Ladywell’s independent businesses did well at this year’s Mayor of Lewisham Business Awards, a sure sign the neighbourhood has a growing mix of businesses and active community involvement after several years in the doldrums in the early 2000s.
The high street had a finalist in several categories. Oscar’s, the specialty coffee shop, was shortlisted for Best Café. Geddes, the Aveda salon that opened in 2008, was up for Best Hair and Beauty.
Gently, the lifestyle and gifts store, was a finalist for Best High Street Business. Fields Café, the new café in Ladywell Fields, was shortlisted for Best New Business.
Ladywell Tavern took home a title, sharing the Best Bar or Pub award with Blythe Hill Tavern.
The pub has built a reputation as a community hub, with live music, open mic nights, quizzes and poetry, plus a kitchen turning out burgers, pies and Sunday roasts.
It has become a place people go to meet as well as to drink.
Winners were chosen by public vote from a shortlist of 96 finalists. Council figures put turnout at a record 9,430 votes.
Other shortlisted Ladywell businesses included Wilson’s, the neighbourhood restaurant and wine bar, and Donnelly’s barbers in the best hair and beauty category.
“Ladywell high street is one of the best in Lewisham for independent businesses and we’re very proud to be part of it,” said Joel Falconer.
Joel and Alina Falconer are the team behind coffee shop, Cafe Oscar’s, restaurant Wilson’s and sustainable food shop Plenty. Joel and Alina also run the Fields cafe.
“These awards are amazing for the breadth and variety of small businesses they champion.
The mix of shortlisted finalists says a lot about the growing vitality of the neighbourhood.
They are a café, a salon, a lifestyle shop, a pub and a park café. Together they suggest a high street where people spend time as well as money, and where Ladywell’s character is a draw.
For a small neighbourhood to be named alongside bigger centres like Sydenham, Brockley and Catford is a good result.
The recognition follows a steady run of new arrivals over recent years.
Gently opened on Ladywell Road in 2019, in a unit that had once been one of the neighbourhood’s notorious empty properties, left vacant for well over a decade.
That spring a new butcher Meat Jon took over Heckstall & Smith and the fish and chip shop was refurbished under new ownership.
More recently, the owners of Oscar’s opened Plenty SE13, a whole food pantry across the road from the café.
Wilson’s took over the long-neglected unit at 77 Ladywell Road, estate agent Dexters took over the landmark former Coral betting shop on Algernon Road, and this year Fields Café opened in Ladywell Fields.
Local independents are also winning recognition well beyond the borough: The Larder was named London’s best local deli in the 2025 Muddy Stilettos awards.