For us, none other than the amazing tradition of Christmas markets is what gets us in the Christmas spirit, and so we have gathered some of the fantastic Christmas markets in South London that are definitely worth checking out in your local area this year!
As the sun finally begins to show its face, we’re bringing you a list of the best spots to don your sunnies, slap on the suncream and settle in for an afternoon of cold ones in the London sunshine. From riverside sundowners to boozy lunches on the terrace, Putney’s got an exciting little assortment of al fresco possibilities and we’ve rounded them up just in time for the Bank Holiday.
With the gradual, yet steady closing-down of local cinemas and theatres that has been happening in Britain for decades, we thought it a good idea to use our platform to pay homage to one of the oldest theatres in South London that has survived this unfortunate decline in entertainment venues, and continues to showcase cutting edge theatre and events to this day....
Season's greetings! There is no better way of getting into the Christmas spirit than by attending your local christmas markets. Wrap up warm with the family or a few friends, stroll down to your local market and enjoy the rich warming smells of mulled wine and mince pies, whilst trying to remember the lyrics to your favourite carols. We've got the round-up; check out where your local market is happening and make sure you're there!
Run your fingers along their spines, cast your eyes up and down the shelves, flick through the pages and sit cross legged on the floor engrossed in the words resting in your lap. Escape the dull, uniform, needlessly clean chain bookshops that are a stalwart part of any high street or soulless shopping centre. South London has its fair share of independent bookshops where hidden treasures can be found, prices are right and the shelves hold countless stories to lose yourself in.
Us Brits love a Sunday Roast and have finessed the art of the home cooked roast dinner over the years. But sometimes you don’t want to fire up the oven for hours and slave away in the kitchen. Autumn Sundays in London are always special, so why not get out of the house, wander round the park to work up an appetite and then indulge in one the best Sunday lunches on offer South of the river? Fortunately, we’ve done the hard work for you and rounded up the crème de la crème of roast dinners.
In the third installment of our series explaining the origins of the names of the areas of South London we will be focusing on the great London Borough of Southwark. Along with Lambeth, Lewisham and Greenwich it forms part of what we like to call the 'four shark teeth' of South London. We might have included Wandsworth in that list because it does look a little - actually a lot - like tiger shark tooth. Go on, search the boundaries of Wandsworth and then compare it against a tiger shark tooth. You'll see, you will all see. Anyway, less about fearsome fish and more about the reason behind the names of areas. Southwark is probably the installment we've looking forward to most because of some of the really curious names in the borough, like Denmark Hill or Elephant and Castle - frankly, we really cannot wait to explain it.
Florists are useful for quite a number of occasions - weddings and funeral particularly, but there remit is not limited to those sorts of events. In fact, most florists will cover all your flower needs. We admire good flowers at South London Club, we recognise the importance of a good florist, and the effect that flowers can have on the atmosphere of a room, and so and so forth. We're not just about recommending good places to have food, we're about supporting independent businesses of all kinds, and South London has plethora of fantastic florists to choose from. We've decided it's about time that we gave you a rundown of what we think are the 17 best florists in London, and hopefully our list will prove useful should you need the services of a florist in the near future.
So we've now established what the top 10 best train stations in South London are, and if you haven't seen that list, click this link and a have a look. The criteria for that list was stations that either more beautiful than others, more useful than others, or possibly even both. The logic would apply that if we reverse that, then we should be able to work out what the worst stations in South London are. So the stations selected on this shortlist are either particularly bleak or unattractive, particularly useless, or even both. Sometimes though they might be quite useful stations, but their bleakness may outweigh that, and vice versa. In terms as to what we are defining South London as, it's the same as before - the outer limit is Zone 4, and the station has to be south of the river. To help you decide, we've included photos of each station below the voting form. Enjoy!
Ah the silver screen! Romance, drama, comedy, horror, sci-fi - we've all got different tastes. Some of us like watching movies at home, curled up on the sofa with loved ones, or on our own, becoming absorbed in a world away from ourselves, that's cool, we understand. A lot of us though, we love going to the cinema, to see films in a special setting, and to make an evening of it. What do independent cinemas have over, say, your Odeons? Let's just tell it straight - character. These places are unique on the inside and out, and if you're going on a date, then surely it's better to go somewhere a little different, rather than the flat-pack, business park cinemas littered all over the country. Anyway, we thought it would be nice to compile a list of the 10 independent cinemas in South London. Before you moan at us for not including Picturehouse, they're owned by Cineworld and have been since 2012, so they're no longer independent in our eyes.
Situated right next to Southwark Cathedral, Borough Market, in one form or another, has sat at the southern end of London Bridge for a very, very, very long time. It was there before a certain Norman chap with a penchant for conquering called Will turned up on Great Britain’s shores and it has seen several versions of the London Bridge come and go. Despite a brief demise in the 1700s, it has seen London cross the Thames, consume Southwark, and spread further and further south, and will likely do so for many years to come. Borough Market is, regardless of its long history, a special place. The atmosphere, the location, the people – it’s no surprise it’s such a hotspot for tourists. It is quite easy to forget that Borough Market is essentially a farmer’s market and would be a likely recipient of the ‘Most Improved Farmer’s Market Award 1014-2017’ if that award were actually given out. As such, we at South London Club think it is essential that we provide you with a brief history of the most famous and prestigious market in South London – Borough Market.
Beer gardens. A garden where you can consume your beer. A common mistake is that one cannot drink other beverages in a beer garden, don’t worry, one certainly can. Nor do beer gardens actually have to be particularly green, they can be completely paved. Beer gardens were once really only used in the summer, but they are now the main refuge of smokers throughout the entire year. Summer is, apparently, upon us, and we’re sure that you, like us, have been scouring the internet, or the actual real tangible world, for local establishments with the right beer garden. We love saving you time at South London Club, so we’ve compiled for you a list of 5 beer gardens to try in Southwark Borough.
Season's greetings! There is no better way of getting into the Christmas spirit than by attending your local christmas markets. Wrap up warm with the family or a few friends, stroll down to your local market and enjoy the rich warming smells of mulled wine and mince pies, whilst trying to remember the lyrics to your favourite carols. We've got the round-up; check out where your local market is happening and make sure you're there!
A local discount card to support South London's local businesses while saving you money!
We aim to help you discover and explore all that South London has to offer, from hidden gems to the best-kept secrets!
The South London Club Card will take you on a tour of South London that you've never experienced before, showcasing our fantastic local businesses that are the lifeblood of our communities.
With 850+ local businesses to choose from, including gift shops, bike shops, restaurants, and roofers, our pocket-sized card is full of value.
Join us and let's work together to make South London even better.
