FURIOUS locals have said their high street is falling apart as it is swamped by takeaways, vape shops and barbers.
Uxbridge Road in Shepherd’s Bush, is falling into disrepair amidst an invasion of takeaway and vape shops according to heartbroken locals.
Nearly 30 of the businesses have taking over the ailing Uxbridge Road – with desperate locals and campaigners calling for change.
Residents also say the street is blighted by crime, antisocial behaviour and graffiti in a depressing example of broken Brtain.
They rage there is exposed wiring threatening shopper safety and even claim the pavement in places is layered with grease.
Residents complain they can’t move for fried food joints and say there’s been an exodus of shopfronts in the last six years.
Data shows there are appears to be at least 28 of the businesses on the stretch – with 17 takeaways, 8 barbers, and 3 vape shops.
And during The Sun’s visit we counted more than 30 of the shops spread just over a mile of highstreet.
School children flocked to get an unhealthy fix from the various joints offering cheap deals on fried food.
But it’s not just unhealthy food and vape shops taking over the street.
There were 147 crimes reported during August 2025 in one area of the street alone.
We witnessed a barefoot man being handcuffed by cops in the middle of the pavement whilst he attempted to smoke a cigarette.
Even the local children’s park was occupied by a gang of balaclava clad youths.
But a grassroots campaign, named Fix Uxbridge Road, has kicked off to pull the street out of its rut.
Campaign member Kat told The Sun: “Concerns about neglected buildings, irresponsible shop type overclusters, graffiti , antisocial behaviour, drug use, litter, and poor maintenance were becoming impossible to ignore.
“Many residents were raising the same issues individually with little progress.
“We wanted to bring those voices together and create a collective campaign that could not be ignored.”
Along with the blight of takeaways, 97 premises on the road have exposed cabling hanging off them according to an audit by Fix Uxbridge Road.
They’re concerned it’s a fire risk and are demanding urgent action.
Kat said: “Exposed wires, that’s dangerous.
“We did a full audit and raised it with the council, it’s a battle.”
Julie said: “I knew the area before I moved here and it’s all become fast food.
“It’s on the decline for sure, it’s changed massively there’s more crime and knife attacks.
“The shops look so unappealing, I don’t go in them very often.
“The council needs to do something but they haven’t got any .”
Silke comes to Uxbridge Road to visit her daughter who lives nearby and says the street is constantly getting worse.
She said: “I wouldn’t come here unless I was visiting my daughter.
“There’s just nothing here anymore, it’s all vape shops and fast food.”
Patrick Hutchinson lives round the corner from Uxbridge Road.
He said: “Every other shop here is a barbershop or a vape shop, the last ten years they’ve been taking over.”
Mike and Liz Ritchie were visiting from New Zealand and were appalled by the amount of vape shops.
They reckon the fast food and vape joints are reducing the appeal of the area.
“It’s multicultural which is lovely.
“But even one vape shop is too much, I have no problem with barbers but I hate the vape shops.
“We were walking down here the other day and they were literally trying to give away free vapes.
“We love the cafes and Lebanese places so we always think it’s a shame fast food is mixed with it.”
Hammersmith and Fulham Council told The Sun it would welcome changes from the Government that give councils the power to stop clustering.
It said: “Our high streets are among our most important public spaces. We use them to shop, commute, socialise and take kids to school. Like our parks, they should be beautiful, thriving and accessible.
“But, across the UK, high streets have taken a bashing. Online retail shopping, changes to work patterns in the post-pandemic era, and successive governments’ business rate policies have all contributed to a challenging environment on our high streets.
“We recognise the extraordinary efforts of residents on Uxbridge Road and across the borough to come together to improve their high streets.”
Hammersmith and Fulham Council's actions to improve Uxbridge Road:
- Encouraging strategic private-sector investment.
- Attempting to block new fast food operations from opening near schools or operating late at night near residential roads.
- Investing Community Infrastructure Levy receipts from developments on High Streets in improving shop fronts.
- Setting aside additional resources to ensure their Local Plan for high streets is implemented.
