Tooting Newsie Weekly Newsletter
Monthly Food Weekends launch, Furzedown's first literary festival, food and drink deals, a Plant Sale, changes to the G1 bus, and so much more going on in Tooting!
Totterdown Street Market Monthly Food Weekend kicks off this Saturday and Sunday!
Totterdown Street Market is proud to launch its monthly Food Weekend Market, celebrating small food vendors from across London.
This weekend will be dedicated to delicious food from around the globe, plus a kids’ area with games, arts and crafts, and plenty of alfresco seating for everyone to relax and enjoy the atmosphere.
If you’re a small food business and want to get involved, they'd love to hear from you! Drop them an email at TotterdownStreetMarket@gmail.com
The Market will be open 11.30am-3.30pm on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May on Totterdown Street, just outside Tooting Market.
Totterdown Street Market is supported by Wandsworth Council and Somnium London.
Furzedown LitFest – Furzedown’s first literary festival – takes place this Saturday, 10th May, at Mitcham Lane Baptist Church!
The exciting and diverse line-up for children and adults includes The Guardian’s John Crace, BBC’s former Security Correspondent Gordon Corera, barrister Nicola Williams, past Graveney students and now successful novelists Yara Rodrigues Fowler and Michael Donkor, plus writers Tom Newlands and Kathryn Faulke.
Interviewers include the Guardian’s Zoe Williams, the FT’s Sarah Neville, local author and journalist Saima Mir, Liz Sayce OBE (chair of the Furzedown Project), and Alice Hattrick. Marcel Theroux has stepped in for Maryam Moshiri, who will be in Rome covering the election of the new Pope.
Four free children’s interactive sessions, for ages 6 -12, will run from 10am. The sessions will help children to write their first story, learn how they can be an everyday hero, have a go at acting in a TV show and hear the inside story of the Great Fire of London, as told by a flea! Kate Cunningham, Margaret Rooke, Emma Allen and screenwriter, Jonny Wright will be leading.
This is a non-profit event, set up by a group of volunteers wanting to engage readers and writers alike and supported by organisations and businesses in the local community.
For more information and for all tickets, visit www.furzedownlitfest.com
Furzedown Litfest is delighted to have the support of Balham independent bookshop BackStory who will be selling books at the event.
All children’s events are free, but separate tickets must be booked in advance.
📍 Mitcham Lane Baptist Church, 230 Mitcham Lane, London, SW16 6NT
There's lots going on for all ages in libraries across Wandsworth (including Tooting) in May, including arts and craft sessions, storytelling, VE Day celebrations, an LGBT History workshop, reading groups, board games, and lots more! Full list of activities and libraries via Better.
Plant Sale 11:30am -12:30pm this Sunday 11th May at Holy Trinity Church, 74 Trinity Road in Tooting Bec!
There'll be quality plants of all sorts, including:
• Bedding plants in brilliant colours
• Perennials for beds and borders
• Unusual plants
You’ll also find several varieties of tomato plants, including heritage tomatoes and new varieties.
Prices promise to be very reasonable and well below that of a garden centre.
Gardening advice will be available from an expert team, and you're welcome to bring your questions.
Tea, coffee and homemade cake will also be available.
All proceeds go to charities for the homeless and other good causes.
For more information, email churchoffice@uppertooting.net
FREE mask-making workshops have kicked off in Tooting!
Wandsworth residents are already getting creative with Dende Collective’s Wandsworth Masquerade 2025 — a community project bringing together adults and older locals through mask-making, costume, and performance.
📍Sessions take place 1pm-5pm every Thursday & Friday at Tooting Works, 89 Bickersteth Road.
🗓️ Drop in any time from now until 20 June — all materials provided!
💥 No experience needed — just imagination and a willingness to play!
You can also learn mask performance and take part in a final street show during Wandsworth Arts Fringe on 21st June!
More info and sign-up link here.
FREE SINGING SESSIONS in Tooting to support new mums’ emotional wellbeing – launches Tuesday 20th May!
Breathe Melodies for Mums offers a weekly, baby-friendly space for new mums (with babies aged 0–9 months) to connect, sing, and feel more like themselves again — all through the power of group singing.
Led by warm, professional singing leaders, the sessions promise to be joyful, nuturing, and welcoming — with no singing experience needed. Participants will learn and sing songs from around the world (no nursery rhymes!), and discover how music can ease feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and low mood that so often come with early motherhood.
