Camberwell is going digital. The SE5 Forum for Camberwell, in partnership with Loqiva, is launching “Camberwell Life”, a new app that brings SE5 shops, services, events, and community news straight to local people’s phones.
Funded by Southwark Council through Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding, the app gives residents a single space to discover what’s happening nearby, while supporting independent businesses and local organisations to reach more people, more easily.
From cafés around Camberwell Green to cultural highlights like South London Gallery, music venues and the Arts and Food festivals, Camberwell Life showcases the energy, creativity, and diversity that helped earn Camberwell its recent spot as one of Time Out’s “Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World.”
A new way to explore and connect
The app provides a digital noticeboard for Camberwell, featuring local offers, volunteer opportunities, community updates, and events. Loqiva’s experience on other platforms shows that posts on local apps are read up to 10 times more often than content on social media, with event pages receiving over 20,000 views within the first six months of launch.
Every Camberwell business gets its own page on the platform and over 100 small businesses have already signed up. The app is being shaped by a steering group of local traders – Howard Brothers, Gayle’s Bakery, Gladwells, Conveenie and Eleven – to make sure it works for businesses of every size.
Bipin Bhandara of Howard Brothers, which has sold hardware in Camberwell for over 60 years, says
“Business has changed massively with technology and small shops are being left behind. We need a strong digital presence, and this app will make it easier for residents to find us and shop, eat and spend locally.”
Marie Staunton, Secretary of the SE5 Forum for Camberwell, said:
“This is a first for Southwark. The Loqiva digital town hub has brought businesses and community groups together in neighbourhoods across London and beyond. Camberwell Life will do the same here, helping residents explore what’s on their doorstep and giving small businesses and volunteer groups a platform to shine. It’s all about celebrating what makes Camberwell such a special place”
Camberwell Councillor Jason Ochere said:
“High streets and town centres are under real pressure from the cost-of-living crisis to the rapid growth of online shopping putting small and independent businesses at risk.
“This app is designed to reverse that trend by driving footfall directly to local shops and giving residents meaningful incentives to spend within the Camberwell community. It’s a practical step forward toward keeping Camberwell’s high street vibrant and full of thriving local businesses”
Barry Conlon, Co-founder of Loqiva, added:
“We are very proud to add Camberwell to our growing list of UK locations. The SE5 Forum for Camberwell reflects the local community — diverse, creative, and community-focused. These are exactly the ingredients that make both great local technology and great neighbourhoods.”