Talking to business owners in King Street I have been impressed by the good humour and resilience they have shown after the recent flooding.

Among those I went to see was Natig Mammadov, whose new cafe Laissez Faire – opened only last month. It is based at 198 King Street.

Natig moved to London three years ago from New York where he worked as a lawyer. He is originally from Azerbaijan now lives just across the river in Putney. The cafe was opened after an extensive renovation, with everything from the ceiling to the floor being torn out and rebuilt. The modern fresh décor of wooden tables and leather sofas makes it a great place to have a tea or coffee, as well as enjoy Natig’s favourite bits of French cuisine – baguettes, ham, cheese and pastries – all imported straight from France.

The choice of name reflects his devotion to free trade, free markets, personal liberty and classical liberalism.

Natig has plans to hang the artwork of local artists, which will be up for sale, on the walls of his coffee shop.