Tooting Newsie Weekly Newsletter
Local discounts for NHS, emergency services & students, Furzedown Farmers' Market returns, a royal visit to Tooting, local achievements, kitten adopters needed, a new restaurant coming soon, & 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.
The events schedule is ramping up at Tooting’s House of Ora! Here’s what’s in store over the coming days:
FRIDAY 5TH JUNE, 8pm-1.30am — SALSA NIGHT 💃
An evening of Latin rhythms, dancing and cocktails as Ora transforms for a vibrant Salsa experience. Tickets £13 on the door.
SATURDAY 6TH JUNE, 8pm-2am — JUST GLAM PARTY ✨
A night dedicated to glamour, music and pure celebration. Dress to impress. DM @weearehouseofora (Instagram) for bookings & tables. 🥂 Free entry until 10pm, then £10 for the rest of the evening!
More info on upcoming events via the House of Ora website.
Enquiries: info@houseofora.co.uk
House of ORA is located at 48A Mitcham Rd, Tooting Broadway, SW17 9NA.
The fantastic Furzedown Farmers Market, returns THIS SATURDAY 6th JUNE, 9.30am–1.30pm – with a jumble sale and a face painter too!
The popular monthly market take places at Penwortham Primary School, and will feature a brilliant mix of local food, produce, crafts, gifts, and LOTS of children’s items - all your favourite traders, and a few new ones too. There’ll also be a mini jumble sale in the playground with lots of pre-loved items at very low prices!
The much-loved, diverse market is a fantastic place to enjoy a Saturday morning / lunchtime. Grab a coffee, something delicious for brunch / lunch, pick up fresh bits for the home, and enjoy browsing and shopping! Dogs are very welcome and there’ll be live music & vibes throughout from South London Vinyl Experience!
As well as this Saturday, the Market takes place on the first Saturday of every month, with the next date being Saturday 4th July.
Furzedown Farmers’ Market is located at Penwortham School, Penwortham Road, SW16 6RJ – just down the road from Tooting!
Karak & Kanvas fundraiser at Tooting’s All Saints, Tooting on Brudenell Road – 6th June, 1.30pm-4pm!
Event Organiser Iram Siddiqui tells us, “Karak & Kanvas is a women-only South Asian-inspired paint and karak afternoon with a twist, combining painting, rich karak chai, south Asian treats, and community connection in a warm and creative space. The event is a fundraiser in support of my upcoming charity deployment to Bangladesh with Reach Every Human charity.
“Funds raised from Karak & Kanvas will go directly toward supporting this deployment and the humanitarian work being carried out on the ground.
📍 Bruce Hall, All Saints Church, Brudenell Rd, SW17 8DQ
📅 Saturday 6th June 2026
⏰ 1.30pm-4pm
Guests will enjoy a guided painting session (all art supplies provided), karak chai and halal snacks, and their canvas to take home. Tickets via Eventbrite.
There are 60 amazing artists taking part in Sprout Arts’s free to attend Summer Showcase in Furzedown! Visit the gallery on Moyser Road 11am-5pm until 13th June to view all the art on display.
Sprout Arts is celebrating 16 years of bringing art and creativity to Furzedown and Tooting. It is run entirely by volunteers on a not-for-profit basis and offers a great value space for local artists’ exhibitions, cards and gifts, with special community shows, and an Art Loan initiative at the end of this month.
Become a member for just £15 a year! Find out more via their website.
📍74 Moyser Road, Furzedown, SW16 6SQ
Jazz on the Lawn this Sunday 7th June, 1pm-6pm at Streatham Park Bowling Club, with live music from the South London Jazz Orchestra, a BBQ by Furzedown Community Network (FCN), and refreshments at the Bowling Club Bar!
📍 Streatham Park Bowling Club, Pringle Gardens, SW16 1SH. Adults £10, FCN Members £5, Under 16s FREE. Pay on the door – no booking required.
