An iconic Holloway market is being expanded to include a second floor as part of an “exciting” redevelopment project.

The Upper Place, a new venue for street food traders, is being built above the popular Nags Head Market, in Seven Sisters Road, and is due to open early next year.

This will add 23 stalls, all selling “authentic and innovative” street food dishes to the market. Of these, 17 will be upstairs, with a further five cooking it up on the ground floor.

Simone Moroni, co-founder and managing director of The Upper Place, said: “We’re hugely excited about this new project.

“The Nags Head Market opened in 1975 and has a great history as a local market serving the local community for so many years.

“By investing in the first floor of the market we are redeveloping an existing part of the building, which will be united with the downstairs market, adding value to this iconic destination.”

Mr Moroni, who also owns the Italian Job pub group, added: “We are investing in Holloway as we see the enormous potential here, to create a destination for dining that this area and the local community deserves.”

The Upper Place market will be about 7,000 square feet and traders can choose between half or full-sized units.

And the Italian Job group already has its eyes set on further developments, including a roof terrace garden and a “vintage games room”.

The Nags Head Market took its name from a pub that stood on the site for 200 years.

The daily market delights neighbours and foodies alike with its eclectic range of produce, which includes meals from around the world, key cutters, henna artists and barber shops.

The market was once an outdoor shopping experience, until its former manager Brian Sedly revamped it as an indoor site 26 years ago,

When Mr Sedley died the market was taken over by the Singh family, who had themselves been stallholders.

Last year Mr Sing told the Gazette: “We came from the market, and we want to keep the market.

“It’s about the community. These new designs will smarten up the image, ready for the next 25 years of trading.”

Many Nags Head Market traders have been there since its relaunch in 1972.