Stories From Our Communities
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Picnic perfect
In celebration of London National Park City week and our beautiful green surroundings, this week we wanted to share our top picks for organising the perfect picnic for you to enjoy al fresco in one of our many wonderful city parks!
Is a cashless society viable?
Is a society functioning without physical money practical, or even possible? An article by www.cottonsaccountants.co.uk
Post Hackney Half Indulgence…
Running 13.1 miles definitely deserves a hint of post-race indulgence! Whether it's brunch or beer you're after, here are our top picks for enjoying your Sunday post Hackney Half, all within stumbling distance of the finish line, you're welcome achy limbs!
This week, I hope you’re hungry…
We have six wonderful new businesses to tell you all about including some amazing spots for perfect pizza, beautiful brunch and colourful cakes! Check them out...
Rest, recuperate and relax this weekend
Perhaps this won't be the best weekend for beer gardens and barbecues, but maybe it's the perfect time to get organised and feeling positive with some self care for body, mind and home!
10 New Kids on the Block!
We are delighted to end April on a high with 14 more incredible, local businesses joining our community! Let me introduce you...
Summer is here, let’s have a beer!
Hurry, the sun is out! Get yourself to one of these local beer gardens and soak up the sunshine, pint in hand, happy in the knowledge that you're supporting a unique, independent business.
WELCOME!
What a busy few weeks we have had! Check out the amazing locally owned businesses that have recently joined our community...
Five of our fashion favourites
Check out our top picks for where you can find the best buys for summer style whilst supporting creative and entrepreneurial businesses flourishing in our community...
Look forwards to lunchtime!
Forgot your packed lunch? Get out the office and get some good grub in your belly! Whether its healthy or indulgent meals your after, check out our 5 picks for where to venture for lunch this week...
Netil Market, we love you
Netil Market has always been one of our favourite independent spots in East London, with many local traders at the market accepting Colu.
One wallet for all!
In order to support more independent businesses we are making a slight change to how you use your digital wallet...
#PressForProgress
International Women's Day (I.W.D.), on 8th of March, is a day dedicated to the celebration of female inspiration, dedication and progress in terms of social equality and gender parity.
‘Sewing’ Community Near Brick Lane: Ben Lawrence
Located on Cheshire Street just steps away from Brick Lane, you'll find Ben Lawrence, a bespoke gentlemen's tailor and shirt-maker shop.
Meet Dot Studio: Independent Printing Atelier
This week we met with Matt and Marta, the printing gurus behind Dot Studio. This design and printing atelier creates modern products with an old-fashioned, care-about-your-customer mentality.
Lanark Coffee Packs Big Flavor into a Small Space
From kimchee grilled cheese to blueberry pancakes to a killer flat white, Hackney Road's Lanark Coffee serves up some of the area's best brews and bites in the area.
Just the Veganning: Hackney’s Unripe Banana Dreams Big
This week we stopped by one of the most a-peeling destinations on Hackney Road -- Unripe Banana! I chatted with Flora, the woman behind this exciting combined cafe-gallery-studio space.
Coffee with an Extra Shot of Creativity
Quaker Street Coffee & Bubble Tea isn’t your average cafe. You’ll find them in the heart of Shoreditch, but they’re really situated at the intersection of art, music, and locally sourced sips and eats.
Modern African Street Food
I explored the heart of Netil Market to speak with a creative duo addicted to the combination of modern and traditional African street food! Makda and Jack (AKA LemLem Kitchen) are open Fridays and Saturdays for tantalisingly tasty food.
You Had Me at MERLOT!
I took a trip to a growing wine shop that supplies wine to more than 120 restaurants in London now… nestled in the heart of Dalston, this Austrian rooted winery brings about the grapes from all over Europe and is the perfect hot spot for dabbling in unusual wines from all over!
Matcha Made in Heaven
This week I went to meet the vegan power couple on a mission to change the way East London thinks about food; Sazzy and Fran. Tucked away in the heart of Hackney Road, this dynamic duo prepares everything from scratch (tacos to healthy millionaires shortbread).
