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.
As lockdown measures start to ease, non-essential shops such as clothing stores and bookshops are now opening across London for locals to enjoy a sense of normality again. It is especially important right now not to forget your local independent shops that have likely suffered being closed for so long, therefore, we strongly encourage you to give them some love if you decide to visit your high street.
It can be tempting to splash the cash on some fun new outfits to experiment with a new look during lockdown. There are loads of amazing independent clothing stores that are struggling during this time and you can support them, getting beautiful and unique clothing at the same time. So, here’s 16 South London clothing stores to treat yourself at home!
For those of us used to leaving the house several times a week, this new work from home routine can feel quite jarring and unsettling, despite knowing you are protecting yourself and others. It’s important not to push your mental health aside during this difficult time, so here’s some ways you can keep yourself positive and look after your mental health whilst social distancing and working from home.
We’ve been told to stay at home and practice social distancing, but where does this leave small and independent businesses? During these worrying times, many independent businesses will suffer greatly as the public take the government's advice to stay indoors, but there are still ways we as South Londoners can help these businesses stay on their feet. With jobs and in many cases livelihoods on the line, here’s some ways you can still support your local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Is it your turn to cook the next family Sunday roast? Don’t panic! South London has plenty of quality, independent butchers to give you a hand and sell you the finest cuts of meat to make sure your roast is a hit! Whether it’s a tender beef steak or a juicy whole chicken you’re after, here’s your one-stop shop at finding the best butchers in South London!
Pop-up restaurants are for those who sometimes need a little push to try something new. With a residency of sometimes as little as six weeks, pop-up restaurants are perfect spots to receive top quality and often unique food that is always limited edition. This blog will take you through some of the best pop-up restaurants you can find in South London.
In the second article of this series explaining the story behind the names of areas of South London, we are going to be talking about the London Borough of Lambeth. In the last article we used the wards of Lewisham borough because they were largely relevant to the common names of the areas of the boroughs, the same cannot be said of Lambeth. In this instance we're going to be talking about the districts of the borough, and maybe one or two wards. Maybe. As was the case in the last article, we have not included any names that we could not find an explanation for.
We read a statistic last year that said, in 2016, 14% of English footballers in the Premier League were from South London. That got us thinking, who are the best players from South London? Then we thought, what if we were to assemble a team of the greatest players to come from the wondrous land of South London? South London being defined as any London Borough south of the River Thames. Now, for fairness, to define a player from South London, we thought we would include both players born in South London and players brought up in South London. So this means if a player was both in South London, they are from South London and if they were born away from South London, but brought up in South London, then they are also from South London. So there are players in this list who were born in South London, but brought up elsewhere, and also players born outside South London, but brought up here. We should stress that this is our XI, and you have every right to disagree with it. If you do, as is very likely, we would welcome your suggestions to players who should be included. Anyway, here it is, our all-time South London XI
A group of three areas that straddle two separate boroughs of London, and yet only five blue plaques between the whole lot of them. Now, this is not to say that Streatham, Tooting & Tulse Hill have been historically devoid of people of note – far from it. As we have already covered in this series, South London is unfairly underrepresented in the blue plaque scheme. We at South London Club are not going to argue the proverbial with those north of the river as to why this is the case, it’s obviously prejudice and we are just fine with that. If English Heritage and all the other custodians of the blue plaque scheme want to continue adding to the 165 blue plaques already in Kensington and Chelsea, go for it. We should probably be happy about the lack of blue plaques, all the cool cats South London has produced are still alive. Anyway, here's our list of the blue plaques of Streatham, Tooting & Tulse Hill.
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.
