The Pound Shop

Everything from shopping trolleys to tennis rackets hang from the ceiling. Shelves stacked high with mouse traps, underpants and plastic bird nests give way to boxes full of fake flowers, football tops and face flannels. The question is: what don't they sell, here in this bargain Chatsworth emporium. A builder in the middle of buying screws asks: 'How much for the football, mate, 50p?, when someone interrupts with: 'Do you have any men's perfume?"

Fruit and Veg

Timur, (above) has just taken over the very popular fruit and veg shop that has been running for over 30 years. It's a hard job, working 18 hours a day. He gets up at 2am every day except Sunday to go to Spitalfields Market, stacking shelves until 11am. Sometimes he can have a bit of a sleep at the back until 3pm if his wife comes over, otherwise he works right through until 8pm.

Carnival Cards

"When we first opened, we went crazy, we sold everything," says Omar (above). "My family have had this shop for 26 years. It has changed a lot, partly because of legal reasons. At one time, newsagents were only allowed to sell newspapers and sweets, that was all, not even drinks. The the law has changed now, but also supermarkets and superstores are selling everything, so we do. When the market was here, we didn't bother as we couldnt compete. When the market left, sales really went downhill. We used to sell a lot of haberdashery, with wool and ribbons and threads, but we have almost phased that out now. About 15 years ago the back of our shop was just wool, and my mum used to give sewing lessons. When that stopped making money, we made it just cards."

"My dad, whose from Pakistan, worked in textiles, and when that went downhill he bought the shop. But the first year, he didn't even know what Valentines was, he didn't have a clue," explains Omar. His assistant (above) on Valentine's Day, 2010, when the shop's Valentine's cards numbered several hundred.

Today Carnival Cards also sells household goods, food, toys and stationery, as it has done since the mid '80s. Six years ago Omar's family were going to leave, as things were so "dead", then four or five years ago, the bookshop, the deli, Venetias and Hop the toy shop opened nearby and business picked up. "This end of Chatsworth Road is much better than the other. Definitely."

The Tyre Shop

Steve (above) and his family have had this shop for 51 years.

Clapton Glass

"This used to be a car salesroom selling landrovers, that was really a front. These guys put an ad in for a Roller and when the punter came in to hand over the 100 grand in cash they took him into that tin office that I still have in the corner. Two armed robbers came in with shot guns, perforating the office, and got the lot. Of course it was an inside job. I have been running this place for 28 year, was born in Columbia Road, although I now live in Essex – I love it there, nice and quiet. I once did a job for the Hard Rock cafe - that's how I got the sign, just asked if I could have it; I love it."

Keith's Electrical Shop

Keith, who is 78 years old, has been working in his capsule shop for 20 years, repairing radios and record players, supplying hoover bags and light bulbs and making electrical safety checks. According to Keith, making ends meet in the shop today is a case of just trying to "keep my head above water".

Greggs

Smoked barracuda, cat fish, cow nose and goat tripe are all on offer at Greggs. Gizzard (turkey and chicken), cassava, ugu (not unlike spinach) and fufu flour are all for sale. Kunle (above), from Lagos, Nigeria, has been working in the shop for eight years.

Caribbean Market

Ahmed is Turkish but specialises in Caribbean food. Fresh yam, mangoes, green plantain, breadfruit and coconut water are some of his most popular produce. Like so many of the shops on Chatsworth Road he is open seven days a week (8am–9pm), 365 days a year, including Christmas Day. Ahmed's cat, Lucy,who can often be seen sentinel outside his shop, is famous in her own right and has even been 'cat papped'. Since Hackney Council told Ahmed that Lucy was no longer allowed to be in the shop, she lives around the corner, but visits often.

Pak's

Pak's is packed with thousands of African and Caribbean hair and beauty products. With shops in Leyton, Finsbury Park, Harlesden, as well as Chatsworth Road, Paks has been in operation for nearly 30 years.

Princess

Princess is Nigerian and sells African fashions, jewellery, handbags and shoes in Sheriq Boutique, which has been open since 2005.

Going Underground

Who knew that lurking below the vibrant artery that is Chatsworth Road is an exciting, subterranean world? Step below the emporia of Chatsworth supermarket and you will discover an Eastern European Social Club. Hidden beneath the Bookbox is a ceramic cafe and in the depths of juice bar, Lumiere, is – unbelievably – a VIP room complete with red rope. On the miniature dance floor is a pair of red, sparkling shoes just waiting to take flight, and the toilet emits the sound of the sea when you shut the door.