Mike Weedon, owner of Mike Weedon Antiques, speaks to Alice Wright about owning a business in Camden Passage

Why did you decide to open an antiques shop in Camden Passage?
Islington is my home for a start, so it’s on the doorstep. And the market’s only open two days a week. I couldn’t bear the thought of being a shopkeeper and sitting in the shop all day long. Opening just two days gives me time to go out and buy.

How long has your business been open and what changes have you seen in Islington in that time?
I’ve been here for 30 years. It’s got more affluent in that time but it’s not changed that much. 30 years ago the whole of Islington was a rundown area of London, especially after the Second World War. There was a lot of bomb damage. It’s sort of become gentrified since then but not as much as it would appear. There are still traditional white-collar workers.

How has the antiques business in Islington changed in that time?
There wasn’t an international antiques scene as there is today. But Camden Passage has lost a lot of its antiques. The new generation came in and sold the family silver, so to speak. It’s natural progression that people who were here when I started have passed on. And there’s a huge temptation for their children to flog off the family business.


What is the secret of your success?
I love it. I get a buzz out of buying something. I’m not selling potatoes, I’m selling something beautiful. Antique dealing these days is more of a vocation than a job. You don’t earn so much money, there’s very little room for mistakes. Loving it is more important than knowing what you’re doing.


What is the biggest problem you face as a business in the area?
The rates in Islington have gone up over the years. I pay seven and a half hundred pounds. That’s an awful lot of money. It doesn’t help small businesses. I’d like to see a rating system especially for independent businesses where you pay rates on your profits. The rating system in the UK certainly hits little businesses hard.

What are your plans for the future?
It’s still cheaper for me to have a shop in Camden Passage than to do the three major antique fairs in London a year or to have a shop in Portobello Market. As long as I can afford it I will keep it. I might downsize in a few years time as I get older. I’d like to make more money and not have the responsibility of having a shop. Then I could do more travelling. Selling is dreadful, it’s really boring. Buying is interesting.