Caribbean Shopping

Shepherd's Bush Market

Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 8.30am-6pm. Shepherd's Bush Market runs along Exbridge and Goldhawk roads, and sells everything from clothes to kitchen utensils. You'll also find plenty of yams, cassavas, mangoes, sugar cane, as well as fresh snapper, coley and tilapia fish.

Deptford Market

Deptford Market is at the centre of life in this area of town. Once known for being a bit run-down, Deptford is now widely considered to be one of the most exciting, up-and-coming areas of South London. Indeed, Deptford High Street was recently voted the best high street in London by the Yellow Pages business directory, because of its diversity and vibrancy. Go and see for yourself.

Choumert Road Market

Choumert Road Market is open Monday-Saturday, from 9am-3pm. Between Rye Lane and Choumert Grove, there are around 30 stalls selling African and Caribbean food, including fresh fish like saltfish and red snapper. There are also several outlets selling hair products geared to African and Caribbean customers dotted throughout the area.

Ridley Road Market

Shopping

Back to Eden

Back to Eden takes a cultured approach to dreadlocks: it doesn't offer cuts or trims, believing once grown, locks should keep on going. Treatments include scalp massages and repairs to damaged or wayward locks.

Blacker Dread Music Store

Specialists in pre-releases and Jamaican and US vinyl imports, Blacker Dread Music Store is the brainchild of Steve Martin (Blacka Dread) who opened the shop in 1993 to make reggae music more accessible to the wider public. Having produced reggae artists like Sizzla, Buju Banton, Freddie McGregor, Gregory Isaacs and Eek-a-Mouse, Martin has long focused on bringing new reggae tracks to London.

Dub Vendor

Dub Vendor, Clapham began as a market stall in Clapham Junction in 1976. It has now been dispensing Jamaican music – ska, rocksteady, roots and dancehall – for 25 years. There is a second branch, Dub Vendor, Ladbroke Grove and a very comprehensive mail order service for worldwide distribution.

Morris Roots

Morris Aberdeen is the enterprising owner of 3 Morris Roots; salons that specialise in starting, treating and pruning dreadlocks. Usually associated with Rastafarianism, Morris' take on locks is broader. His own roots are in Trinidad, although he's travelled extensively to Ghana and Kenya studying the history and culture of locks. Treatments include a full headwash and re-twist, colouring (with vegetable dyes), locks styling, cuts, herbal rinses, aloe vera treatments and styles including twists and cornrow braids. Other branches: 21 Fulham High Street, SW6. Tel: +44 (0)20 7731 3757 and 357 Archway Road, N6. Tel: +44 (0)20 8347 6478.

New Beacon Books

New Beacon Books has been open for nearly 40 years, selling titles on Black British Culture, as well as classic and contemporary writing on fiction, poetry, politics and history from Caribbean, British and African writers .

Soma Books

Although Soma's main specialism is Asian books, it also offers educational or children's books, some of which are imported from the Caribbean and Africa.