Words and multimedia by Jaskaran Singh
Small businesses are the cornerstone of the community, a prominent feature on any high street in any city you go to. But that may not be the case for much longer, as financial troubles, the cost of living in the UK, rising payroll costs and lasting effects from the pandemic may make it much harder for independent businesses to survive in 2026.
In the heart of North London, Holloway Road is home to a plethora of businesses, many of these independent businesses alongside large chains, all trying to survive and root themselves as pillars of the local community.
But keeping the shutters up and tills running in 2026 may be harder than it seems.
The independent business Coffee Zee, which has operating on Holloway Road for 10 years now, has had a first hand in dealing and experiencing the troubles and struggles faced by a business day to day with some of them becoming incrementally harder to manage.
The owner, Sebastian Olid, spoke about how everything from inflation to the extortionate rise in business rates has been some of the many challenges faced by the business when asked what some of the biggest challenges your business is facing at the moment.
Old said how, since the business was established 10 years ago, the rise in property prices has risen considerably, and that has also been a recent problem faced by them and many other independent businesses across London, saying the inflation of property prices over the last 10 years is insurmountable.
In the face of all of these obstacles, the business still effortlessly serves the community, acting as a true cornerstone of the community, forming a social hub and workspace for anyone and everyone.
Although one independent business’s experience of Holloway Road may differ from another, this shows us that there isn’t a universal answer for every small business on Holloway Road.
At El Rincon Quiteno, owner Jose Torres has provided a different perspective on running a small business on Holloway Road and what it has been like for them, whilst also experiencing the same challenges, like having to increase menu prices and dealing with the cost of living, but also seeing opportunities through things like the university and the proximity to the Arsenal Stadium.
For the family-run business which serves Ecuadorean dishes, El Rincon Holloway Road has been its home for the past 31 years and has been a lifeline for its current owner. He said that he lost his job after the pandemic and decided to take over from his brother, which provided him with a new source of income and a challenge in his life.
The owner also spoke of how the ever-changing nature of Holloway Road can bring new prospects for the business speaking on how things like new building and a lot of new people and young people bring change for the better.
It is clear to see that these two independent businesses illustrate the different approaches and perspectives of what it is like to run an independent business on Holloway Road in 2026, and not just based on the financial situation of the business, but on the type of business it is and its relation to the location and how it can use its area to its advantage.
When it comes to relationships, the customer has a special place in a business’s connection to its location. Independent businesses offer more of an organic community link for customers. A customer at El Rincon said that they always aim to use independent businesses and avoid chains, but also because of the prices.
But with the growing number of opportunities like the Arsenal Stadium and the advancing number of students also brings competition from more established business chains which puts the future of Holloway Roads independent businesses at risk.
For the owners of Coffee Zee and El Rincon, the survival of their business means Holloway Road continuing to deliver enough opportunities for both businesses to survive through customer loyalty and continuing prospects, with EL Rincon going on to say small businesses provide nice small touches to any street. Showing how much the concept of independent businesses really means to the people of and business owners of Holloway Road.
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