These are not good times for independent shops and Kingston is especially not a good place for them. The last indy music shop in town, Hands Music between the Market Place and the river, is about to close (link here). There is only one indy bookshop that I can think of: Regency Bookshop, in Surbiton, shortlisted for the Bookseller's regional Independent Bookshop of the Year this year. And where food places are concerned, there are several cafes including my favourite Caffe Jax on Old London Road - where there are a few indies including a vintage shop and an antiques emporium. But restaurants? When asked (on Tuesday) whether he'd ever dined out in this town, food writer Jay Rayner basically said, it's all pizza places and chain restaurants so why would I bother?
Kingston First has produced a list of indies with quite a few on it, though not that many considering the size of the town. I would like to see an Independent Kingston card, similar to the Independent Birmingham card that allows the holder a reduction when shopping at an indy. Otherwise everything is going to become chain burger bars, chain boutiques, and we will never break the chain.
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