A - Z Challenge 2024 - I is for Independent Shops

This year I'm blogging about my local area.  

My area?  Highams Park which is in the borough of Waltham Forest in North East London, (UK) a little known place that nestles between Chingford and Woodford that most people only come to if they have a specific reason to - if not we usually get bypassed.  Suits us.

Having lived in Forest Gate in East London for 36 years (and for my husband 65 years!) moving was a big deal for us.  But we've been in Highams Park since September 2020 so I feel I know enough about it now to fill out 26 posts! 

We've only moved just over 5 miles but we didn't know this area at all before moving here.  Although of course we did have a good look around when looking for a house and there were a number of things we wanted on our check list.

One of the things I do miss is not being close to a decent shopping mall.  Previously we were a bus or quick train ride away from Westfield with its huge selection of shops.  We can still get to Westfield from here but it's best to do it by car.  

Our town centre does not really have any chain stores when it comes to anything but food (we have a Tesco store and a Subway).  As I posted under C we have a lot of Cafés and we also have quite a few restaurants which I'll come to further down the alphabet.  In the main our shops are independents - I wrote about Grace & Albert yesterday.  

Another that is worth a mention is  V and A Books & Gifts, Highams Park’s own village bookshop which also sell gifts and children’s toys. 

We also have a bridal shop:

Best Dress to Impress

Plus we have:

An upholsterer

A mobility shop - selling mobility scooters and other equipment that hopefully I won't need anytime soon!

Some small convenience food stores

Dry cleaners

Estate Agents

Hairdressers

Nail bars

Community Larder 

Several take away food outlets including Fish & Chips

A phone shop 

Several Newagents 

and a petrol station.

There are no bank or building society branches though but we do have a Post Office.  There is also quite an upmarket furniture store.

These shops are all within walking distance and most of our needs are covered but for some things we need to go further afield.

And, I noticed at the weekend, that the appliance shop finally looks set to be re-opening soon - the boarding is down and a new frontage is in place - it's been closed for quite a while because this happened:

Back in January 2022 a bus crashed into the appliance store causing significant damage.  Several people were taken to hospital including the driver who had to be cut from the wreckage.  

As far as I'm aware there were no fatalities or life threatening injuries but there were quite a few school children on the bus at the time.