach Londoners who need it this Christmas and in 2017 #BoroughXmasWishes’ on the chain.

The festive coloured red, white and green paperchain took a team of six just over 12 hours in total to create, with a further 13.5 hours to install overnight and into the early hours of Wednesday morning. The installation also includes over 150 meters of twinkling fairy lights as well as cascading Christmas foliage and sparkling baubles.

The last link of the paperchain was connected to switch on the lights by 90-year-old Lotti Henley, Founder of charity PlanZheroes, which aims to tackle food waste. Over the last two years traders at Borough have donated surplus food at the end of each Saturday's trading day, which has resulted in the creation of over 50,000 meals for vulnerable people in London to date.

To add to the festivities on the night, The Borough Market choir performed on the evening whilst visitors were offered delicious mulled wine and warm home-made mince pies to get them into the Christmas spirit.

Darren Henaghan, Managing Director at Borough Market says, “Christmas is a magical time of year at Borough Market when the cobbles come alive with Christmas shoppers, the smell of mulled wine and traders’ stalls are piled high with all the flavours of the festive season. It’s also a place where people come together and connect, and nothing is more symbolic of this union than a paperchain. It’s been inspiring to receive all of the wishes from people across London and the world and from Borough Market we would like to wish everybody a Christmas filled with good food, good friends and wishes that come true.”


The paper chain was unveiled as part of the historic market’s official Christmas light switch-on as a backdrop for Borough’s month-long festive celebrations which includes a series of specialist foodie events, demonstrations, carol services and performances.

For more information about Borough Market, its traders and events please visit www.boroughmarket.org.uk