Work Work Work
I’ve been exploring a nifty hideaway that’s run by freelancers for freelancers; The Workers’ Cafe.
TEA-TASTIC in East London!
What isn't to love about tea? Well, I've gone on a mission to meet the masters and merchants of authentic loose leaf teas in East London.
Just BREW it! (Forest Road)
What do you get when you combine a Boston born brewer, a Belgian beer factory and whole lotta confidence? An East End Brewery, or at least that’s what happened to owner and brewing master, Pete Brown.
‘QUIRKY’ meets ‘COOL’ at East End Prints
Fortune favours the brave and the BOLD, which rings true when you step through the doors of East End Prints and peer around at the array of Autumn colours, shapes and designs.
Terrone & Co. – Re-Innovating Coffee
Terrone Coffee Co. was established by Edy Piro (born in Salerno, southern Italy) in 2011. The former freelancer started sourcing and distributing his own coffee brand in his spare time and slowly turned it into a business that he loves.
Outdoor People: Reconnecting People with the Outdoors
Outdoor People are both a shop and social enterprise with a passion for the outdoors and helping people reconnect with nature - whether that’s through camping, picnicking, yoga, cycling, festivals, walking, scrambling, hiking up mountains, wandering round cities, playing in the street, lying in hammocks, building dens, making mud pies and staring at clouds!
Experimental Perfume Club: Reconnecting the Perfume Industry with Its Consumers
Experimental Perfume Club is a creative perfume studio in the heart of East London which specialises in bespoke perfumery.
Cifci: The Rise of Conscious Purchasing and… Robots!
I spoke to Ahmet who runs Cifci, an independent convenience store on Kingsland Road. He joined the family business in 2013, which was previously run by his dad and uncle and then his cousin. We chatted about the changing area, the rise of conscious purchasing and... robots!
Hackney Gelato: Sicilian Gelato Comes to East London
Sam and Enrico became friends while Enrico was working as a chef and Sam doing his training. They ended up running a pub kitchen together in Mile End and when the pub shut down they needed a plan B, so they founded Hackney Gelato. We chatted to Sam about Italy, East London and plans of opening a shop in the area very soon!
Il Cudega: A Crowd Funded Italian Deli, Restaurant and Wine Bar Opened by Two Childhood Friends from Lombardy
Giovanni and Luca have been friends since they were 8 and decided to open Il Cudega together, a lovely little restaurant and deli in one of London’s Fields railway arches. Serving the best organically-produced cheese, meats and wines from their home district of Lombardy in Northern Italy, the menu focuses on traditional dishes like Cotoletta and Risotto alla Milanese.
Dalston Chillies: Meet the Saucey DJ Who Went from Lecturing, to Graphic Design to Making Hot Sauce
This week we spoke to Ben from Dalston Chillies, the man of many talents who has had almost every job in the books - from lecturing in sound engineering, various graphics jobs to making sauces and DJing in his spare time. Impressive much?!
Moving away from Amazon to Independent Book Shops: Introducing Burley Fisher
This week we visited Burley Fisher, a lovely independent bookshop on Kingsland Road – on the borders of Haggerston, Dalston and De Beauvoir. They focus on small press books and do what they can to support local authors.
Announcing The #EastLondonLocalChallenge
We’ve started a really exciting new project – The EastLondonLocalChallenge Each week we visit one of our businesses to experience them for We’ve started a really exciting new project – The #EastLondonLocalChallenge Each week we visit one of our businesses to experience them for ourselves, ..
With the Rise of Urban Agriculture, We Visited a Hidden Farm in the Heart of Dalston
This week I spent the day feeding chickens at Farmshop, an urban farm hidden inside what seems to be just another shop window in Dalston. With urban populations on the rise, there has also been a rise in urban agriculture.
A Message to You Rudie’s
Living in London, I’m sure we’ve all tried jerk chicken - there are countless wonderful Jamaican and Bajan takeaways. But there aren't that many good quality, contemporary Jamaican restaurants which the Independent can call “the best Caribbean in London”... until now!