Look local: Trendy indies flourish in Shoreditch

With more gin bars and brioche buns per square metre than anywhere else in London, Shoreditch has become the centre of trendy hangouts in the capital. Over the past 20 years, the neighbourhood’s industrial warehouses and cobbled side streets have been transformed into art galleries, music venues and quirky restaurants. Shoreditch’s hipster counter-culture is reflected in its optical practices, with the area boasting an overwhelmingly higher proportion of independent practices to multiples.

‘Shoreditch became “Shoreditch” as a happy accident, it simply has become an area in which individuality is accepted and embraced. There is always something new and exciting happening, whether it be an art installation, quirky market, or pop-up store showcasing the next “in” thing,’ says Eyediology optometrist and director Ravi Sohal. ‘This quickly has a flow on effect to local businesses who use this point of difference and the crowd it attracts as a source of inspiration. Businesses must provide unique products that are specifically curated to anticipate this level of expected eccentricity and diversity.’