Wandsworth residents are reminded that barbecues and fires are not allowed in any of the borough’s parks, commons and green spaces. People who do so could be fined.
Barbecues nearly always leave behind scorched patches of burned grass that take months to recover. On other occasions people have tipped burning hot coals into litter bins and set them on fire.
🚒 Please call 999 if you see a fire.
Two closures in Tooting: Discount Bazaar at 35 Tooting High Street and Rosa’s Thai at 70 Tooting High Street have both permanently closed their doors. We'll keep you posted as to what's coming next...
Her Majesty Queen Camilla opened the St George’s Hospital “Garden in the Sky” yesterday (located on the balcony next to Neuro Intensive Care) for the benefit of patients, their families, and staff of the Tooting hospital.
The garden was created through a partnership with the John King Brain Tumour Foundation and St George’s Hospital Charity, transforming a previously unused space into an accessible roof garden, directly connected to the intensive care unit.
More info via our website.
Tooting-based property advisor Homes with Chuk shares a glimpse into what happened after the recent sale of a local family home — and why homes are always about far more than just bricks and mortar...
“A few weeks ago, this was just an empty house.
“Now? There’s football on the TV, vinyl spinning in the background, toys being unpacked, bubbles in the garden and the sound of everyday life slowly filling the rooms.
“And honestly, that’s the bit I never lose sight of.
“Because homes are never just bricks and mortar. They’re memories, routines, personalities and people — long before a For Sale board ever goes up.
“Making houses a home. ✨
“And if you’re thinking about selling — or perhaps already on the market — and want someone who understands that your home is far more than just a transaction, feel free to reach out. 👋🏾
“The Bit Between ‘For Sale’ & ‘Sold’. ✨”
View the video via Chuk’s Instagram here.
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!
Since they last spoke to Tooting Newsie back in February, things have been busy at Tooting home staging business Staged by The Property Ladies! Rachael & Carys tell us more:
“As mums and long-time friends it’s been amazing to see our home staging business continue to grow over the past few months.
“March became our busiest month to date and 80% of the homes we staged sold within six weeks, with some selling within just 2 weeks of launch. It’s been really exciting to see the change in the way buyers respond to the properties we stage.
“The homes we work on aren’t ‘bad’ properties – they’re often just empty, difficult to photograph and hard for buyers to connect with. We tailor each design with the target buyer in mind.
“In the current market, first impressions matter more than ever. On average, staged homes sell 73% faster and can achieve 8-10% higher offers than un-staged homes. Creating a space that buyers emotionally connect with during a viewing often makes all the difference when it comes to securing a quicker sale.
“We’re continuing to work with homeowners, developers and estate agents across London to help properties stand out and sell faster.
“Are you a homeowner struggling to sell? We’d love to help.
“And if you’re a local estate agent or developer, we’d love to chat about partnering and supporting your listings.”
Contact Rachael & Carys today for your free quote:
📧 hello@stagedbythepropertyladies.com
📞 020 8945 3022
🔗 www.stagedbythepropertyladies.com
Ready to transform your fitness? Enhance Fitness in Earlsfield are running their popular 6 Week Transformation Trial – and with summer in full swing, now is the perfect time to step things up!
With 5 star reviews and helping loads of local residents get fitter and stronger, Enhance Fitness offers a genuinely personal approach to training that gets real results.
⭐ The 6 Week Transformation Trial – £399 ⭐️
24 expert-led sessions + everything you need to see real change:
- 12 Small Group PT sessions (capped at 4:1 ratio)
- 12 Group classes (METCON, Hybrid, Hyrox, Pre/Post Natal, ZONE)
- Nutrition pack
- Movement & body composition assessment
- Your own personal accountability coach
- Weekly check-ins throughout
- Discount on supplements
- Access to the amazing Enhance community
Six weeks. Expert coaching. Real results.
To find out more or book, visit enhance-fitness.com, email info@enhance-fitness.com, or call 07716 506 009.
