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.
Southwark is the latest borough to be covered in the South London Club's quest to bring you South London's finest pizza. The choice in Southeast is pretty mind blowing, with most plumping for the traditional Neopolitan sourdough base with its trademark pillowy cornichon, tangy flavour and fresh, Italian toppings. But we've also featured a couple of fantastic gluten free options, some Roman style, thin and crispy offerings and one totally vegan, superfood charged outlet that's guaranteed to set tongues wagging and mouths watering. Enjoy...
There's nothing like a little pick-me-up as the days are getting colder. As you swap to your winter boots and scarves and the seasons change, sometimes you want to change your look as well. Not forgetting that much needed relaxation that comes with a beauty treatment. Well, South London has a lot to offer you in terms of pampering and chilling out. Here are our 7 favourite salons that you can count on to make you feel special and leave looking fabulous! You deserve it...
So, you’ve bought the gym membership, the results should come in time, right? Not always. Most of the time gyms are so daunting you end up wandering around looking at the scary contraptions and deciding on attempting some crunches in the corner, which you realise you could have done at home anyway. For the best results and a kickstart on your fitness goals, getting a personal trainer the first step to the new you. No longer exclusive to the rich and famous, personal trainers are for everyone who’s trying to shape up. We’ve narrowed down a list of our favourite personal trainers in South London, so you can choose one that is local and appeals to you.
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.
Sometimes it’s hard to get something extra special these days. With big shops pumping out the same old stuff, it’s easy to feel like you’re being a little unoriginal. You’ve heard people say they boutique shop or go vintage, but you’ve never gotten around to trying it. Well, residents of Dulwich and Herne Hill, be prepared to transform your style and make everyone jealous!
With Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming services becoming the go-to platforms to listen to music, it is easy to feel a little more isolated in your musical pursuits than you might have been a few years ago. But the music community is still thriving in South London and is waiting for you to jump right in, browse some records, get involved in musical debates or even learn an instrument. Maybe you just want to get some insider knowledge to get better at pub quizzes. Whatever direction you want to go in, we're sure the places on this list will help you get there!
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.
We continue our series on the blue plaques of South London by talking about those commemorated in Dulwich, East Dulwich & Herne Hill. Though Dulwich and East Dulwich are firmly in the borough of Southwark, Herne Hill is in Lambeth or Southwark - depending on who you ask. Being in Southwark means that Dulwich and East Dulwich have a number of London Borough of Southwark plaques, as voted for the residents of Southwark, but there are good number of official plaques on this list. Some might find it slightly curious that East Dulwich has so many more plaques than its traditionally more fashionable neighbour Dulwich, however when you consider that a lot of the timelessly quaint Lordship Lane goes through East Dulwich, it's possibly not that surprising. That said, there are some rather interesting characters on this list of the blue plaques of Dulwich, East Dulwich & Herne Hiil, and they show off the varied range of individuals that have lived in the vicinity.
Delicatessens, or delis as they are known amongst the bright and the beautiful of this world, originated in Germany, as the rather foreign-sounding name would suggest. For an outsider, and an insider for that matter, what a delicatessen is exactly is hard to say. They seem to sell all manner of rustic foods and expensive produce, such as cured meats and pastries, however there doesn't seem to be anything edible that delicatessens can't sell, so really, almost anyone can call themselves a delicatessen. That said, delicatessens certainly serve a number of purposes - if you are need of funky cheeses and such goods, you will want to attend your local delicatessen. We care about supporting independent business, and delicatessens are on the frontline against the major brands like Tesco in attempting to provide customers with a wide variety of high quality produce. To help you find the deli that's right for you, we've compiled this list of the 17 best delicatessens in South London.
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.
