Tooting Newsie Weekly Newsletter
A new music and culture festival, council election results, a wonderful act of kindness, lots of new openings, 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.
COMING SOON TO TOOTING & MITCHAM: Forty Fest, a 5-day music and culture festival across Forty Coffee Community’s Tooting and Mitcham venues! Running Wednesday 17th to Sunday 21st June, the festival brings together a mix of talent spanning indie, alternative, folk and jazz, alongside theatre, comedy and spoken word.
Forty are also collaborating with Mitcham brewery Drop Project Brewing Co for a limited edition Forty Fest beer that will be available at the festival.
Venues:
📍Forty Tooting: 165, Tooting High St, London, SW17 0SY
📍Forty Mitcham: 1, Commonside East, Mitcham, CR4 2QA
🎟 Info & tickets HERE.
Wandsworth Heritage Festival (WHF) returns later this month, an annual festival celebrating Wandsworth’s rich history through a programme of walks, talks, exhibitions, and creative performances.
Taking place 23 May-14 June, the 2026 WHF is organised by Wandsworth Heritage Service to celebrate Wandsworth’s rich past, with the support of contributors from local groups and societies who share their enthusiasm, knowledge, and time.
Events in Tooting include a tour of Tooting’s historic shops, an exploration of Tooting Bec Common’s heritage trees, and The Making of Planet Tooting!
Full info and booking via Welcome to Wandsworth.
The next Mega Skip Day takes place from 9am this Saturday 16th May, in seven locations around Wandsworth, including Furzedown.
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.
Come and connect at Wandsworth Care Alliance’s FREE Voluntary Sector Forum! Connect with local organisations, share updates, and build valuable partnerships at this in-person networking event.
🗓 Monday 18th May
⏰ 12:00 – 2:00 PM
📍 Kambala Community Hall, 126 Fawcett Close, SW11 2LQ
Enjoy tea, coffee, and meaningful conversations with others in the voluntary and community sector. Whether you’re looking to collaborate, stay informed, or grow your network, this forum is for you. 👉 Info & booking HERE.
The Conservatives won 29 seats in the Wandsworth Council elections last week. Labour won 28 seats, and one seat went to an Independent.
Labour won in the wards of Furzedown (3 seats), Tooting Bec (3 seats) and Tooting Broadway (3 seats). Trinity and Wandle wards were split, with Labour and the Conservatives each taking 1 seat.
Full results of candidates elected in each ward via Wandsworth Council.
A reminder that NatWest bank at 30-34 Tooting High Street will permanently close at 12pm next Monday 18th May 2026, one of over 30 closures announced for branches across the UK.
More info on branch closures, including info on the Tooting branch, via NatWest.
A kind-hearted nurse at Tooting’s St George’s Hospital has donated her kidney to a stranger, as a thank you for someone doing the same for her husband – with both operations taking place on the same day at the hospital.
Filipinas Nercua’s generous act came after she volunteered to donate a kidney to her husband, Cesar – but they were incompatible due to their different blood groups. When Filipinas discovered she was instead able to donate a kidney to someone else who shared her blood group, she decided to ‘pass on the kindness’ when a match was found for Cesar.
Full story via St George’s.
Filipinas’ incredible act of kindness was made possible through the NHS Kidney Sharing Scheme which is run by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT). The scheme helps people receive a kidney transplant when a willing donor isn’t a direct match for them. More information about the Kidney Sharing Scheme via NHS Organ Donation.
Mango sellers in Tooting say a shortage of India’s prized Alphonso variety is pushing up prices and limiting supply at the height of the season, reports journalist Bhavani Vadde for BBC News.
Local resident, food writer, podcaster and photographer Ranji Thangiah, who is featured in the article, also recently wrote about the mango shortage on her Substack (which includes a guide to mango season).
Tooting-based property advisor Homes with Chuk has some advice for sellers navigating the current property market...
“The market’s a little different at the moment… and honestly, I think sellers deserve more than just ‘reduce the price and hope for the best’. 👀
“So I put together a few things I genuinely think homeowners in Tooting, Balham & Streatham should know right now.
“Some practical. Some strategic. Some perhaps slightly controversial in estate agency circles. 🫣
“If you’re already on the market, thinking about selling, or just quietly wondering what your next move could look like, hopefully there’s something useful in here.
“And as always — no pressure, no hard sell, no awkward ‘just checking in’ calls three times a week! 😅
“Just honest advice, fresh ideas and a different perspective if you ever need it.”
See Chuk’s Instagram for more info.
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!
Direct Dental on Balham High Road is celebrating its first anniversary with 20% OFF new patient exams and hygienist appointments!
Use code NEWSIE20 when booking online, by phone, or in person to claim your discount.
Direct Dental Balham is a modern private practice offering high-quality care for the whole family. Their experienced team provides a full range of treatments, from routine dentistry and hygiene visits to Invisalign, specialist care, and emergency appointments.
Whether you’re maintaining your smile or looking to transform it, they have the expertise and technology to help.
To book or find out more, visit their website, call 020 8150 1500, or pop in and meet the team at 96 Balham High Road, SW12 9AA.
Planning a home improvement project over the coming months? Local construction company, M Asllani Constructions Ltd now have availability for new projects (large & small) from June onwards!
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)!
28 days of unlimited sound bath and breathwork sessions at HUMM London in Colliers Wood for just £55 – offer ends 18th May!
HUMM London is a boutique wellness studio in Merton Abbey Mills (just down the road from Tooting) designed to help you slow down, regulate your nervous system and reconnect with yourself.
More than just classes, HUMM is a warm, calming space where people come to breathe deeper, release tension, feel held and find balance again. Think:
✨ soft lighting
✨ calming scents
✨ crystal bowls & sound healing
✨ grounding breathwork
✨ yin yoga
✨ meaningful connection
✨ tea and chats after class
✨ a peaceful community where people know your name
At the heart of HUMM is sound healing, with sessions designed to gently guide the body out of stress mode and back into rhythm. They also offer breathwork and yin yoga to support emotional release, deep rest and full nervous system reset.
To find out more (including info on the 28 day pass) and to book, visit hummlondon.com
📍 Unit 1, The Long Shop, Merton Abbey Mills (3 mins walk from Colliers Wood tube), SW19 2RD
Strength Training meets Reformer Pilates! Earlsfield’s Enhance Fitness and Avalon Pilates have joined forces to offer the best of both worlds in one membership!
The membership includes both small group personal training (SGPT) and Reformer Pilates classes – perfect for those looking to get strong, toned, improve their flexibility and build core strength.
Since opening in 2019, Enhance Fitness have been helping hundreds of local residents get fitter and stronger, with 5 star reviews! Enhance offer a packed and varied schedule of classes each week, alongside SGPT (max 4 members to 1 PT), 1:1 PT sessions, and personalised nutrition advice and support.
Also with 5 star reviews, Avalon Pilates offers a diverse range of classes including Reformer Pilates, Tower Pilates, Barre, Yoga and Mat Pilates – all designed to sculpt your body, boost your energy, and enhance your overall wellbeing.
Both businesses are hugely focused on building and supporting the local community – and their combined brand ethos makes them perfect partners!
Two monthly rolling membership options are available:
• 6 & 6 PACK - 12 sessions/month - £280: 6 x Small Group PT sessions + 6 x Reformer Pilates sessions
• 8 & 8 PACK - 16 sessions/month - £345: 8 x Small Group PT sessions + 8 x Reformer Pilates sessions
Both businesses also offer introductory trials if you fancy getting a taste of what they’re all about – see their websites for details!
TO BOOK OR FIND OUT MORE: visit the Enhance website, email info@enhance-fitness.com, or call 07716 506 009 or visit the Avalon Pilates website.
The Enhance and Avalon studios in Earlsfield (and also in Clapham Old Town) are only a few minutes walk apart.
📍Enhance Fitness, 593 Garratt Lane, Earlsfield, SW18 4ST
📍Avalon Pilates, 10A Ravensbury Terrace, SW18 4SD
Kitten Jean was the sole survivor of a litter born in a wardrobe in a homeless shelter...but RSPCA South London are so happy to share she has now been rehomed and has a brand new name… Pickle!
She is growing in confidence every day and doing really well in her forever home. The charity is so grateful to Pickle’s fosterers who make stories like this possible, giving kittens the start they need before they find their families.
If you’ve ever considered fostering, the RSPCA are always looking for more wonderful people to join their volunteer team. Please email enquiries@rspcasouthlondon.org.uk if you’re interested!
Good luck to Tooting resident Naomi Neiland, who’s taking on Hestia Charity’s Race 4 Safety this Saturday 16 May!
Dropped in an unknown location, Naomi will race 10 miles back to the finish – with no phone, no map, no money, and no transport – all to raise funds for Hestia’s vital refuge referral line. This service helps the one in three women in the UK who experience domestic abuse in their lifetime reach safety when they need it most.
Naomi is a director at Hestia, supporting Londoners facing crisis and trauma – from survivors of domestic abuse, to those using Tooting’s own mental health recovery café and local Age Activity Centre.
To donate, and to help more people access life-changing support, visit Naomi’s JustGiving page.
More info on Hestia’s refuge referral line here.
Find out more about Hestia’s mental health recovery café and Age Activity Centre, here.
SPONSORED CONTENT
Brunch served every day, 8:30am-3:30pm at Flora in Tooting Market!
Flora’s fantastic menu includes a variety of delicious options such as açaí bowls, smoothies, fresh juices, full English breakfast, ribeye sandwiches, avocado toast, and much more!
They also offer bottomless brunch every day, with free-flowing drinks for 90 minutes, per person, including food – perfect for a fun and relaxed brunch with friends or family. 🥂🍹🍻
There are gluten-free and vegetarian options available, as well as a selection of vegan pastries!
Info and booking HERE.
📍Flora at Tooting Market, 21-23 Tooting High Street, SW17 0SN
Happy 20th birthday 🎂 to Pepi’s, who’ve been serving magnificent Guyanese 🇬🇾 cuisine in Tooting Market since 2006!
Howard and Norman would like to thank all their customers for their support over the years – they look forward to welcoming their regulars, and new customers, to the market to say hi and enjoy their food. Here’s to another 20 years (and more)!
Seated & Wheelchair Yoga now available at Taking Care Of Fitness in Tooting!
Sessions are designed to be welcoming, inclusive and accessible for people of all abilities, whether you’re a wheelchair user, have limited mobility, are recovering from injury, or simply looking for a gentler way to move and feel good.
📍 Taking Care Of Fitness, 328 Balham High Road, SW17 7AA
🗓 Wednesdays, 1pm
💷 £5 cash
No experience needed, just turn up and join in.
Got questions? Whatsapp on: 07514188318
If you are looking for any other community provision, give them a shout!
Welcoming Tooting Common’s beautiful new baby cygnet! 🦢 Last year, the Tooting swans successfully raised three babies to adulthood; this year there seems to be just one little cygnet, who looks very healthy!
Dog walkers are asked to please keep their dogs on leads when near the lake, to keep the baby swan safe from harm.
Charanjit and family have opened a branch of Londis at 203 Upper Tooting Road (where the family previously ran Tooting Fabrics), selling groceries, confectionery, alcohol and more!
Open Monday to Thursday 7am-midnight, Friday 7am-2am, Saturday 8am-2am, Sunday 9am-9pm.
Congratulations and good luck to Charanjit and family!
Streat Latin Food has opened in Broadway Market (where Flor de Samba was previously located), serving South American cuisine!
Owner, Andres, tells us, “we are a family business from Mexico 🇲🇽, serving arepas, tacos, tequeños, rice bowls, croquetas, mixed platters, churros, tres leches cake and more – with lots of vegan, vegetarian, halal and gluten-free options!”
Open Tuesday to Thursday 4pm-11pm, Friday and Saturday 12pm-11pm, Sunday 12pm-6pm for eat-in and takeaway (delivery to come). More info via their website.
Congratulations and good luck to Andres and the team!
COMING SOON TO TOOTING: The Brasa Club, serving small plates, paninis and more, is to open in Broadway Market, where Slab City Pizza was previously located. We’ll keep you posted...
COMING SOON TO EARLSFIELD: Verona Nails Club is to open at 637 Garratt Lane. We’ll keep you posted...
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