Enhance Fitness: 593 Garratt Lane, Earlsfield, SW18 4ST. Also in Clapham Old Town!
*Available for new members only.
If you’re looking for a local dentist to give your children’s teeth a checkup this summer, Ten Dental on Balham High Road provides high quality dental treatment specifically for children and adolescents.
Ten Dental co-founder, Nik Sisodia tells us more: “We offer specialist diagnostic and treatment services for all aspects of oral health for children and young adults here at Ten Dental. Prevention is always better than cure, and we encourage you to bring your child in to see us as soon as their baby teeth emerge.
“Our great team of dentists are very experienced in putting children at ease and helping them to relax ahead of their treatment, especially those who are anxious.
“We really want our young clients to enjoy their trips to the dentist and help them to nurture good oral hygiene habits from an early age, so that they develop healthy and beautiful teeth as they grow up!”
To find out about the full range of treatments Ten Dental offers and to book an appointment for your child, WhatsApp 07308 716 397, email hello@tendental.com or pop in to see them at 156 Balham High Road, or at their clinic at 154 Clapham High Street! You can also visit their website at tendental.com
Looking for somewhere special to host a children’s birthday party? The beautiful 29-seater private cinema at Audley Nightingale Place by Clapham South tube is available for hire!
Perfect for screening all the most popular children’s movies with friends and family, the plush cinema offers a cosy, magical setting for fun-filled gatherings. You can even order food and drinks from No3 bistro upstairs to complete the experience!
The cinema is located within Audley Nightingale Place, Nightingale Lane, SW4 9AH – right by Clapham South tube.
To find out more about private hire and availability, call 0203 510 4807 or email info@no3clapham.co.uk
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 t.ly/tootingdiscounts to find out more. And don’t forget to check back as we update the page!
Horticulture students from local charity Share (who have a Garden Centre in Tooting – see below), recently spent time at The Woodfield Pavilion on Tooting Common – with the sunny weather quite a contrast to their visit last December, when they planted fruit trees in the orchard.
They came back to water and add woodchip mulch to the 30 young trees that are now taking root.
Share supports and empowers adults with a learning disability and autistic adults to live healthier, happier and more independent lives – and there are plenty of ways to get involved and support them:
😊 Volunteer – help out in the garden, support classes on site or in the community, or become a befriender to offer friendship and encouragement to a student near you.
💚 Donate – every contribution helps Share continue providing life-changing opportunities.
🪴 Visit and buy plants – the Share Garden Centre is open to the public on weekdays 10am-4pm, and always welcomes new visitors.
Find out more about Share Community, their courses and ways to support them via their website.
Kittens adoption appeal! 🐾 RSPCA South London has two 8 week old adorable kittens available for adoption now!
Mars and Jupiter, are two boys and very much typical mischievous, playful kittens! They would make fabulous family pets and just want a home to call their own. If you’d like to be their new family, please email enquiries@rspcasouthlondon.org.uk, or complete an adoption form.
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Summer at Flora in Tooting Market just tastes better! ☀️
Discover açaí bowls, smoothies, iced coffees and juices made daily with fresh, natural ingredients – the perfect little escape from the London heat! And they’ve got cooling fans around the market to keep things nice and fresh while you enjoy your favourite summer treats. 😎 The perfect little escape from hot London days!
📍Flora at Tooting Market, 21-23 Tooting High Street, SW17 0SN
Open: Monday-Wednesday, 8am-4pm, Thursday, 8am-11pm, Friday-Saturday, 8am-12pm, Sunday, 9am-4pm
Balham’s beautiful Hayman’s Gin Distillery are running their popular Distillery Tours on World Gin Day, Saturday 13th June!
Hayman’s are offering our readers £5 OFF a tour ticket (making a ticket only £20pp) if you use code NEWSIE at the checkout when booking via their website.
Each Distillery Tour includes:
• A welcome G&T
• A behind the scenes look at how Hayman’s make The Original Gin, distilled in the same way since 1863.
