Mapping Thamesmead's invisible economies: an ethnographic approach to self-employment

This research explores employment trends within Thamesmead, a historically low-income community located at the periphery of London. In an attempt to understand employment and local economic opportunity, the research found a significant number of self-employed residents and ‘invisible’ businesses, which do not have storefronts or designated office space but function from within a home, computer or travel between spaces. Still, these businesses play a major role in supporting the local community and in the area's potential economic growth. Through mapping, census data analysis and semi-structured interviews with local ‘invisible’-business owners, the research focused on understanding these businesses and reveals and explores three key characteristics of the interactions with the urban landscape of Thamesmead. First, census data reveal a shift in the area's demographics over the past two decades. These shifts include the largest account of African immigration, rising levels of education and a growing number of self-employed residents and small businesses. Second, the research showed a disconnect between infrastructure and the community it is meant to serve. Local business owners lack knowledge, awareness and accessibility to existing supportive local institutions and social infrastructure. Third, the paper examines the above-stated characteristics in the context of the urban form.