I live on one of the UK’s best independent high streets with no vape shops or bookies

For the past few years, I have been living on (or just a few metres off of, to tell the truth) a high street success story. Church Street in Stoke Newington is one of ten top hotspots for independent shops chosen by American Express, and the only one in London

Milo Boyd Digital Travel Editor and Commercial Content Lead

01:24, 15 Sep 2026

The British high street is in trouble. In 2024, almost 13,000 shops – about 37 a day – closed for good across the UK. The north of England, the Midlands and deprived coastal towns have been hit hardest.

As independents and high-end brands pull down their shutters for good, the country’s politics changes. In-depth polling by YouGov and researchers at Faster Horses shows that 62% of voters considering backing Reform think their local area is in decline.

Of course, the UK is an inconsistent nation, home to the supercar-lined snickets of Knightsbridge, just a few miles from Zone 6 high streets that feel run down, unloved and increasingly empty.

For the past few years, I have been living on (or just a few metres off of, to tell the truth) a high street success story. Church Street in Stoke Newington is one of the ten top hotspots for independent shops chosen by American Express, and the only one in London.

I wholeheartedly agree with the valuation. It’s a great place that gets so many things right.

Where Church Street really comes into its own is in the nifty gifty game. If ever you find yourself looking down the barrel of a friend’s birthday, head to Nook and buy them a pair of very stylish socks, a hefty Japanese gardening tool set, or a pack of seeds in a tasteful matte packet. A week out from Christmas and you’ll find joy in Search & Rescue, a shop that specialises in particularly pricey and tasteful candles, as well as decorative match boxes.

It sharply contrasts with present shopping experiences I’ve had elsewhere. Head out to grab a few extra gifts in the days before Christmas in my hometown (and most medium-sized towns, I’d wager), and within half an hour of wandering around Sports Direct and the empty food court, you’ll wonder why you took the present-buying effort offline.

While it certainly isn’t my scene, the Japanese Knife Shop and Know and Love are on hand to sell you a premium kitchen blade and something mystical, whatever the occasion.

All good high streets need to hit the right balance. Many of the UK’s struggling shopping parades have been taken over by too much of the same thing, whether that’s vape, charity or betting shops. Church Street somehow remains vape shop-free while offering a Goldilocks combination of clothing stores, restaurants, pubs, and knick-knack shops that feels about right.

If you’re looking for an outfit, Array is an excellent independent menswear shop that sells Toast-like shirts and trousers, often at steep discounts.

When it comes to finding something to read, the Church Street Book Shop is an institution. Stacks of second-hand novels, poetry anthologies, atlases, garden manuals, and history textbooks rise up in columns, filling Tim Watson’s iconic store. Last year, word had it that Tim was looking to move on from the venture after close to half a century behind the counter, but he still appears to be going strong.

If the heavy fug of vape shops is the main blight hanging over Britain’s dying high street, then it’s second only to the rapidly disappearing pub scene. According to the British Beer and Pub Association, 161 pubs closed across England, Scotland, and Wales in the first three months of 2026. This downward trend has been going on for years.

In my five years in the area, I’ve never known a Church Street pub to close. In fact, two new, trend-bucking pubs have opened in that time. Macintosh Ales is a small and surprising success, tucked away down a back street in a mews where it sells two types of beer brewed by owner Charlie for £5 a pint.

The other recent addition is The Mary Wollstonecraft Freehouse, the latest outing by the people behind the exceptional Southampton Arms in Hampstead and The Pocket in Angel. It may not have hit its stride quite yet, but it’s certainly better than what was there before.

When it comes to food, a little taste of all the world’s cuisines can be found on Church Street. The likes of Schnitzel Forever, Calong and Aun will transport your taste buds to far-flung lands, before a Daily Star-accompanied fry-up at New River Cafe brings you back to Britain.

As far as I can tell, there is no real secret behind Church Street’s success. Being in a very affluent part of the country obviously helps, while Hackney and Islington’s creative population provides a steady stream of business owners keen to take over empty shops. Equally, the mix of unit types and a part-pedestrianisation at weekends means it’s a place you enjoy wandering around aimlessly in – not something you can say about most British high streets.

Add to all this one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ garden cemeteries at its eastern end, and the deer and terrapin Clissold Park at the other, and you’ve got yourself a winner.