The street is only some 250 yards long, but its diversity of ethnic shops is akin to taking a magic carpet ride across nations.

Some 20 traders work out of Gravesend’s Queen Street, many of different nationalities, selling everything from traditional British fish and chips to Polish sausages and Vietnamese products.

The street has always played an important role in the commercial history of the town, its small yards once occupied by forges, smithies and other specialist craftsmen tucked away from the main street, one of them today occupied by a Royal Mail delivery office.

Over the centuries buildings there have been rebuilt and altered many times.

Fast-forward to the 21st century the street accommodates a line of multi-cultural shops, generating a bustling atmosphere of customers busily popping in and out with bags of foodstuffs, some familiar from their country of origin.

Take ‘Sklep Polski’ a Polish-run shop run by Marzena Rozyc , 48, who was born in Kielce, southeastern Poland. She came to England 12 years ago and lives with her family in Gravesend.

“We have a good mix of customers here and the town is very friendly,” she says.

The shop is owned by Monica Kotowicz, 30, from Wlockawek, central Poland, who said: “This is my first experience of being in business. We all get on well here.”

She has three young children who she says love playing in Gravesend’s parks. Listening to customer requests is key for her.

“What they say they like I put in the shop,” she said.

Then there’s Mad Sales, a huge hardware shop stocking an Aladdin’s cave of different things, owned by 60-year-old Jasbir Basra along with his wife Shammi , a long time trader there stretching back 30 years.

Jasbir, who hails from Punjab, graduated in physics at London University in 1981 and later decided to follow his father into business. He and Shammi, a graduate in languages at the University of Delhi, have four children – two lawyers, one a scientist, the other a teacher.

“It used to be much more busy when the market was here,” says Jasbir. “Now 100% of our business is from loyal customers for which we are very grateful. Without them we wouldn’t survive.

“I’m hoping that once the Heritage Quarter takes off business will pick up again as it’s sure to attract more customers.”

Further up Queen Street is shop Baltic Groceries, run by Hussain Pshtiwan , 33, of Kurdish origin who came to England in 2007 from Iraq. It is his first job here and he now lives in Gravesend, having previously resided in Croydon.

“All nationalities shop here,” says Hussain, “even Italian, and Spanish people. We have a good friendly community here. It’s like a village.”

Friendly is the operative word from his next door neighbour Eve King, 70, whose shop Evie’s Sewing Centre has been in Queen Street for 17 years and prior to that in Milton Road.

“We may have different communities here but we all know one another. They are so helpful. Hussain, every day at close of play, puts up the big metal security shutters for me, as at my age they are very heavy to lift.

“I’ve probably got the biggest collection of loose buttons in Kent – thousands of them. Many of my customers are Asian ladies who like to knit and decorate their scarves with braid so I have all that in stock including a good supply of knitting needles and wool.”

Eve has been around long enough to observe the different change in traders there.

“Many years ago there was a wedding dress shop, a baby wear one, a carpet shop, a clothes shop, an ornaments shop, a fishmonger’s and a baker’s called Philpots.

“Times change but I’m very happy with my new neighbours here. My cat, Katins, was a feature in my shop window looking at passers-by. When she died, I was very cut up but Hussain popped into the shop to give me a comforting hug. That’s the sort of people they are.”

That view is echoed by Ha Tran, from Hanoi, Vietnam, who owns Asian Market. Now a mum with three children, Ha been here for nearly six years and came to England when 18.

“We all help each other with any problems in this street. Gravesend is a good place.”

Add in an Afro-Caribbean meat and grocery story, an Italian deli and cafe, two pubs at either end and more in between, and it is almost a world trip in one street.

A final word from Jack Kamenou, 49, from Cyprus, whose family restaurant has been serving up award-winning fish and chips for some 30 years at the street’s Reliance Restaurant.

Both Jack and his wife Helen, also of Cypriot origin, are first generation Brits born in England. They have two children – Joanna, 22, a university graduate working in marketing, and George, 24, employed with a Japanese bank in the City.

His father George, now 70, was born in Larnaca, Cyprus, and opened the family’s first fish and chip shop in London, buying the Reliance in Queen Street when Jack was just 20.

“It’s a friendly street,” says Jack. “We help and acknowledge one another every day.

“Good neighbours is a very good thing.”