The departure of Thermomix, the arrival of a new coffee shop, and refurbishment works at the former Panahar Indian restaurant mark a wave of change for Clapham Junction’s independent high street. Longstanding community favourites give way to fresh ventures as rising rents and shifting trends reshape the local landscape.

Thermomix gone after less than 3 years

Three years and already gone. Thermomix in Lavender Hill won’t have enjoyed the longevity of the Christian Bible shop that previously occupied the premises for more than 30 years. Was the location wrong for the brand? While Thermomix targets busy couples and tech-savvy users seeking to save time in the kitchen, its strongest appeal is to family cooks—particularly mothers—and perhaps a premises closer to Northcote Road, near the popular Belleville and Honeywell schools, would have suited them better.

However, the main culprit seems to be the exorbitant rents around Clapham Junction. A recent social media post confirmed that the Clapham Junction Thermomix team had sought alternative premises after headquarters required a reduction in rental costs across the business. The 2,500 sq ft unit is currently advertised by Bells at £75,000 per year—over £6,000 per month. Even with the latest Thermomix model costing more than £1,300, that is a lot of kitchen appliances to sell, just to cover rent and staff commissions

The spacious store was used for daily demonstrations and themed classes in an effort to attract new customers. As a business, Thermomix mainly operates through independent consultants—known as “Thermomix Advisors”—who manage operations and earn commissions on sales.

Branch manager Josie Wilkins moved her South London Studio team from Chelsea Harbour (a mainly residential location with lots of newish buildings, a marina and a little known glass-roofed mall, a stone’s throw from Imperial Wharf) where the branch opened in 2019, to Clapham Junction in 2022, after five years seeking better visibility and foot traffic. She told CJI:

“We wanted to be in Clapham Junction for the past 5 years. We needed more visibility and as we were growing, the opportunity came. We are happy to be in Clapham Junction now and very excited.”

Currently, there is no news about a new Thermomix location, and all furniture is stacked to one side of the now-empty shop, with no sign of a replacement tenant.

Former Partridges to become a coffee shop?

Directly opposite, at 295–297 Lavender Hill, change is afoot for the former Partridges. The closure of the well-known local stationery shop had been a shock when it was announced in July 2023, and for good reasons: the much appreciated art and craft shop founded by Mr. and Mrs. Partridges had been a legacy of Clapham Junction for the last 60 years.

While the premises is much like a mirror image of the former Thermomix unit, the asking rent is notably lower: advertised at £55,000 per annum, or under £4,600 per month by Avison Young.

After 2 years when the premises seems to be just the reminiscence of the past art & craft shops, door closed but frontage intact, something is eventually happening.

After nearly two years as an empty facade recalling its past as an art and craft haven, renovations are finally underway. However, lovers of drawing and craft supplies will be disappointed—the new occupant is the owner of neighbouring 2 Love Tea and Coffee House. This well-respected café, once nominated by The Guardian as one of London’s “10 best coffee shops” in 2014 for their original Lambeth location, focuses on high-end coffee and tea, plus premium retail products.

The new retail business was incorporated in April 2025 as “Retail Sale of Beverages”. It is not yet clear whether it will form an extension of the established coffee house

Former Panahar Indian under interior refurbishment

Further along Lavender Hill, the former Panahar Indian restaurant—another long-standing local presence—is undergoing interior refurbishment this summer. Panahar, which opened in 1981, was one of London’s classic curry houses and served the community for more than 40 years. It closed abruptly six months ago, never fully recovering from the COVID-19 period and years of struggle in the hospitality sector.

Another community asset that seems to be refurbished this summer is the former Panahar indian restaurant also on Lavender Hill for decades. Panahar had been serving customers since 1981, making it one of London’s old-school curry houses. For more than 40 years, the restaurant has witnessed the transformation of Lavender Hill while remaining a culinary landmark with its authentic Indian dishes. It ceased activities abruptly 6 months ago, although it struggled for many years an never really recovered from the Covid period.

The restaurant is no longer being marketed to potential tenants, and renovation work is visible inside.

All signs point towards a new catering business opening soon, though whether it will remain an Indian restaurant, or become a wine shop or something else, remains to be seen.

• Read ou previous story of soaring rent: With rent increasing and business struggling, a cluster of changes for some of Lavender Hill’s traders