One Sunday in August of 1980 I brought my little creperie hut up to Hampstead and placed it in front of the King William IV pub, after making crepes in the Saturday market in Swiss Cottage for two years.

It was an instant success and Hampstead lovers immediately appreciated the idea of having the French style little street creperie in their midst.

Forty one years later, and we are still dishing out the crepes and galettes in the same manner to new generations of people who love the atmosphere and uniqueness of Hampstead.

In a place where the likes of All Bar One, McDonald's and other huge national chains have come and gone, our little creperie continues to serve its loyal queues, maintaining the specialness of what Hampstead village is.

But it is not without the support of the local community and our friends that the creperie has been able to survive. There have been a number of occasions when events have challenged our existence and it is with the outstanding support of local residents, Hampstead regulars and leaders of local organizations that we have been able to battle those adverse forces.

Camden Council too has always been supportive and I believe they understand the struggles that small businesses face when surrounded by wealthy multinationals able to pay huge rents. But such little enterprises are often the most popular and innovative businesses which draw the crowds and make the place special.

For us, it is the people of Hampstead who are most special and I feel that we reciprocate that spirit adding a valuable dimension to the area. We are lucky to have great people working at the creperie too who are also part of the local community.

Our little crepe hut is now over 40 years old and needs to be replaced. Our new unit is now finished and will soon be installed so watch our space and a new one will soon be there.

Finally, it is great to see that the King William pub behind us is now thriving once again and our friend Jimmy there is very easy and helpful to work alongside. We currently have a really friendly and constructive working environment and look forward to many more years of the Hampstead Creperie being part of the local scene.

We would like to wish all our friends, customers and neighbours a very happy, festive Christmas.

Edward de Mesquita is the owner of La Crêperie de Hampstead.