Business owners have deserted Stow Bazaar since it opened, citing poor facilities, consistently low footfall, and repeated break-ins

By Marco Marcelline

Princess Caulker left Stow Bazaar (inset) in December. She says the venture left her with debts amounting to £20,000

Located on the site of a former Wilko in the middle of Walthamstow High Street, Stow Bazaar is home to 48 retail units, many of which have remained empty since it opened in June 2024.

Stow Bazaar describes itself as “more than a market” and a “celebration of culture, a gathering of community, and a destination for those who seek something special”.

The retail spaces on offer include stores selling world foods, music records, perfume, and clothing. But current and former traders have told the Echo that they’ve battled repeated break-ins, unkempt toilet facilities, and a management that has failed to advertise their businesses.

Consistently low footfall meant trader Princess Caulker, was forced to take out loans to keep her clothing business GlitzGlamBoutiqu3 afloat. Princess says she eventually accrued crippling debts that run into the tens of thousands. Princess had at first been “thrilled” to sign a lease for the space, she says, having been enticed by a relatively low rent for a large shop at the front of the market.

Believing it would become a bustling shopping destination, she says she soon realised things were “not right”. Princess said: “We were told, ‘Oh you’ll have WiFi; you’ll have heating, you’ll have lots of people coming in all the time’. But it was always quiet and cold inside, and I had to buy my own WiFi router.”

Harsh lighting, uninspired flooring, and empty retail units in Stow Bazaar, pictured in March

When the Echo visited Stow Bazaar in March, traders said that the site still had no internet. Before moving into Stow Bazaar, Princess occupied a small shop that faced onto the High Street. She said: “My [first] shop was a lot smaller but I had more customers. I was just about paying the bills. I thought that by having a bigger shop in Stow Bazaar, and near the entrance I would be able to make a profit. I was wrong.”

Princess says Stow Bazaar’s management never sought to remedy the “consistent” lack of footfall with advertising or decent social media promotion.

The market’s rarely updated Instagram page has a total of twelve posts and 54 followers, while its website still advertises businesses which have long departed, such as Princess’s.

After growing tired of a lack of support from management, Princess announced her intent to leave in December. She’s not the only one to have done so, she says, adding: “I know at least 15 traders who have moved their businesses since Stow Bazaar opened.”

Other traders, like Rob*, told the Echo that the market’s only toilet was poorly maintained, leaving him and others unable to use it while at work. He also complained that it is located in an ex-office space above the market floor, meaning it is inaccessible for mobility impaired customers.

“They don’t clean the toilets enough. Sometimes I’ve walked in and seen the toilet seat covered in excrement. The floor is always wet. It’s disgusting. I’ve had to use the neighbouring shop’s toilets instead.”

The Echo understands that flooding in the upstairs toilet once caused a floor tile to collapse into the market due to the weight of the water.

Traders said it was “lucky” that the tile didn’t fall during the market’s opening hours.

Theft has also blighted the market for months. According to Rob, the market lacks a security guard that can adequately protect retail units from shoplifters and thieves.

He said: “The ‘security guard’ they employ is an older man [in his 60s] who cannot pose a threat to anybody. I feel like the responsibility is on us as traders to ensure our units aren’t broken into. Some people have had to spend hundreds of pounds on solid doors and locks to protect themselves.”

Princess says she was targeted by thieves who broke into her shop and stole £600 in cash in November. Meanwhile, Luxmist Perfume, run by Haris Ahmed, had been open for just one week when a thief broke in and stole “£35,000” worth of perfume.

Stow Bazaar, 115 High Street Walthamstow

In a bid to recoup his losses, Haris offered generous discounts on his perfumes of up to 75%. He eventually packed up his shop to move to a location opposite 17&Central in Walthamstow. Stow Bazaar did not respond to a request for comment.

Not everyone the Echo spoke to shared such pessimistic perspectives, however. New business owner Blossom Godino, who runs Filipino and Korean food shop Uyy, said she had not experienced the same low footfall that had afflicted others, and was managing to reach her financial targets.

But longtime Walthamstow Market shopper Mark Costis spoke of how his initial excitement at Stow Bazaar gave way to bitter disappointment. Speaking next to Princess’ new stall opposite Sainsbury’s, Mark said: “I first thought it had the potential to emulate the success of Stratford Market Village, but it doesn’t look like the landlord is actually serious about making it work. I mean why would you still have the old Wilko signage for months after opening for a start?”

He continued: “I’m usually not a cynical person, but it seems to me that he doesn’t want to spend any more money on this venture, and while he is getting a fortune in rent, that suits him fine. I feel very sorry for the business owners. They have spent a lot of money getting them up and running. I hope their fortunes change for the better soon.”

* Name has been changed

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