Chislehurst has seen a flurry of new business openings in recent weeks, despite the challenging economic climate brought on by the pandemic.

A fishmongers, organic grocery and a micropub launched within weeks of each other on Royal Parade.

On nearby Chislehurst High Street, there is now a delicatessen and an independent food hall that includes a greengrocer, butcher, baker and zero-waste dispensary.

The new businesses have all opened since the outbreak of Covid-19, in some cases as a direct consequence of the virus - either through redundancy or pressure to diversify business interests.

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“Buying groceries is one of the few legitimate reasons to leave the house and get a bit of fresh air and exercise. We’ve found that people are coming to us for inspiration,” said Ahmet Ciftdal, co-founder of organic and vegan grocery store, Allganic & Moore.

High streets across the UK have seen businesses shut as a result of the pandemic. Chislehurst is no exception, with the permanent closure of several longstanding businesses that have been a presence in the town for many years.

But the significant losses have been countered with a surprising number of independent businesses launching in recent months, replacing shops that have shut down or been empty for some time.

Fish Union, Allganic & Moore, Joëlle’s delicatessen and Burlington Food Hall all sell food essentials, enabling them to open during the lockdown.

The Cockpit micropub has been less fortunate.

As a non-essential business, it was forced to close under the current lockdown, just six days after it first opened as a takeaway service.

Co-owner Paul Steadman remains positive that locals will support the venture once restrictions have been lifted.

The commitment of the new shops to reduce plastic waste has been well received by environmentally conscious residents.

Allganic & Moore and Burlington Food Hall both include a zero-waste section, enabling customers to buy dry goods by weight in reusable containers.

Fish Union carrier bags and packaging are plant based, making them compostable. This is a more expensive option, but co-owner Andy Roberts is passionate about marine conservation and committed to cutting back on single use plastics.

Similarly, owners of The Cockpit made a conscious decision to use recycled materials to fit out the micropub.

The work was carried out by Rugged London, a Greenwich-based company specialising in the use of sustainable building materials.