The programme is grounded in clinical research showing that group singing can significantly reduce symptoms of postnatal depression and anxiety. But mums don’t need a diagnosis to join — the sessions are open to anyone who’s feeling a little low or just in need of connection and joy.
Everything about the space is mum-and-baby-friendly — from feeding, to nappy changes, to taking a moment when you need it.
📍 Tooting Family Hub, 7a Beechcroft Road, SW17 7BU
More info here and register here.
Email m4m@breatheahr.org with any queries.
BURGERS AND FRIES SAVE LIVES! Join Burger Nine in Broadway Market next Thursday 15th May, 5pm-10pm, to raise money for Evelina Children’s Hospital!
Burger Nine will be serving 100 burgers with fries – single burgers for £10 and doubles for £14 – with 100% OF THE PROCEEDS going directly to Evelina!
They’re looking to raise at least £1000 for Evelina Children’s Hospital, and they can’t wait for Tooting to come down, eat some amazing burgers, and raise money for a fantastic cause!
Burger Nine is located in Broadway Market, near the Longmead Road entrance. More info via instagram.com/itsburgernine
John Lynch (Founder & Managing Director Wimbledon in Sporting Heritage) and Jon Stevens are presenting a history of Wimbledon’s Sporting Heritage and some of the memorable sporting occasions that have occurred down Plough Lane at the next Tooting History Group meeting.
Plough Lane, Wimbledon has been the site for many sporting events over the years, including professional football, greyhound racing, speedway and stock car racing. In the last three years, AFC Wimbledon have returned to a brand new stadium to continue the sporting tradition.
The event take place on Tuesday 13th May at 7.30pm at the United Reformed Church, Rookstone Road, SW17 9NQ.
Members free, guests £2. Light refreshments. More info via Tooting History Group.
The White House Prep School and Nursery in Balham is holding an Open Morning on Saturday 17th May 9:30am-11:30am for prospective parents & children. The Open Morning will be a chance to meet the Headmaster, teachers and pupils and see some of the fantastic work that their pupils do. To book a place at the Open Morning, see details below!
Celebrating 40 years of education, this Outstanding-rated co-ed prep school between Balham and Clapham welcomes children from ages 3-11 years old.
The White House is a family-run school with a strong nurturing ethos and supportive community. It delivers an unparalleled, signature "Super Curriculum", across academics, sport, music, drama and after school clubs which is focused on getting the best out of each and every child.
The School offers extended hours from 8am-6pm and outside of term-time, the school also offers up to 14 weeks of Holiday Camps a year, all run by school staff.
Children achieve offers to top senior schools at 11+ including Alleyn's, City of London, Dulwich College, Westminster, JAGS, Wimbledon High, Emanuel, Francis Holland and Trinity, with over 40% of children consistently achieving scholarships.
Headmaster Joe Knight tells us more:
“The local school which offers outstanding results and secondary placements complimented by life skills and family values! Our children aged 3- 11 yrs thrive in a learning environment full of energy and focus underpinned by warmth and kindness - just like a family! The 200+ pupils here are all nurtured as individuals to find their strengths and are challenged to try new experiences and develop life long skills.
"Our family ethos and values create a special environment which we invite you to come and see for yourself, we welcome prospective parents to come visit our Open Day to see the incredible educational journey at The White House, which is also the best value investment for your children in the current school market."
You can also find out more on their website. Private tours are also available.
Places must be booked in advance. To book your place please email admissions@whitehouseschool.com or call 020 8674 9514.
The White House School is located at 24 Thornton Road, SW12 0LF.
Say hello to Tooting Bec based artist Charly Earnshaw, the face behind Outlined by Earnshaw, an illustration studio dedicated to transforming personal narratives into beautiful and playful art!
Charly tells us, "I offer custom commissions to clients, encompassing several collections:
• A Day to Remember: Celebrating life’s significant milestones - weddings, anniversaries, new homes and other cherished events - with bespoke illustrations that capture the most important details from a day, including the venue, important people, decorations, anything!
• A Place and Time: Focusing on the connection between individuals and meaningful locations, this series offers personalised artwork that commemorates special places in one’s life journey.
• Layers of Life: Large scale, abstract, acrylic paintings made up of bold shapes and colour, these pieces reflect the nuances and complexities that shape our identities.
