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.
There’s no segregation, very little swearing and absolutely no pressure. Non-league football is an inexpensive, unthreatening and enriching day out for people of all ages, genders and backgrounds. Oh, and the football is not bad either - but where can you go and watch some? Here are 6 of our favourite non-league team in South London.
We love a bit of yoga at South London Club, and we're very sure that a good number of you do too. First things first, forget about yoga in a crowded, sweaty studio. Just simply forget about it. It's summer, and why should you be inside when you could be out in the big wide world, in the fresh air, enjoying alfresco back-to-basics yoga in a scenic corner of South London, rejuvenating your body and mind. For those of you who don't practice yoga, imagine this list without the "yoga practice", for you this is just a list of 8 scenic sport in South London. Really though, it is a list of 8 scenic spots for yoga practice in South London.
There are certain aspects of beer gardens that many of us take for granted, for those with children, the most important part of a beer gardens makeup and layout is that it will contain their children while they can sit, enjoy a drink, and keep an eye on them. Beer gardens can, in that sense, be something of a saviour for parents in that their children can, somewhat, be left to their own devices in a way they cannot in an indoor space. This is not to say that all beer gardens have to be this way, but the premier beer gardens probably will. So on top of that we’ve settled that beer gardens can come in many shapes and sizes, and we’ve also settled that they must be attached to a public establishment, that they actually originated in Germany. With all this in mind we can get on with telling you our list of seven beer gardens in Lambeth borough that you have to try this summer.
Known as the trendy alternative to Clapham or Brixton, there is no shortage of independent restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars in Streatham. This linear portion of South London, which locals boast has the longest high street in Europe, is, bursting with some of the most delightful, rustic and prettiest places to eat in the whole of London. It would be wrong for us at South London Club not to keep you informed of the best meals to be had in Streatham, so here is a list of the 5 best meals in Streatham.
Battersea is largely famous for three things – Battersea Park, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, and Battersea Power Station. Being on the river, Battersea was easy to access and naturally had a role to play in the industry of London, hence the construction of the Battersea Power Station. Like its neighbour Clapham, the vast majority of the blue plaques of Battersea are dotted around the green and open space of Battersea Park, which was opened in 1858, where naturally those of note who became wealthy would look to move if possible. So without further introduction, here is a list of the blue plaques of Battersea!
Having not been held last year, the Crystal Palace Overground Festival is set to return this year with events being held in conjunction with the festival from 12th-18th June. Having started in 2006, the festival has grown and grown, with approximately 10,000 people visiting over five days back in 2015, as it seeks to create cultural events and activities that bring the local community together, and promotes Crustal Palace as an interesting and special place to live and work in. We at South London Club love anything that promotes the diverse culture of South London, and we also love events that promote local independent business, so we’re definitely big fans of the event. To give you an idea as to what is on offer during the festival we’ve gone through the programme of events and have worked out a short guide of what we reckon are the best bets for each day, starting with the last day of the festival.
Do you enjoy the bright lights, breathtaking music and awe-inspiring sights of a great theatrical production?Independent theatres, however, range greatly in size, type and frequency of events/performances. Some are large, with famous actors and playwrights vying for artistic prestige in purpose-built theatres to audiences of up to around 1,000 people, while others take the form of a church hall or community building that is transformed into a set for young, developing actors, performers and writers To make things easy, here’s our list of the best 22 independent theatres in South London.
We’ve already established that blue plaques are a great way of lending meaning to areas, we’ve already done that okay? We’ve already established that there is a serious dearth of blue plaques in South London, particularly when compared with North London. We’ve been through it all. However, there is one particular area of South London that has a rather high concentration of blue plaques – Clapham. These plaques are mainly dotted around the outskirts of Clapham Common and represent a rather curious array of individuals. Unlike modern Clapham, not a single one of them is Australian, but there are a couple of very significant personalities on this list of the blue plaques of Clapham.
Peckham, or Pecknarm as it also known, has become one of the most popular destinations not just in South East London, not just South London, but all of London (we don’t like to think that big, it hurts). There’s plenty of things to do in this very edgy part of town (having called it edgy, it surely is no longer edgy), and one of those things is to drink. You might be meeting friends, new flames, or old/current flames, we don’t judge what kind of flame you might be meeting (if you are). Regardless, sharing a drink is one of the best ways of spending time with others, and with a plentiful supply of independent cafes and bars, you really are spoilt for choice for places to go for a drink in Peckham. So to keep you informed of where you might like to sip on a craft beer, or a cocktail, here is a list of the 7 best places to go for a drink in Peckham.
Now the truth is guys, beer gardens did not originate in South London. Nope. They actually first gained popularity over in Munich, Germany, where we hear they quite like a drink – see Oktoberfest (which is actually in September). While some might argue that the whole world is one big beer garden, and they might have something of a point, however, we would suggest that really it has to be connected to a public establishment that sells or makes alcohol (so you’re backgarden doesn’t count). We’ve talked already about some beer gardens in Southwark borough, and we went through what could be a beer garden, now it’s the turn of Lewisham borough. So, without further ado, here is South London Club’s list of 6 beer gardens in Lewisham borough you have to try this summer.
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