Ten independent shops on Caledonian Road have new council-funded shopfronts. A second round is planned, and the first auctions of empty units are due in late 2026.
Ten independent businesses on Caledonian Road have new shopfronts, paid for by a council scheme to bring more shoppers to the Cally. Islington Council announced the finished work on 28 October in a press release.
A second round is now being planned. Separately, the council has new powers to auction the leases of shops on the road that have stood empty for a year or more. The first auctions are expected in late 2026.
Which shops have changed
The council has not published a full list of the ten. Its release includes photographs of five of them:
- Lucilia Couture, a fashion boutique
- Sun Flour Bakery
- Euro Café
- Dallas Burger Bar
- Cally Nails
Each owner worked with designers and signwriters on a design for their own business, the council says. The work was done by Fairview Construction, a contractor based nearby. Paint came from The Colour Centre on Offord Road, around the corner.
The scheme was run by the council’s Local Economies Team and its in-house architects, Islington Architects. It was paid for from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
What the traders say
Paul O’Brien, who owns Sun Flour Bakery, said the shop “looks a lot more vibrant now”, and the bakery has bought new chairs and tables.
“Our customers have noticed and their responses have been positive and encouraging,” Paul O’Brien said. “We have noticed some younger customers coming in, so we have gained some new customers too.”
Kyzer, of Cross Net IT Solutions, said independent shops “provide essential services, create local employment and bring life to the high street”. Kyzer called the project “a positive step towards making the area more attractive for businesses, residents and visitors”.
Cllr James Potts, the council’s executive member for inclusive economy and planning, said independent businesses “are at the heart of Caledonian Road”.
A second round, paid for by developers
A second round of shopfront improvements is being developed. The council says it will be funded by the Caledonian Traders Association using developer contributions allocated by the ward councillors, “at no cost to residents”. No dates or numbers of shops have been given yet.
Why the Cally: the empty shops
Caledonian Road has more empty shops than any other high street in Islington. In the central stretch, 20 of 114 commercial units were vacant, a rate of 17.5%, the council’s Executive report says. The borough average is 9.7%. Those figures come from the High Street Data Service for December 2025.
In June the council’s Executive designated the Caledonian High Street Area for High Street Rental Auctions. The area covers the central Caledonian Road shopping area and the Copenhagen shopping area next to it. The decision took effect on 1 July.
The powers come from the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. The report sets out how they work:
- a shop qualifies only if it has been empty for 12 months in a row, or 366 days in two years
- the council first tries to agree a letting with the landlord
- if that fails, it serves a notice, and the landlord has eight weeks to respond
- if there is still no tenant, the lease is auctioned over 12 weeks
- the winning bidder gets a tenancy of one to five years
The council says an auction is a last resort. It will judge the scheme on how many empty units come back into use, not on how many auctions it holds. The Greater London Authority and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund have given £50,000 towards it, the council’s consultation page says.
The consultation drew 74 responses, most from Cally residents. Of those, 58 agreed with the boundary, 12 were unsure and 4 disagreed. People asked for record shops, florists, fishmongers, delis, bookshops and repair hubs. Some said they did not want more betting shops, vape shops or takeaways.
What it means for you
- If you shop on the Cally, the five businesses above are all trading under their new fronts now.
- If you run a business on Caledonian Road and want to be part of the second round, the Caledonian Traders Association is the group funding it. The council’s general number is 020 7527 2000.
- If you own an empty unit on the road, the council can now require information about it, and refusing to give it is a criminal offence, the Executive report says. Finding a suitable tenant before the auction stage stops the process.
- If you want a particular kind of shop on the Cally, the council can use the “local benefit” test to steer what goes into an auctioned unit, the report says.
For parking near the shops, see our parking in Islington page.
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