Boutique in my backyard

How do you judge the appeal of a city? When and how does a location ‘arrive’ as an internationally-recognised destination?

Vx in Kings Cross, London

Some people will hold a city up against an arts and culture criteria. It becomes relevant when it can be seen as a cultural hub. Natural attractions are a draw for many others. There is nothing like a stunning mountain range or miles of golden beaches nearby to pull the punters in. History is often used as a measuring device when considering the worth of a city. A long list of ancient curiosities will usually drive the worth of a city sky high.

But I have my own way to determine how world-class a city is… does it have a vegan boutique? Well, you can add London to the list of ‘made it’ cities based on the existence of the wholly-vegan store known as Vx.

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Sweet as a bird

Flavoured syrup is a dietary staple, right? A fabulous range of products known as Sweetbird has got me thinking that very thought.

A box of vegan goodies from Beyond the Bean wholesalers

A little while ago I was contacted by a friendly human asking if I would be interested in sampling some of their vegan syrups. I hammered out a positive response as quickly as my fat, gay fingers could type. It surely would go against the natural order of the universe for me to decline. It is always lovely to be offered a gift, but I’m a whole lot happier when the gift turns out to be ample amounts of sweet liquids and powdery chocolate.

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