Three of the best streets for independent shopping in the UK are in London

We already know that London is a world-class shopping destination. The capital’s shopaholics have access to everything from trendy vintage boutiques, to cutesy stationary shops, and cult homeware destinations.  Now, it’s official: new research has revealed the UK’s top high streets for indie shops, with three London locations on the list. 

A study by American Express and GlobalData looked at high streets all over the country, analysing them on the quantity of independent shops, the street’s vibrancy, and its overall aesthetic (think: Instagram friendly) appeal. The study then named the top 10 independent high streets in Britain. 

So which London locations are most likely to have shoppers reaching for their credit cards? In the capital, two high streets came in fourth place on the list. 

Coal Drops Yard and the nearby Stable Street, both in King’s Cross, took the joint fourth prize. In Coal Drops Yard you’ve got your bougie boutiques like Aesop, Paul Smith and APC, but there are also a heck of a lot of independent shops, selling everything from handcrafted homewares, to dried flowers and reggae records. Stable Street has kiosks that host pop-ups, events and workshops from experimental brands and emerging businesses.  

Also featuring on the list was Broadway Market in Hackney, which came in sixth place overall. The compact east London street has had had a traditional fruit and veg market since the 1890s, but these days its better known for being a melting pot for all of London’s tote bag-weilding, Lime bike-riding hipsters. On Saturdays and Sunday you’ll likely see them clutching flat whites and strolling in their finest Goodhood outfits while perusing the various food stands, vintage stalls and Japanese homeware kiosks. 

The list was created to coincide with Small Business Saturday, an initiative from American Express that encourages consumers to shop at local small businesses. Designed to be an anti shopping experience following Black Friday, this year’s Small Business Saturday takes place on December 6. 

The 50 best shops in London. 

Plus: Dr Martens just opened its biggest ever UK store in Covent Garden.