Vintage By Hemingway

Wayne and Gerardine arrive on site at the Southbank this morning and my-oh-my what a lovely sunny day it is indeed. We're all crossing our fingers that the sun keeps it's hat on over the whole weekend too!

We sneak behind the barriers to photograph the start of the Vintage High Street being built next to the vintage fun fair. When you arrive on the Southbank just look for the candy stripe helter-skelter to guide you to vintage shopping heaven! The frontage on one side of the street has been completed, the team will now start building the row of pop-up boutiques opposite. It feels just like being on a Hollywood set!

This is just one of the huge marquees that will house the Vintage Marketplace next to the London Eye with a view of Big Ben just peeking through. With over 180 sellers trading in clothes & accessories, mid-century modern furniture and upcycled gifts & homewares, this will surely be *the* largest vintage market the UK has ever seen. The best bit? It's FREE to enter!

Here is the iconic fashion brand from the 40s and 50s Horrockses store being built... come Friday it will be bursting full of pretty vintage bed linens and much sought after vintage Horrockses frocks. The interior is being designed to reflect their current studio and we should be able to peek at that tomorrow.

With all the photo-ops you'll wanna make sure you look the part and here is the rockin' Batiste hair salon being built.

Cath Kidston is all wrapped up and awaits their stock drop of exclusively designed vintage style accessories. The inside is being created as we speak and will be fitted in the style of an old fashioned hardware shop.

Just a hop 'n' skip from the Vintage Village is Jubilee Gardens where today lots of local workers are leisurely eating their lunch in the sun. Come the weekend it will host Britain’s most eccentric sporting event the Chap Olympiad daily between 1pm and 3pm.

We're now going to see what's happening inside the Royal Festival Hall and will report back soon! It all suddenly feels *very* real. The countdown is on...