Tooting Newsie Weekly Newsletter
LOTS of Halloween happenings, the Morleys site to be turned into a hotel, join the Big Sleep Out at AFC Wimbledon, Furzedown Farmers Market returns, opportunities for young producers, and lots more...
The fantastic Furzedown Farmers’ Market is BACK this Saturday 1st November (after last months windy cancellation!), 9.30am-1.30pm, at Penwortham Primary School playground in Furzedown, just down the road from Tooting – and it’s going to be jam-packed with plenty of fresh produce (including fruit & vegetables), food stalls, drinks, gifts, condiments, treats for dogs (who are more than welcome!) & much more!
The popular and diverse market is a fantastic place to enjoy a Saturday morning / lunchtime, with 30+ top quality stalls from local traders!
As well as this Saturday, the Market takes place on the first Saturday of every month, with the next date being Saturday 6th December.
Furzedown Farmers’ Market is located at Penwortham School, Penwortham Road, SW16 6RJ – just down the road from Tooting!
See their Instagram for more details!
FREE All Hallows’ Eve at Holy Trinity Church in Tooting Bec this Friday!
The evening kicks off with a Children’s All Hallows’ Service at 4pm, with singing, a spooky craft, and a candlelit walk inside the church, before heading out to the fire pit for toasted marshmallows. This service is particularly suitable for younger children (10 and under).
Then, from 5.30pm onwards, the church will be open for their “No Trick, Our Treat” All Hallows Eve Drop-in — children, families and teenagers can visit to light a candle, collect some treats, and enjoy a hot chocolate stop.
The church asks everyone to share the invitation with friends and neighbours; if you can book, it helps them to work out how many pumpkins to light (but otherwise just drop in)! Book here.
South West London Queer London meet on the first Thursday each month at Graveney and Meadow in Tooting Broadway – and they have two more events this year, on 6th November, and their Big Festive Social on 4th December!
Organiser, Hannah, tells us, “We’re an inclusive and welcoming bunch, and we’d love for other fellow queers to join us! Plus, all proceeds from ticket sales go to charity!”
Find out more and book your ticket via Outsavvy.
📍Graveney & Meadow, 40 Mitcham Rd, SW17 9NA
FREE Tooting fixing and mending session this Saturday 1st November, 1pm-4pm at Tooting United Reform Church – perfect if you who have sewing and mending that you need advice on, or have broken electrical or electronic items you don’t want to throw away!
Transition Town Tooting and Restarters Tooting and Balham host this fun and free events where you learn how to fix and take back control of your electricals: slow or damaged laptops, smartphones, radios, kettles and many of your other favourite devices can often be put right so “don’t despair, just repair”.
Buttons missing from your shirts? Holes in your jumpers? Bring your repair and stitching projects along to the sewing table. Join with others and do your mending, sewing, knitting and crochet in company – with skills sharing if you’d like it.
Do expect a bit of waiting time – there’ll be tea and cake, so bring a book or a pack of cards or take the chance to meet some new neighbours!
Visit their Facebook events page for full details!
📍United Reform Church, Rookstone Road, Tooting SW17 9NQ
Tooting-based property advisor Chuk, of Homes With Chuk, has the latest stats on the Tooting property market…
“I’ve had quite a few people reach out recently (thank you!) asking about what’s happening in the Tooting property market, so here are some key stats from the last 2 weeks:
New to the Market: 17 houses & 29 flats on the portals, with prices ranging from £300k one-beds to family homes exceeding £1m.
Price Reductions: 21 properties have reduced their asking price, 7 of them houses.
The biggest drop is £150k, with another reduced by £95k.
Even flats saw big adjustments – one reduced by £75k (original price was under £500k).
Under Offer: 31 homes went under offer, 11 of them houses. 42% had a price reduction before going under offer – a common trend when sellers are tied into longer agreements.
Market Outlook: Uncertainty will likely continue until the Autumn Budget on Nov 26, when Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, could announce housing reforms, possibly including changes to Stamp Duty. Regardless, December usually brings a natural slowdown as families focus on Christmas.
There’s also been an influx of flats (many ex-rentals) as landlords decide to sell ahead of policy changes.