• Everyday Moments: A growing series of prints that highlight the beauty in daily life, perfect for thoughtful gifting or adding a touch of warmth to any space.
"With each collection, I provide art that speaks personally to each client."
As well as commissioned pieces, she also offers a quickly growing collection of prints available to buy on her new Etsy store!
Explore Charly’s full range of collections and learn more about commissioning a bespoke piece via her website.
Your first 3 classes for just £40 at Unfurl Studios in Earlsfield, who offer Yoga, Pilates, Barre, Meditation classes and more (see below)!
Owner Harriet tells us, “Experience our two uniquely designed rooms – the Breathing Room and the Movement Room – offering over 40 classes a week, including Yoga, Pilates, Barre, Meditation, Breathwork, Sound Baths, and even warm classes with infrared heating panels. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced practitioner, there's a class for every level!”
You can now try your first 3 classes for just £40 at Unfurl – visit their website to find out more and to book.
Blue Light workers, teachers, and students can also enjoy a 10% discount, making Unfurl’s unlimited monthly membership only £85.50! Email hello@unfurlstudios.co.uk to find out more.
Unfurl Studios is located at 531 Garratt Lane, SW18 4SR. Open 6.15am-8,15pm Monday to Friday, 9.30am-11.15am Saturday and 9am-12pm Sunday. More info via their website or via email hello@unfurlstudios.co.uk
We're sad to report that Dimitra has permanently closed her Greek Mama's Bakehouse shop in Tooting Market shop – but not the business!
You can still order food and book catering with Dimitra via her website.
She's also planning a new location later this year – follow Greek Mama's Bakehouse on Instagram or Facebook for info and updates!
Phase 2 of the Furzedown Recreation Ground Consultation is now underway, with the aim to identify local residents’ priorities for improvements to the public space.
Based on the first round of consultation held between June and August 2023, three potential design scenarios have been developed.
Enable, who manage the borough’s parks and green spaces on behalf of Wandsworth Council, are keen to hear your thoughts on each scenario – what you like, what you don’t, and any additional ideas you have.
There will also be two drop-in sessions at the Furzedown Rec Pavilion on Monday 19th May (6pm-8.30pm) and Saturday 24th May (11am-1pm).
More info, and give your feedback, here.
Furzedown Friends of The G1 staged a public demonstration on Clairview Road on Saturday 3rd May, to protest the changes to the G1 bus route, which runs between Streatham and Clapham Junction (via parts of Tooting – including St George’s Hospital – and Furzedown).
Buses will now run:
• Every 20 minutes instead of every 16 minutes during the morning and afternoon peaks on Mondays to Fridays
• Every 20 minutes instead of every 15 minutes during the daytime on Mondays to Saturday.
There will be no frequency changes to route G1 at any other times.
To find out more about Furzedown Friends of The G1, please email Philip at southlondoner23@gmail.com
More details about the changes to the G1 bus route, as well as the local 315 bus route, via TfL.
Energy upgrades at Tooting’s St George’s Hospital (as well as Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals), are under way.
St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group has started replacing 45,000 fittings with energy-efficient LED lighting across its sites – a move that will potentially save more than £1m each year in energy costs.
Meanwhile, St George’s is also preparing to install solar panels, which convert sunlight into electricity. That could spark more savings – about £85,000, by the Group’s estimations.
Full story via St George's, Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Group.
Congratulations to Tootin' Tidy, who collected 17 bags of rubbish on their Tooting litter pick last Saturday! The group covered the car park at the Idara e Jaaferiya mosque, and continued up Church Lane and to the car park at the top of the road!
Their next litter pick is Sunday 1st June – see tootin.tidy (Instagram) for more info!
Furzedown’s first Community Public Access Defibrillator (CPAD) is officially up and running! The device has now been registered on defibfinder.uk and is available for use 24/7.
Located at the corner of Moyser and Nimrod Roads, the defibrillator can be accessed in an emergency by calling 999, where operators will provide the code to unlock the cabinet. Once activated, the device guides the user step by step, making it simple for anyone to use.
Furzedown Community Network and The Furzedown Project will be hosting an official launch later this month, but in the meantime, the CPAD is ready to save lives today.
