These are the streets to have on your radar when setting up shop in London this year.
Golborne Road, Notting Hill
Right around the corner from London’s famous Portobello Road, Golborne Road is an eclectic street that’s happily resisted gentrification over the years – although, for how long remains to be seen. There’s a thriving Moroccan and Portuguese community living here, so it’s no surprise that the best Moroccan food stalls and Portuguese nata are found on this street. There’s an unrivalled mix of vintage boutiques and antique furniture shops, like Phoenix at number 67 and Fez at number 71. And all that Golborne Road has to offer is beginning to catch the interest of up-and-coming restaurateurs and upmarket brands. Aesop set up their thirteenth London store here in 2016, and restaurants like Snaps and Rye, Kipferl and 108 Garage have garnered plenty of positive press coverage, drawing Londoners from across town.
Appear at The White Boutique Shop or The Goldfinger Factory.
Walton Street, Chelsea
Walton Street, with its old-school English charm, has remained unchanged for the last 30 years much to the delight of Chelsea’s residents and community of French and Italians. Flanked by Harrods and The Conran Shop, it’s an enclave of luxury independent interiors and antiques shops, galleries and boutiques. Much of the area is currently undergoing redevelopment, and money is being invested into transforming this low-key street into more of a destination. Existing brands like Andrew Martin, James Perse and Orlebar Brown are rumoured to be joined by Charlotte Olympia and Dior. And it makes sense that these designer names would follow suit, with Joseph, J.Crew and Bamford around the corner. New restaurants are also opening to join the famous Jak’s bar and its sister cafe, Zefi. Marylebone's original izakaya restaurant, Dinings, just opened their second residency here last month.
Appear in this Shared Space.
Church Street, Stoke Newington
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Church Street is fast becoming a thriving hub for independent labels, design-led homewares and quirky gifts. Never has a street fostered such strong community spirit between its residents, who’ve always been anti-chains (none have made it here since Nandos). Decent house prices have brought plenty of young families to “Stokey”, as the locals affectionately call it. And the lack of public transport connections have kept tourists away, preserving this little village of neighbourhood cafes and boutiques such as Hub, a popular spot for trendy yummy mummies. The food and drink scene is booming, too, with the arrival of queue-worthy restaurants like The Good Egg, and L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele, the world’s best pizza joint from Naples.
Appear at the Stoke Newington Boutique Shop Share or this Event Space.
Motcomb Street, Belgravia
Motcomb Street is a celebrated luxury shopping destination for Belgravia’s residents. It’s the home to many exclusive brands, including Christian Louboutin at number 23, the award-winning Errol Douglas hair salon at number 18, and Rococo Chocolates flagship at number 5. Grosvenor Estates have invested into the street’s recent revamp to enhance its reputation for high-quality craftsmanship, and open it up to a new blend of independent retailers that can’t be found elsewhere in London. The whole stretch is now pedestrian-friendly and a wi-fi hotspot. The reopening of the landmark Pantechnicon building (originally built in 1830 as an antiques bazaar) this Spring, is also set to become one of London’s most desired shopping hubs for luxury goods.
Appear at The Luxury Shop Share.
Chiltern Street, Marylebone
The much-hyped arrival of Chiltern Firehouse in 2014 has transformed the reputation of Chiltern Street and opened it up to the rest of London’s wealthy and trendy elite. Local shopkeepers are starting to notice a change in sales and atmosphere as the street’s rich mix of specialist boutiques – including the world’s first candlemaker Cire Trudon, design boutique Mouki Mou, and Bella Freud – become destination shops themselves. But it’s in menswear that this street is beginning to make its name, with a strong roster of quality labels including Trunk Clothiers, Sunspel, and Club Monaco.
Appear at The Black Blandford Boutique.