My Advice: If you’ve been on the market for 10+ weeks and aren’t under pressure to sell, now’s a good time to review your strategy rather than slash your price. A fresh approach can make a huge difference – especially this time of year.
Does your home have a social media presence? Maximum exposure is key, as being on Rightmove, Zoopla etc is no longer enough.
The next strong window for new listings will likely be early January 2026.
If you’d like to chat about how these numbers might affect your sale or plans for the new year, drop me a message – I’m always happy to share insight!”
Data/Stats by Homesearch
Chuk Agudosi is a personal local property advisor. For more info, email him at hello@homeswithchuk.co.uk, call 07940 546 190, DM him at Homes with Chuk, or pop into Tooting Works at 89 Bickersteth Road and ask for him at reception!
Meet Dr Dipen Patel, a registered Orthodontic Specialist who provides orthodontic treatment to lots of local teens at award-winning local clinic Ten Dental on Balham High Road!
The clinic offers a free initial consultation to assess your teen’s needs and discuss treatment options.
Dr Dipen tells us more, “I provide a range of orthodontic systems – including fixed braces, Invisalign, and lingual (hidden) braces – and work with teenagers to assess their dental development and create tailored treatment plans. Whether it’s traditional braces, clear aligners, or other orthodontic solutions, we’ll find the right approach for your teen.
“I understand that teenagers can feel self-conscious about orthodontic treatment, so I take time to explain all the options available, answer questions, and make them feel comfortable throughout the process. I’m experienced in working with teens and helping them achieve the confident smile they want!”
To find out more and to book a free consultation, WhatsApp 07308 716 397, call 020 8675 1798, email hello@tendental.com or pop in to the clinic at 156 Balham High Road.
You can also visit their website.
The old Morleys site in Tooting will be turned into a 92-bed hotel, despite a petition signed by 400 residents opposing it, reports My London.
Wandsworth Council has approved the plans for the building that housed Morleys for 70 years until the store shut in April.
Morleys closed the store after revealing it could not justify the funds needed to maintain and update it. Instead, Criterion Capital, which owns the Zedwell hotel chain, will convert most of the building into a hotel. Part of the ground floor will be kept for shops, with the retailers to be announced in due course.
Full story via My London.
London’s annual hot sauce competition returned to Balham Bowls Club, where fifty homemade sauces were labelled and ready for tasting, reports South West Londoner.
The annual Chilli Sauce Championship is brought together by Pete Ellison, a hot sauce enthusiast whose passion project has grown into one of south-west London’s most tongue-tingling traditions.
The sauces, decanted from pickle jars, yogurt tubs and tupperware boxes, were lined up for the 11th year.
Full story via South West Londoner.
The annual Festival of the Dead launched at The Woodfield Pavilion on Tooting Common on Sunday, with a flash mob choir, clog dancing, a silent disco and even a fire-eater!
The festival continues this week with poetry, stories, music, craft and more – see their linktree for more info!
A van collided with a bus stop on Tooting Bec Road (bus stop ’T’, opposite Tooting Bec Lido) at around 6pm on Tuesday 28th October. There were no reported injuries, and the cause of the collision is not yet known.
A TfL spokesperson has told us that the road was closed for around an hour after the incident before being re-opened to traffic. TfL is working to re-open the bus stop as soon as possible. Please check our social media for updates.
Are you (or do you know) someone aged 16-19 in Tooting, Balham or Wandsworth who’d be great as an events producer – someone who would love to bring dazzling theatre shows or incredible music festivals to life?
Welcome to Wandsworth is offering a FREE unique training and development course for young people, where they’ll learn what goes on behind the scenes of brilliant productions.
What you’ll get for taking part:
• Two days of behind-the-scenes access to Group 64’s UPLIFT Festival in November.
• Key lessons and insights from professional producers who’ll share their experience and answer your questions.
• One-to-one mentoring with a professional creative producer.
• Membership to a network of local young creatives, and support on your next steps on your journey to becoming a producer.
Sign up here by 11pm on Monday 10th November 2025.