A utility company has been ordered to pay more than £7,000 for unsafely carrying out roadworks in Tooting last summer. Electricity Network Company (ENC) Ltd was found not to have used adequate signs, cones and barriers during the works on Trinity Crescent in August 2024.
Wandsworth Council said ENC's 'unsafe working practices' had put drivers and pedestrians at risk. The company pleaded guilty to breaching safety regulations at Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court on April 22.
Full story via MyLondon.
SPONSORED CONTENT
DONER & A DRINK FOR JUST £5 at German Doner Kebab (GDK), 225 Upper Tooting Road, every Monday to Thursday, 12pm-5pm! Choose from GDK’s OG JR or Veggie JR – and a drink of your choice – for just £5!
GDK serves gourmet kebabs using lean beef and chicken fillets, which are all imported directly from Germany to maintain quality and consistency. They only use fresh vegetables, sourced as locally as possible, that are delivered and prepared daily, along with their special "Doner Kebab" bread. All food is halal, and vegetarian options are available.
Ts and Cs apply. Open 11am-11pm Sunday-Wednesday, and 11am-2am Thursday-Saturday. Offer valid on eat-in and takeaway only at German Doner Kebab, 225 Upper Tooting Road, London SW17 7TG. Offer ongoing until further notice – check in-store for details.
£10 BURGER AND FRIES EVERY TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY IN MAY at Burger Nine in Broadway Market Tooting (and a kid’s smash burger and fries is only £7)!
Munir and the team are offering ALL burgers – which all come with house salted rosemary chips – for just a tenner every Tuesday and Wednesday 5pm-10pm, throughout the month of May. Try their:
🍔 NEW Hei Hei katsu chicken burger, with ranch, lettuce, lettuce, and honey siracha sauce
🍔 Smash Burger with onion, gherkins, American cheese, and burnt butter mayo
🍔 Smash 3.0 with cheese, pulled beef brisket, Carolina sauce, house red pickles and gherkins
🍔 Smash Plus – double beef with caramelised onions, double American cheese, onions, gherkins, burnt butter mayo, and smoky mustard
🍔…and much more besides (see menu in image for more details)!
Eat-in and takeaway only. Find Burger Nine near the Longmead Rd entrance of Broadway Market. Open 5pm-10pm Tuesday to Thursday, 12pm-11pm Friday and Saturday, and 12pm-6pm Sunday. Halal options available. Offer valid every Tuesday and Wednesday during the month of May 2025. Ts and Cs apply. More info via Burger Nine (Instagram).
Valerie has opened VLH Fashion in Tooting Market, selling women's clothing and accessories (all designed and made by Valerie) and jewellery! And there's even a changing room!
Valerie has been designing and making clothes for over 25 years, and after a weekend table in the middle of the market, she's now excited to open a permanent unit.
Open 10am-6pm Friday to Sunday in the Yard Market area of the market (nearest entrance via Totterdown Street). Find out more via her Instagram or email Vlawrencehylton6@gmail.com with any enquiries.
Congratulations and good luck, Valerie!
Erez has opened Falafel Erez in Tooting Market, serving fresh, homemade falafel!
Erez makes his falafel from scratch (using a secret recipe that he's honed over the years) and cooks everything to order. Not only that, but he makes his own hummus, schug (a green chilli, coriander, cumin, and fresh garlic sauce) and pickled mango sauce. He also sources his pitta bread from a specialist bakery!
All food is vegan. Open 4pm-7pm Monday and Thursday, 11am-7pm Tuesday and Wednesday. Weekend opening hours coming soon.
Falafel Erez is located just inside the Yard Market entrance on Totterdown Street. More info via @falafelerez (Instagram).
Congratulations and good luck, Erez!
Tooting residents Eric & Jill have created a fantastic display to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day outside their home on Chasefield Road!
Eric & Jill create a different display every year to mark the event. Thanks to them both (and Billy the dog!) for the beautiful display!
Congratulations to Hannah and Martin, who got married on Saturday after a pre-wedding parkrun on Tooting Common! ❤️🎉🥳
Tooting Common parkrun, a free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event, takes place every Saturday at 9am on Tooting Common. More info via their website.
📷 Tooting Common parkrun
A map of a very different looking Tooting from 1886, part of Stanford's Library Map of London and Its Suburbs.
You can view the map in full (as well as tens of thousands of other historical maps from around the world) via the incredible David Rumsey Map Collection.
You can also follow us on: