Tooting Newsie Weekly Newsletter
Le Gothique celebrates its 40th anniversary, Dame Kelly Holmes does Tooting parkrun, SpongeBob comes to Tooting, new openings, lots of food & drink deals, Tooting discounts, and much more...
Our weekly newsletter is sponsored by Tooting’s family-run Lahore Karahi – a local institution since 1995! – who are currently offering 20% OFF all collection orders when you order direct via their website at lahorekarahi.co.uk. Ts & Cs apply.
CHARITY BEAUTY SALE IN TOOTING, Sunday 26th July, ⏰ 11:30am–6.30pm at Tooting Works!
The sale is fundraising for charities All Our Relations and Women for Women International - UK by selling brand-new, unused beauty products generously donated by creators, beauty journalists, and beauty brands. Everything will be available at heavily discounted prices, with all proceeds going towards the charities, who work to support vulnerable women and families.
A ticket system is in place to help ensure everyone has a safe and fair opportunity to shop. Tickets are on sale now (money raised from tickets will also be donated). Walk-ins are welcome, but there may be a queue for those without tickets.
Book via Eventbrite.
📍Tooting Works, 89 Bickersteth Road, SW17 9SH
The family-run restaurant Le Gothique is turning 40, and they’re celebrating in style with a four-day Summer Festival of beer, English wine, cider, London gin, live music, and an all-day BBQ, set across their Secret Garden and Great Hall.
The event promises to be a family-friendly celebration for all ages, with something for everyone! 👇
Wednesday 5th August – Preview Night (6pm–11pm): Drinks all evening, with beer, cider, English wine and gin tasting for just £50 (food available separately).
Thursday 6th to Saturday 8th August (6pm–11pm): all-day BBQ, plus LIVE MUSIC on Friday 7th August. Tickets £15 (includes free commemorative glass and program).
SPECIAL OFFER: Use code SAVE25 when booking to receive 25% off your tickets (available for Thursday–Saturday bookings only).
Tickets can be booked via Le Gothique. And keep an eye on Le Gothique’s Instagram for the latest updates, including any extra surprises along the way!
📍Le Gothique, The Royal Victoria Patriotic Building, John Archer Way, London SW18 3SX
Events at Tooting’s House of Ora!
FRIDAY 10th JULY: DJ Motive presents soulful, groovy, unpredictable selections. R&B, Afro, House, Hip-Hop, Global, Grooves & Beyond. 10pm-2.30am, free entry.
SATURDAY 11th JULY: The Soft Reset – Community Wellness Gathering with meditation, Kundalini yoga, Reiki, Sound bath, Creatives corner. 11.30am-4pm.
£10 tickets on the door, or via Eventbrite.
⚽️ LIVE WORLD CUP SCREENINGS
Saturday 11th July: Norway v England live on their 2 huge screens at 10pm. Free Entry & walk-ins welcome subject to availability.
Tables sold out, with limited standing tickets via TicketTailor.
Doors open 5pm: well-stocked bar + hot dogs, burgers & selection of other food available. DJ playing pre & post-match!
Tuesday 14th & Wednesday 15th July: Semi-finals. Bar opens 6pm. Free Entry. Bookings taken HERE after the Quarter Finals.
FRIDAY 17TH JULY: Salsation & Zumba dance fitness event hosted by Uzzi, 8pm-9.00pm, followed by all your favourite Reggaeton & RnB tunes from DJ EB till late.
Entrance £10 on door or via TicketTailor.
Enquiries: info@wearehouseofora.co.uk
📍House of ORA, 48A Mitcham Rd, Tooting, SW17 9NA
Tooting’s Sellincourt Primary Summer Fair is back this Friday 10th July! ☀️
There’ll be something for everyone, including music, dance performances, a bouncy slide, loads of games & crafts, a food festival, and a fantastic raffle with some amazing prizes.
Entry is just £1 per adult and children go free (all children must be accompanied by an adult).
The raffle is bigger than ever, thanks to the incredible generosity of local businesses and supporters (more info in images). Raffle tickets are £1 each or £5 for a book, giving you plenty of chances to win while supporting the school.
The Summer Fair is one of Sellincourt’s biggest fundraising events of the year, with every penny raised helping to provide additional resources and opportunities for the children at Sellincourt Primary.
📍 Sellincourt Primary School, Sellincourt Rd, London SW17 9SA
📅 Friday 10th July
🕓 4pm-6.30pm
Join Remaykit on Saturday 18th July at AFC Wimbledon for a FREE hands-on workshop to rethink, redesign, and reimagine cricket 🏏 clothing through circular economy, turning waste into new possibilities. Working with donated cricket garments that would otherwise be discarded, the workshop offers participants the opportunity to experiment with ideas for reuse, repair, and redesign in a fun and collaborative environment.
Participants will also gain a better understanding of how cricket clothing can be redesigned to reduce waste, learn about circular design principles, and explore how creativity and sustainability can come together in practical, hands-on ways. The emphasis is on learning by doing, making, testing ideas, and discovering how small design changes can have a significant environmental impact.
Whether you are 8 years old or over 80, the workshop is open to anyone interested in cricket, sustainability, design, or innovation. Under 18s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The event is free (with lunch included), but places are limited to 25 participants, so early booking is strongly recommended to secure your place. Email your name, job title and organisation to rcarruthers@uca.ac.uk. On receipt, you will be sent confirmation and directions to the venue.
The next Mega Skip Day takes place from 9am this Saturday 11th July, in seven locations around Wandsworth, including Tooting. Skips will close when they’re full, or 12 noon – whichever comes first.
Mega Skip Days are an opportunity for people to dispose of bulky items for free. Large skips are placed in neighbourhoods around the borough for all local residents to use. More info, including details of what you can bring and when & where the skips will be open, via Wandsworth Council.
Tooting-based property advisor Homes with Chuk on the vital checks you need to make before dropping your asking price...
“Dropping your asking price takes an agent about five seconds to action. It can cost you tens of thousands – sometimes more, sometimes a little less. Either way it’s your money on the line, not ours.
“If you’ve been on the market a while, that ‘shall we drop the price?’ call is probably coming. Before you say yes, check a few things first, because a reduction doesn’t improve your home, it just makes it cheaper.
“And if a price drop is the best way forward, it should be done with purpose. On Rightmove, a reduction of at least 2% triggers alert emails to potential buyers. Ideally, you want the new price to land in the next search band so fresh eyes actually see it. That’s the whole point of a reduction: new exposure, not just a lower number.
“See my Instagram for the quick version of my price-drop playbook – every question to ask before you lose a penny. I’ve also written the full article over on my new Substack, The Bit Between.
“Born and raised in Tooting. Looking after a small handful of homes across Tooting, Balham & Streatham, personally.”
Need some property advice? Email Chuk at hello@homeswithchuk.co.uk, call 07940 546 190, or pop into Tooting Works at 89 Bickersteth Road and ask for him at reception!
If you’re planning a home improvement project over the coming months, local construction company, M Asllani Constructions Ltd are here to help - & they now have availability for new projects, large and small!
Whether you’re dreaming of a bespoke kitchen designed around your style, a loft conversion for a bright new living space, or a fresh new look for your business or studio, Manthi & his highly-experienced team are here to bring it all to life!
Manthi tells us more about his business, “Every space tells a story, and we combine traditional craftsmanship with modern techniques to help you get your home or business exactly as you want it, delivering results that last.
“We specialise in the following construction work:
• Bespoke Kitchens & Furniture: tailored designs built around your style & needs
• Carpentry & Joinery: precision woodwork for doors, wardrobes, and interiors
• Flooring & Tiling: durable, stylish installations
• Painting & Decorating: seamless finishes that refresh and elevate
• Renovations, Extensions & Repairs: complete home improvements from start to finish
“No project is too small, no vision is too big. We create custom-made solutions for every client, and all of our work is built on detail, quality, and care.”
To find out more & to book in a free quote, call or text Manthi at 07903 208 450, email manthos09@icloud.com and see more great examples of their work at @asllani_constructions (Instagram)!
To celebrate hitting 700 5-star reviews, Tooting’s Instant Physio are offering FREE knee pain assessments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐️
Instant Physio’s Ed tells us, “Knee pain is one of the most common injuries we see. Lots of people put up with daily, annoying knee ache thinking it’s just part of getting older. One of our patients, Julia, stopped being able to go to her exercise classes because her knee got so bad. Climbing the stairs was a nightmare and sitting for long periods became a real struggle.
“She booked in to see us for a knee pain assessment and after establishing what the problem was and how we could help, we began treating the problem over a few months. The problem resolved and Julia was able to return to her exercise classes.”
Sign up for your free 20 minute assessment HERE. Spaces are limited, so book now!
Instant Physio is a leading physio clinic in Tooting for physiotherapy, strength training and clinical massage, helping you recover faster and stay active for life.
📍261 Balham High Road, Tooting Bec (opposite The Sewing Shop)
📞 020 3488 2698 | 🔗 instantphysio.co.uk
🕘 Mon–Thurs: 8am–8pm | Fri: 8am–4pm | Sat: 8am–12pm
There are lots of business offering discounts for NHS, emergency service workers and students in Tooting, Earlsfield and Furzedown!
We’ve created a list of businesses offering discounts – visit bit.ly/tootingdiscounts to find out more. And don’t forget to check back as we update the page!
A local teenager competing in this month’s Commonwealth Games has praised a surgeon at Tooting’s St George’s Hospital for saving her sporting career, after her dream was threatened by a devastating injury.
Full story on our website.
Record numbers of patients sought help at Tooting’s St George’s Hospital last week following June’s heatwave. More info, including tips on how to keep yourself and others safe in the heatwave, via our website.
To celebrate Small Charities Week recently, Tooting’s Work and Play Scrapstore thanked their 50-strong group of volunteers by treating them to a day out!
The volunteers visited Fulham Palace in West London and learned about the 13 acres of botanic gardens, historic rooms and 6,000 years of history. They explored the home of the Bishop of London for over 1300 years and discovered how the bishops and their families shaped the house and garden over the centuries.
The Scrapstore’s volunteers are crucial to their operation as a small charity; they sort, sift, pack and fill the shelves at Scrapstore each week, making sure members can view all the latest donations that have come in.
“As a small charity we wouldn’t be able to operate without volunteers,” explains Jen Dolan, Operations Manager. “We must be doing something right as many have been with us for decades.”
Scrapstore is a fantastic treasure trove, presenting waste and surplus goods as arts and crafts materials to inspire creativity. You’ll find paper and paint, textiles and trimmings, buttons and bubble wrap, wood and props, foam, fine wire and leather and so much more. Stocks vary each week with donations coming from eco-friendly and many big-brand companies.
Open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11am-5pm, plus the first Saturday & third Saturday of the month 11am-4pm.
📍Hazelhurst Estate, 13 Blackshaw Road, SW17 0DA (graffiti door, adjacent to Hayesend House tower)
More info via their website.
Local charity, Home-Start Wandsworth, has places for the London Marathon 2027!
This is your opportunity to take on one of the world’s most iconic races while supporting families with young children in Wandsworth who need it most.
Home-Start asks that all successful applicants commit to a minimum fundraising pledge of £2,000 (excluding Gift Aid). A non-refundable registration fee of £150 is required to secure your place if your application is successful.
Applications close at 5pm on Friday 31 July 2026. Successful applicants will be contacted the following week. Due to high demand, the charity strongly encourages everyone to provide as much detail as possible in your application. Apply HERE.
Home-Start volunteers support families with young children in Wandsworth dealing with a variety of difficulties including post-natal depression, isolation, physical and mental health problems, bereavement or financial worries. More info via their website.
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Great news for Rosa’s Thai fans in Tooting! While the much-loved Rosa’s Thai on Tooting High St may have closed its doors, the brilliant team behind it are very much still cooking – and they’re now at Rosa’s Thai Balham, just down the road.
Head Chef Tao, Chef Wat and Chef Yu – familiar faces to so many Tooting regulars over the years – have moved to the Balham branch at 37 Bedford Hill and are looking forward to welcoming their loyal customers there!
Rosa’s Thai Balham serves the same bold, freshly made Thai dishes that locals have loved for years – from rich, fragrant curries to their famous Pad Thai, all made to the founders family recipes using ingredients from Thailand. Like the curry pastes from a husband and wife team in Trang province, and Pad Thai using tamarind from the founders hometown in Phetchabun.
To book a table, grab a takeaway or order for delivery on Uber Eats, visit their website.
Rosa’s Thai Balham is located at 37 Bedford Hill, SW12 9EY, open 7 days a week from noon!
🦞 Lobster Mania every Sunday AND Tuesday at the brilliant Dell Boyz American Diner & Bar in Broadway Market – with a special offer of a Lobster Sharing Board for 2 people for just £40!
The Sharing Board consists of:
• 2 whole Canadian Lobsters in Thermidor Sauce
• 4 Black Tiger Prawns, Pan-Fried in Garlic Butter Sauce
• A Full Rack of BBQ Baby Back Ribs
What’s more, there’s a Happy Hour ALL DAY on both Sundays AND Tuesdays too - with 2 Cocktails for just £14.95.
You MUST BOOK a table in advance for the Lobster Platter special offer. Visit their website at dellboyz.com or call / text 07789 502 421.
You’ll find Del Boyz American Diner & Bar located at Unit 2-10, 29 Tooting High Street, Broadway Market, SW17 0RJ, open Tuesday to Sunday, 12 Noon - 11pm.
Great news for cocktail lovers in Tooting! Streatham Cocktail Club, the brilliant neighbourhood cocktail delivery service based in Streatham, are now delivering to your door!
And to celebrate, they’re offering 15% OFF your first cocktail order (whether a one-off purchase or subscription) – use code NEWSIE15 at the checkout on their website at streathamcocktailclub.com to claim!
Founded by local resident, Archie (a WSET Level 3 Spirits qualified cocktail enthusiast whose love of cocktails began during lockdown), Streatham Cocktail Club releases a premium, handmade cocktail every month – delivered straight to your door, garnish and all, ready to drink.
This month’s cocktail is the Pisco Sour!Whether you’re hosting a dinner party, enjoying date night, or just fancy a treat at the weekend, cocktails are available in two-man, four-man or litre bottles – just chill and pour!
From prohibition classics to modern tiki, Archie’s passion for the history and science behind cocktails means every monthly release is carefully crafted and utterly delicious. It’s a subscription service – so a new cocktail drops every month, taking you on a flavour journey from the comfort of your sofa!
Use code NEWSIE15 at checkout for 15% OFF your first order.
To find out more, order, or make an enquiry, visit their website.
Rung Mahal’s amazing £11.99 & £14.99 Dinner Platters are proving so popular on TikTok (with tens of thousands of views), that they’ve decided to extend the special offer permanently!
They offer both Vegetarian (£11.99) and Non-Vegetarian (£14.99) Dinner Platters, both for dine-in AND takeaway (not delivery).
Located on Tooting High Street (opposite Sainsbury’s), the family-run restaurant has enjoyed brilliant reviews in its first year, offering traditional cuisine from Pakistan (especially Lahore) and Afghanistan.
To book a table, see the menu or order a takeaway, visit their website.
England takes on Norway this SATURDAY, and The Brasa Club in Broadway Market is screening the match, with some fantastic dishes from around the world (& 20% off their menu) including:
• BBQ ox cheek doughnuts
• The Brasa panini — 14hr braised ox cheek, chimichurri and a black garlic emulsion in a focaccia or brioche roll
• Chicken coxinhas
• Beef short rib with chimichurri
...and Behind Bar will be serving cocktails next door!
Vegetarian and halal options available.
⚡ 20% OFF the full food menu — book HERE before Saturday sells out!
📍 The Brasa Club, Broadway Market, Tooting SW17
⏰ Kick-off 10pm — get in early for a table
Congratulations to the Tooting Tidy crew who recently helped to tidy up Tooting Common!
The group said on their Instagram, “Even though on first glance, the Common seemed pretty fine, litter often lurks in high grasses and bushes and this crew were ready to dig it out ❤️🐣we picked up bags and bags of rubbish.”
Tooting Tidy run a regular litter pick in Tooting every month, with litter pickers, gloves & bags provided. Visit their Instagram for more info, or join their WhatsApp group chat to find out more.
🌈 Looking to meet other gay men in Tooting? 🌈 Tooting Gays is a friendly local social group for gay men living in and around Tooting. They meet on the third Thursday of every month at a local Tooting pub for a relaxed evening of conversation, laughs, and new connections.
📅 Next Social: Thursday 16th July
🕖 7pm
📍 The Trafalgar Arms, Tooting
💷 Free to attend
Whether you’ve lived in Tooting for years, recently moved to the area, or simply want to expand your social circle, you’ll receive a warm welcome.
📸 Instagram
📘 Facebook: Search “Tooting Gays”
💬 They also have an active WhatsApp community
Bikini Bottom has come to Tooting with this special display featuring SpongeBob SquarePants and friends on Moring Road! Residents are welcome to pop their heads through the cut-outs and be transformed into Sandy Cheeks or Plankton!
What was always going to be a great Pride Tooting Common parkrun got even better when Dame Kelly Holmes joined the event to get 738 participants off to an amazing start with an inspirational speech, welcoming 135 First Timers and an excellent 87 Personal Bests!
Olympic Gold Medal winner Dame Kelly said on her social media, “What a morning 🤩 I had such a great time Tooting Common parkrun for their pride event. 🌈 It was a fantastic turnout, the energy, colour and inclusivity was incredible.”
Tooting Common parkrun would like to thank their amazing 52 volunteers (plus Bertie and Maisie) for making it possible and congratulate to all the day’s milestones; and a huge thank you to Dame Kelly for making their Pride parkrun so special!! 🏳️🌈🎉🌈
Tooting Common parkrun is a free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event (walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate – it’s up to you) that takes place at 9am every Saturday at Tooting Common, Doctor Johnson Avenue, SW16 1RT.
Find out more about Tooting parkrun via their website.
📷 Dame Kelly Holmes and Tooting Common parkrun
COMING SOON TO TOOTING: Khan’s Chicken & Rice is opening at 14 Tooting High Street, in a small unit attached to Guru Kirpa Fabrics.
It’ll be their second branch in the area, joining their existing branch at 159 Upper Tooting Road, five minutes up the road towards Tooting Bec. We’ll keep you posted...
Pearl has opened at 106 Mitcham Lane (where Momoste was previously located), serving burgers, sourdough pizzas, breakfast bowls, freshly baked baguettes, coffee and more!
Vegetarian and vegan options available, and all food is halal (including turkey bacon and pepperoni). Open for eat-in and takeaway. Home delivery also available – call 020 8696 9998 to order.
L’assaggino has opened in Broadway Market (where Bordelaise was previously located), serving homemade Italian 🇮🇹 pasta and more!
This is the restaurant’s third branch, joining their existing venues in Richmond and Kingston.
Vegetarian, vegan, halal and gluten-free options available. Open 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10pm Tuesday to Saturday, and 12pm-5pm Sunday.
Congratulations and good luck to Manolo, Stefania and the team!
Congratulations to Tooting resident and author William Ellis-Rees on the publication of his book, The Tooting Tragedy: Cruelty, Cholera and Children of the Victorian Poor.
The book is a narrative account of events in Surrey Hall, a residential school for workhouse children in Tooting Broadway where large numbers of children died in an outbreak of cholera in 1849.
William tells us, ”The tragedy was the subject of searching official investigations, which exposed the many failings of Surrey Hall’s proprietor, Bartholomew Peter Drouet, not least his inhumane treatment of the children. Drouet found himself at the centre of a media storm, including angry newspaper articles published by Charles Dickens, and eventually he went on trial at the Old Bailey.
“I wrote the book partly to chronicle what seemed to me to be one of the most dramatic moments in the history of nineteenth-century Tooting, but also to give a voice to the children who experienced Surrey Hall. Many of the victims of the cholera outbreak were buried in the churchyard of St Nicholas Church, and I am reminded of the scale of the tragedy every time I look at the memorial plaque on its south-facing wall, which was requested by local schoolchildren in 1989.
“The site of Drouet’s establishment is now occupied by the HSBC bank, J J Moon’s and MERKUR Slots, and, behind these, the houses standing between Garratt Terrace and Garratt Lane.”
The Tooting Tragedy: Cruelty, Cholera and Children of the Victorian Poor is published by Pen and Sword Books and is widely available in bookshops and online.
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