\u201cWe are empty when the trains aren\u2019t running,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen we don\u2019t have people, we don\u2019t make money. On Sunday mornings it can mean the streets are practically deserted. I live upstairs and many of my neighbours complain that they can\u2019t even invite guests around because of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey know their guests might not be able to come or will be left with no way to get home. We\u2019ve had one couple who have moved away because of the trains, as they were always late or spent too much on Uber.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Majda](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0_FA_2304.jpg\")
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Majda Benatti stands outside Vaffan Coffee with her dog Brutus(Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga\/MyLondon)<\/p>\n
A government study published in early 2025 to kick off \u2018a new era of rail accountability\u2019 revealed Hackney Wick was the third-least reliable station in London between January 5 and February 1 with 8.68 per cent of trains cancelled. It was narrowly better than neighbouring Homerton station where 9.22 per cent of services were cancelled over the same period, equivalent to almost one in 10 trains.<\/p>\n
More recent data<\/a> published by Transport for London<\/a> shows the Mildmay line as a whole has become even more unreliable since. Between January 1 and June 30 this year some 17 per cent of services were cancelled, with only 57 per cent of trains arriving at the station on time.<\/p>\n Hackney Wick is particularly reliant on hospitality providing a boost to the local economy, meaning it\u2019s arguably hurt more than other parts of the Mildmay line during rail disruption.<\/p>\n Gigi Alberto (left), owner of Natura pizza restaurant, said his staff can’t rely on the Mildmay line to get to and from work(Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga\/MyLondon)<\/p>\n Gigi Alberto, who owns Natura pizza restaurant on Felstead Street, believes he has lost thousands of pounds due to London Overground<\/a> disruption. \u201cThe trains are absolutely terrible,\u201d he tells MyLondon. \u201cThey always cancel or delay the trains and give us no reason for it, the board just changes.<\/p>\n \u201cMy staff can\u2019t rely on it to get to and from work. If it\u2019s good you think \u2018this is my lucky day\u2019. It\u2019s the normal routine, why can\u2019t we run a proper train service like other European countries?<\/p>\n \u201cIt stops people coming to the area. It affects our customers, it affects our lives. We get booking cancellations when the line is down. West Ham fans often come here before the game, but they\u2019ll cancel late if there are no trains.\u201d<\/p>\n Hospitality businesses in Hackney Wick rely heavily on the Mildmay line(Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga\/MyLondon)<\/p>\n Martin Luk, who set up Luk Bros Asian restaurant in Prince Edward Street 2023, agrees. \u201cIt [Mildmay line disruption] kills business on the weekends.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s off and on, you can really tell when it\u2019s not working. But if the line is bad during the lunch or dinner rush we lose a lot of money. If it happens later in the afternoon we\u2019re kind of okay, but it can be really frustrating when it hits at busier times.\u201d<\/p>\n Hackney Wick\u2019s reliance on the London Overground illustrates the area\u2019s transformation into a tourist hub. Once a key player in the Industrial Revolution and credited as the birthplace of plastic, the area fell into decline during the latter part of the 20th century before experiencing mass gentrification in the wake of the 2012 London Olympics.<\/p>\n Ersan Ibrahim said Hackney Wick has changed beyond recognition since he opened his food van 40 years ago(Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga\/MyLondon)<\/p>\n Ersan Ibrahim, who opened his food van in nearby Wallis Road 40 years ago, believes his variety in customers means he is slightly less reliant on people using the station.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen there\u2019s a full on strike I notice it, but other times I just say \u2018oh, it’s quiet,\u2019 but I don’t know the reason why There\u2019s lots of reasons why business might be down on a certain day.<\/p>\n \u201cI do get some customers from the station, but I also get locals, people who walk down from the park, parents on the school run and students from the university campuses.\u201d<\/p>\n Ersan says Hackney Wick has changed beyond recognition from the early years of running his business. \u201cYears ago there\u2019d be tradesmen walking up to me saying \u2018alright geez, could I get this or that\u201d, but it\u2019s very well spoken around here now,\u201d he adds. \u201cA lot of professional people who work in start-ups live around here and students.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s a good vibe and much nicer and busier now. It gets very lively on weekends. We\u2019ve lost a lot of customers due to Tesco<\/a>, Sainsbury’s<\/a> and the food court in Hackney Bridge. The cake\u2019s been cut so many times it can be tough to compete, but when there\u2019s building work going on it\u2019s nice to get that little bump in customers.\u201d<\/p>\n A government study in early 2025 found Hackney Wick was the third-least reliable station in London(Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga\/MyLondon)<\/p>\n Transport for London said disruption on the Mildmay line can be caused by a variety of issues, including infrastructure failures, trespassers and ill passengers.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are committed to offering our customers the most reliable service possible and are proud that London Overground continues to be one of the UK’s highest-performing train operators,” TfL’s general manager for the London Overground said. “We recognise that delays and cancellations can be frustrating for customers and can affect local businesses and communities that rely on the railway.<\/p>\n “We continue to work closely with Network Rail, which is responsible for the maintenance of the track, signals and other infrastructure, as well as our operator First Rail London and freight operators to keep these issues to a minimum wherever possible.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Gigi](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0_FA_2301.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Hospitality](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0_FA_2303.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Ersan](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0_FA_2300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0_FA_2298jpgt.jpg\")
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