• A guided tasting of three award winning gins
• The chance to explore their beautiful Balham distillery
There are 3 different gin tours to choose from on the day: 12 Noon, 3pm & 5.30pm.
You’ll find their Distillery located at 8 Weir Road, Balham, SW12 0GT - just 8 minutes walk from Balham town centre!
Tooting’s Ernest Bevin Academy was recently honoured to welcome John Lyne, aged 98, believed to be the oldest living former pupil of Bec School, as the institution was formerly known.
There has been a school on Beechcroft Road in Tooting since September 1926, when Bec Grammar School first opened its doors. At that time, the school comprised just five classes, 129 students and seven members of staff.
The school has evolved significantly over the decades. In 1960, Hillcroft School opened on an adjoining site as a boys’ comprehensive, operating independently until 1970, when the two institutions merged to form Bec-Hillcroft School.
The school was renamed Ernest Bevin School in 1971 in honour of the former Wandsworth Central Labour Minister.
A major refurbishment project begin in 1993, culminating in the opening of new facilities on Beechcroft Road in 1996. The school was later renamed Ernest Bevin College in 1997. The College has since added a Sports and Sixth Form Centre with indoor swimming pool, fitness suite and judo dojo, officially opened in September 2007 by Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes; and in 2023, the school joined the United Learning Trust and became Ernest Bevin Academy.
Reflecting on John Lyne’s visit, Principal, Damola Ademolake, said, “It was an absolute privilege to welcome John back to Beechcroft Road. His memories are an invaluable part of our shared history, and hearing his story brought our past vividly to life. As we look ahead to our year of Centenary celebrations in the next academic year, the visit serves as a powerful reminder of the generations of students who have passed through its doors and the enduring legacy they leave behind.”
Tooting artist Max Fairhurst has released his debut single ‘Lines’! The married father-of-one – whose son was born at Tooting’s St. George’s Hospital last year – is due to put out a series of songs this summer.
Max says, “It’s been a long time coming. I’ve been writing music since I was 13 – but after becoming a dad, I finally realised it’s high time I put my music out there.”
You can listen to Lines on Spotify and all other streaming platforms now, and follow him at @maxfairhurstmusic on Instagram – and expect to see Max playing in local pubs soon!
Congratulations to Tooting resident and family barrister Lucy Masoud on being named Junior Pro Bono Barrister of the Year at Advocate’s 2026 Bar Pro Bono Awards!
Lucy was specifically commended for her commitment to access to justice and her work in family law, including the founding of The Faisal Luke Pro Bono Project, an initiative established in 2023 in memory of her brother, whose name it bears.
The Advocate Bar Pro Bono Awards celebrate barristers who go above and beyond to provide free legal assistance to those who need it most. Lucy’s award reflects both the breadth of her pro bono practice and the lasting legacy of the project she created to honour her brother.
More info via Advocate.
Trustees needed at The Woodfield Pavilion on Tooting Bec Common!
The Woodfield Pavilion is a hub for the Common community, offering events and activities that support the Project’s charitable aims of enhancing social wellbeing, bringing people together, and encouraging appreciation of and care for the surrounding natural environment.
They’re looking for local people keen to get involved and help them grow their reach and the activities they can provide. So, if you’re passionate about the area and local communities, and have the skills and enthusiasm to ensure that they continue to thrive, they’d like to hear from you! Visit HERE find out more.
You’ll find everything you need to know about the charity, about being a trustee and what the role involves, and how to apply. Or if you want to have a quick informal chat first, email pavilion@thewoodfield.org
📍 Woodfield Recreation Ground, Tooting Common, 16A Abbotswood Road, SW16 1AP
COMING SOON TO TOOTING: Haweli, serving Pakistani cuisine, is to open at 111-113 Upper Tooting Road, where Namkeen was previously located.
Haweli, who already have branches in Ilford, Southall and Norbury, plan to open their Tooting branch later in the summer. We’ll keep you posted...
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