American Express: Listicle

Seven ways to have the ultimate Mexican staycation

London’s small businesses need us now more than ever. Thanks to Shop Small by American Express, you can save when you spend at these ace local shops

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Written by Time Out

Time Out

Seven fantastic local businesses in London to support right now

Old El Paso to transport you and your family to colourful Mexico. Our Fajita Friday Fiesta series will help bring the family together with everything from lively cook-alongs to craft workshops. On top of that, we’re rustling up delicious recipes and giving away Mexican summer prize packs. Want to get the party started right now? Here, we’ve put together a guide to more Mexican-themed activities to do at home, from arty tours and great films to desserts. Enjoy them alongside your Old El Paso feast; for more inspiration on taking your dinner to the next level, check out these recipes. Watch the latest Fajita Friday Fiesta, curated by Old El Paso and Time Out.

2 Samantha Cusick London

Glitter coffees, candy floss cocktails, comfy gowns, your very own mask and bottle of hand sanitiser – is this a luxury hotel? Nope, it’s a hair salon, specialising in balayage and colour techniques. Its founder, Samantha Cusick, opened her own (very Insta-ready) Notting Hill digs after gaining a solid reputation for styling and colouring big-name celebs and influencers.

3 Universal Works

There’s something truly rewarding about buying a well-made, long-lasting garment from an independent business – and here at contemporary menswear outfitter Universal Works, you can experience exactly that. Co-founder and designer David Keyte spent three decades in the fashion industry before launching Universal Works.

6 The Begging Bowl

Don’t come to this trendy Thai street food restaurant expecting all the usual menu items. There’s something delightfully different in store for you. Head chef Jane Atly – who spent years working with legendary Thai chef David Thompson at the London outpost of the Michelin-starred Nahm – is passionate about incorporating specialist ingredients from Thailand like banana blossoms and rambutan into experimental dishes. Order the minced dark larb salad with coriander, shallots and roasted rice and thank us later...

1 Janet Edwards Florist

For years now, Janet Edwards has been arranging bright bouquets and creating striking displays for weddings, funerals and everything in between. Not only does Janet and her team deliver across the capital, but she also runs hands-on workshops for anyone interested in floristry. During lockdown, Janet swiftly pivoted to a delivery service based at her home; from her conservatory, she arranged bouquets for families missing loved ones and funerals, filling an essential service when florists were not able to open their shops.

7 Pure Vinyl Records

Any serious collector of soul, funk or reggae vinyl should make it a priority to check out Pure Vinyl. Three years ago, owner Claudia Wilson moved Pure Vinyl into larger digs in The Department Store in Brixton. Claudia’s immense knowledge and passion for soul and reggae makes shopping here a joy; you’ll find her chatting with music-lovers who have come from near and far. She also stocks jazz, rock and hip hop, and constantly adds rare and pre-loved vinyl to her collection.

7 Spice things up with some authentic hot sauce

Community has always been at the heart of this charming Church Street pub, which has been owned by the same family since 1985. Locals have always loved the Rose & Crown for its warm atmosphere, perfect Sunday roasts and weekly pub quiz – but during lockdown, the pub really cemented its legendary status. The team voluntarily donated 50 percent of their sales to the local hospital, supported small independent brewers and pivoted to takeaway. These days, they’ve reopened with full table service and all the right safety precautions. Told you they were legends.

Find more information on how you can get involved with Shop Small.

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5 Green & Stone

There are shops you visit when you need something, and then there are shops that make each visit entirely pleasurable. Green & Stone, which was founded in 1927, falls firmly in the latter category. These picture framers and purveyors of specialist art materials have supplied high-quality materials to some seriously big names. Owner Hester Baldwin knows many of her customers (celeb and non-celeb alike) by name. And during lockdown, Green & Stone's #isolationartist competition saw them give away over £2,000 in prizes.

hat would London be without its awesome independent shops, grocers, restaurants and pubs? We don’t know – and frankly, we don’t

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Time Out

4 Rose & Crown

want to know. During lockdown, we launched Love Local: a campaign dedicated to supporting local food, drink and culture in London. Now, we’ve teamed up with American Express to shine a light on more amazing small businesses in the capital. This year, Shop Small by American Express is all about helping local businesses get back on their feet after lockdown by offering great incentives to shoppers who spend on their Amex Card. To get you started, we’ve put together a list of seven of our favourite Shop Small businesses.

Seven fantastic local businesses in London to support right now

London’s small businesses need us now more than ever. Thanks to Shop Small by American Express, you can save when you spend at these ace local shops

What is Shop Small?

The American Express Shop Small Offer aims to help small businesses on their road to recovery – and incentivises us shoppers to help out. Launched on 22 June and running until September 13 2020, Cardmembers can receive £5 back when they spend at least £10 in-store or more in a single in-store transaction at up to 10 different participating small businesses. This means up to £50 back! So, now’s the time to support your local small businesses by shopping small and shopping often.

Want more?

What is Shop Small?

The Shop Small Offer by American Express aims to help small businesses on their road to recovery – and incentivises us shoppers to help out. Launched on 22 June and running until September 13 2020, Cardmembers can receive £5 back when they spend at least £10 in-store or more in a single in-store transaction at up to 10 different participating small businesses. This means up to £50 back! So, now’s the time to support your local small businesses by shopping small and shopping often.

Brixton Hill

Notting Hill

Berwick Street, Kings Cross, Lambs Conduit Street.

Stoke Newington

Chelsea

Peckham

Brixton

Promoter: American Express Services Europe Limited. Registered Office: Belgrave House, 76 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 9AX, United Kingdom. Registered in England and Wales with Company Number 1833139. Offer T&Cs: The offer is valid for use up to 10 times, once per Card and per participating location, up to a total of £50 in statement credits. It is available for 12 weeks from 22 June 2020 until 13 September 2020. The offer is available to consumer and small business Cardmembers. Terms and Conditions apply. Participating small businesses and full terms and conditions can be found at https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/network/amex-offers-terms.html

Brixton Hill

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Berwick Street, Kings Cross, Lambs Conduit Street.

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Stoke Newington

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Chelsea

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Peckham

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Brixton

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Image: Lewis Khan

Image: David Parry/PA Wire

Image: Lewis Khan

Image: David Parry/PA Wire

Image: Julia Robinson