The historic site in Britain’s capital has been a market for centuries. The local authority voted this week to close it.

The trouble with capitalism is it has no soul. It only values what can be measured in currency, which means that less tangible qualities – such as beauty, nature, civic pride or historical meaning – are not factored into the balance sheet.

Smithfield meat market and Billingsgate fish market in London are set to close and be turned into cultural and housing developments