SPONSORED CONTENT
Munir at Burger Nine bringing the swagger and the burgers to Broadway Market Tooting!
Whether you’re going for the OG Smash Single, the indulgent Smash Plus with caramelised onions, or the Chilli Smash with Mexican cheese and jalapeños, every bite is perfection, with high-quality meat from local butchers, house-made sauces, and that unbeatable smash burger crust. Come hungry, leave happy!
Find Burger Nine near the Longmead Rd entrance of Broadway Market, 29 Tooting High Street, SW17 0RJ. Open 12pm-10pm Monday to Thursday, 12pm-11pm Friday and Saturday, and 12pm-9pm Sunday. Halal options available. More info via @itsburgernine (Instagram).
Be part of the FIFTH Big Sleep Out at AFC Wimbledon, to raise money for Dons Local Action Group DLAG (who support people facing severe financial hardship across SW London), Saturday 8th-Sunday 9th November 2025!
DLAG provide essential items such as food, technology, and furniture to those in need – working alongside schools, councils, charities and other partners to make sure help gets to where it’s needed most.
Whether you’re a DLAG volunteer; an AFC Wimbledon fan; a local school, sports club or a local resident, you’re invited to join the Big Sleep Out 5 and get sponsored to sleep at the AFC Wimbledon ground.
Individuals and teams of up to 10 from local schools, organisations, companies, sports clubs etc are also invited. There’s a fundraising target of £150 for each participant, though this is a target and not a requirement. DLAG request participants to purchase a ticket, at £20 per head (including breakfast) to cover the costs of running the event.
Breakfast, tea and coffee will be available from 6am the following morning. First aiders will be on site all night. Bring warm clothes, a thick sleeping bag, anything else you need and a positive attitude!
For more info and to sign up, visit their website.
Meet MindxSole, a Mindful Movement Community in Tooting!
Founded in 2024, MindxSole aims to bring people together through movement, mindfulness, and community. Based in Tooting, they host weekly track sessions every Friday at 7pm at Tooting Bec Athletics Track – everyone of all ages and abilities is welcome!
They also host a fortnightly Run & Social in Battersea, as well as adventure & wellness events including hiking, indoor rock climbing, yoga, Pilates, and more. Plus they have mindfulness sessions coming soon!
Their community is growing, and they’d love residents from Tooting (and beyond!) to be part of it. Whether you’re into fitness or just curious about trying something new, visit their Instagram or email mindxsole@gmail.com to find out more.
The Furzedown Project held a Diwali party yesterday (Friday 24th October) with storytelling, singing and dancing, followed by a delicious feast celebrating the festival of light!
The event was organised by the Project’s Restart & Culture Group, which meet every Monday morning.
The Furzedown Project at 91-93 Moyser Road, SW16 6SJ, is an activity centre and social hub for people aged 50 and over, whose mission is to increase people’s sense of wellbeing and reduce social isolation. More info, including how to volunteer, on their website.
The annual Pumpkin 🎃 Parade took place on Tooting Common yesterday afternoon, with some amazing pumpkin carvings and some spooky costumes! Check out the winners for Scariest, Most Artistic, and Funniest pumpkins!
The Pumpkin Parade takes place every year, and is organised by the Friends Of Tooting Common, a group of local residents who care about the Common and want to make it a better place for people, plants and wildlife. To find out more and to join, visit their website.
Who’s spotted this house on Moring Road in Tooting – a brilliant Halloween homage to the Nether in Minecraft!
… and a Witches’ Wood has spring up on Crowborough Road in Furzedown! @furzedownfrights (Instagram) puts on a fangtastic Halloween display every year, and this Halloween is no different – swing by for a look!
COMING SOON TO TOOTING: La Misto, a new Italian eatery, is to open at 18 Trinity Road, where Cardamom Club was previously located. We’ll keep you posted...
Tooting Police Station on Mitcham Road in 1939!
The building was designed by Scottish architect Gilbert Mackenzie Trench, the surveyor to the Metropolitan Police between 1920 and 1945.
He is also credited as the designer of the police telephone box, which has since become a pop culture icon owing to its immortalisation as Doctor Who’s TARDIS!
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