Walking down one of London’s suburban towns in the 1970s, you may have stumbled upon quirky cafes, retro bookstores and vintage clothing stores. 

Yet today, as high-rise buildings dominate, chain restaurants and clothing stores being almost everywhere are towns in London slowly becoming ‘no-where’?

The ‘geography of nowhere’ is a concept popularised by the book The rise and decline of Americas man-made Landscape, which focuses on American cities lacking character and becoming more and more like one another, however the same principle applies to suburban towns in London. 

For instance, Ilford in East London is a town that, like many others, is overpowered by transnational cooperation’s such as McDonalds, Starbucks and KFC. 

With the opening of the exchange mall in Ilford, even more TNCs such as H&M and Primark, are eroding the town of its character.

Yet, in the past Ilford was a lively hub where local cafes and family-owned businesses were not just a place to eat or shop but integral to community life. 

They built up relationships between residents and distinguished the town with its own culture, community spirit and traditions. 

While the difference between suburban towns in the 1970’s and today may be stark, the ‘geography of nowhere’ is not inevitable. 

In fact, in recent years efforts have been made in towns such as Hackney, where the local authority celebrates the towns distinctive past by hosting a Windrush art commission project to commemorate 75 years of African-Caribbean heritage.

Vibrant small-scale markets are also becoming increasingly common in suburban towns such as the recent opening of the Mercato Metralpolitano food market in Ilford in July of 2024. 

The market embraces Turkish, Jamaican, Indian, Japanese and Thai food reflecting the distinct and vast demographics of Ilford. 

To prevent towns in London submerging into the realm of ‘nowhere’ a balance much be achieved between globalisation and preserving distinct identities.

Ilford and Hackney are great examples of towns which do so, however there are still many suburban towns in London which lack character and community, hence why efforts need to be made to embrace the traditions and history of places.