The Great Leadenhall Goose Chase

Leadenhall Market’s popular Great Goose Chase is back this Easter, with a series of eggstraordinary challenges in and around the Victorian market, giving participants the chance to win legendary Market gander, Old Tom’s trophy and £500 to spend in Leadenhall Market’s boutique shops and restaurants.

The annual team event returns to the Market for the month of April with brand new tasks, which range from performing a song on the Market’s famous cobbled lanes, locating specific items in shops, to recreating the famous Harry Potter scene that was filmed in the Market.

Like a scavenger hunt, teams will compete to see who can complete the most tasks, with some worth more points than others. After four weeks the team with the most points will not only get their hands on the coveted Old Tom’s trophy, but will also receive £500 to spend at a selection of Leadenhall Market’s shops and restaurants.

Those visiting the market over the Easter period should also keep an eye out for a beautiful window display of Old Tom’s legendary golden egg. The tale goes that a 19th century goose from Ostend came to England in pursuit of female members of his flock. He arrived at Leadenhall - when the Market was a centre for poultry trade – but escaped slaughter and became a Market celebrity! He lived for 38 years and was often found being fed at The Lamb Tavern. After dying in 1835, he lay in state in the market and was buried on site. His legend lives on to this day, punters can enjoy a drink at the Lamb Tavern’s Old Tom’s Bar, and the Golden Goose pub.

Today’s Great Leadenhall Goose Chase is inspired by the treasure hunts hosted by the Bright Young Things* - socialites in the 1920s - which saw sisters Zita and Teresa ‘Baby’ Jungman set the craze for the scavenger hunts. Participants were tasked with racing across London in motorcars to hunt for clues, the most outlandish of which were baked into Hovis loaves and printed in fake Evening Standard stories. The mischievous socialites attracted huge media attention and posed constantly, often in costume, wanting to get their portraits in such magazines as Tatler, Bystander and Vogue. Similarly, today’s Leadenhall Market Wild Goose Chase participants are encouraged to show their hunt successes on social media, with points available for specific posts.