Tooting Newsie Weekly Newsletter
Lots of new openings, offers, community stories, loads of events, news, a rather beautiful photo, and lots more happening in Tooting this week!
Blueprint Café has opened a second branch at 60 Franciscan Road!
The owner, Rivers (pictured with branch manager Mohammed) opened the first Blueprint last year on Mitcham Road. This new cafe is more spacious and offers a great range of cakes and savoury snacks, including vegan options, and they're planning to serve hot meals in a few months.
Open 7am-4:30pm Monday to Friday, 7:30am-4:30pm Saturday, 8am-4pm Sunday. See @blueprintbaristas (Instagram) for more info.
Congratulations to Rivers, Mohammed, and the team!
Sausage Lab has opened in the Yard Market area of Tooting Market, where you'll find owner and sausage aficiando, Darious serving all sorts of varieties of delicious sausages, grilled to perfection!
The sausages on the menu will change regularly, but to launch, you can enjoy Spanish and Polish smoked sausages, German bratwurst and cheese sausages, as well as halal chicken or beef sausages.
You can enjoy all of these either in a hot dog (choose from different brioche rolls), or in a box, with sides including homemade rosemary skin-on fries, onion rings, potato salad and coleslaw.
Darious also serves chicken wings, chicken breast (all halal), as well as pork shoulder steak.
This is Darious's first food venture and he's excited to bring something new to Tooting Market, and can't wait for local residents to visit and enjoy his sausages!
You'll find Sausage Lab located in the Yard Market area of Tooting Market, open Tuesday-Thursday, 12pm-9pm, Friday & Saturday, 11am-10.30pm and Sunday, 12-9pm.
Sausage Lab is also available on Uber Eats. More info via their Instagram.
Congratulations & good luck, Darious!
Khoob has opened at 118 Upper Tooting Road, selling South Asian clothing, jewellery and accessories for women and men!
Open 10am-7pm Monday to Sunday. See their Instagram for more info or call 07365 308 517 with any enquiries.
Congratulations and good luck to the team!
AND THEN, a new bar where The Corin was previously located, has opened at 54a Tooting High Street!
AND THEN will be serving cocktails, wine and beer, with food from Honest Burgers just a few doors down. There'll also be DJs and daily happy hours!
AND THEN opens this Thursday, 30th January at 54a Tooting High St, SW17 0RN. Opening hours 4pm-1.30am Friday-Saturday, and 5pm-12am Sunday to Thursday. Book your table via Design My Night.
Café Chai Wala has opened at 93 Upper Tooting Road, serving chai and more hot (and cold) drinks, fresh parathas and paratha rolls, sandwiches, burgers, desserts, sides, and much more!
Open 8am-12am Monday to Thursday, and 8am-1am Friday to Sunday for eat-in and takeaway (delivery to come). All food is halal, and vegetarian options are available. Full menu via their website.
Congratulations and good luck to Manager, Alia, and the team!
Want to get involved with a local sustainability group? Transition Town Tooting aims to make change in how we live, where we live in light of climate change. They do this by running projects of all kinds that fit with living more sustainably – engaging with the local community, facilitating change and partnering with other groups.
The group hold all sorts of events throughout the year, like fixing workshops, skill-sharing events, seed swaps and much more – they also run the Tooting Community Garden on North Drive, just over the road from Tooting Bec Lido.
To find out more and to get involved, visit their website.
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Join the enchanted wonderland of HARTBEEPS WITH KATE IN TOOTING (with a FREE trial – see below!), who run musical and sensory sessions to make memories with your newborns, sitting babies and toddlers!
Kimmy of Hartbeeps tells us, “Hartbeeps sessions revolve around love, support, guidance, play, joy, and nurturing both child and grown-up in new movements and development.
“Each week is a new exciting adventure. We focus on your child's development so that you can enjoy focusing on all of the fun, with a combination of baby massage, old and new songs, movement, plenty of dress up, parachutes, sensory toys and lights. There's just so much to see and do. Both grown-ups and children also get the chance to socialise, and meet & make new friends.
“We’re offering FREE trials and we hope to see you there!”
Sessions take place every Wednesday morning at The Selkirk Pub at 60 Selkirk Rd, SW17 0ES
• 9.30am Happy House / Beeps (mixed class): Sitting, Standing, Toddler & siblings
• 10.30am Beeps: Sitting – Standing
• 11.30am Baby Bells: Newborn – Sitting
To book your FREE trial at The Selkirk, visit their booking page and use discount code HBTNS125 for sessions up to and including Wednesday, 14th February 2025.
Hartbeeps also run classes in Earlsfield, Balham, Wandsworth and all around West and SW London. Check out their timetable (info in image or visit their website).
Email kimmy@hartbeeps.com for more info.
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Tooting fitness studio TC Fitness is launching a '28-Day Strength & Confidence Challenge', starting February 1st – and they're looking for 12 Tooting locals, aged 35+, who want to become stronger & more confident, to join!
TC Fitness owner, Chris tells us more!
"Are you ready to stop feeling sluggish, ditch the guesswork, and start building a stronger, more confident version of yourself?
"This is a personal, empowering experience designed specifically for people who’ve wanted to make a change, or tried gyms before and didn’t feel at home. At TC Fitness, you’re becoming part of a supportive community that motivates, inspires, and gets life changing results.
"Here’s what you can expect:
•A supportive community where you’ll feel comfortable and welcomed from day one.
• Workouts tailored to you - perfect for your fitness level and schedule.
•A chance to get stronger, move better, and embrace the confidence and energy you deserve.
• Personalised coaching in an environment that encourages and guides you to make lasting progress (this is not a quick fix!).
"Hear what our members say:
“I can honestly say it's been one of the best fitness decisions I've made. It’s the only thing I’ve ever stuck to actually! The community feel at TC Fitness is unmatched. It’s fun, supportive, and got me results!” - Carly
“Have been attending for a number of months, and the best part, I ACTUALLY attend, consistently. The trainers are outstanding, and the community Chris has built amongst the group, makes it super fun and also effective.” - Bianca
This 28-day program comes with a small investment and zero long-term commitment - you’ll only stay if you’re seeing the results you want!
To find out more about TC Fitness and their 28-Day Challenge, call / WhatsApp 07514 188318, email hello@tcfitness.uk, or visit www.tcfitness.uk
The TC Fitness studio is located at the rear of 332 Balham High Road, by Tooting Bec tube station.
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Slab City Pizza in Broadway Market Tooting bring their legendary HUGE 20" New York style pizzas to Tooting for only £25 – every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 5pm-10pm!
These pizzas are made for sharing, so make sure you bring some mates! Slab City have also partnered with their neighbour Behind Bar to add £5 pints to the mix!
Slab City has a limited number of whole pizzas available – 10 per night this week – so pre-ordering is essential here (select ‘pre-order for pick-up' to book your slot). And if you miss out, never fear – their quarter slices are available everyday for eat in and delivery, and of course their restaurant is open as usual for your Detroit fix!
This offer is available for eat-in only. Find Slab City Pizza in Broadway Market, just near the Longmead Road entrance. More info via their website.
Local fundraising group Furzedown FACE hosts their fabulous Charity Quiz Night on Saturday 22nd February at Graveney School in Furzedown!
There'll be quirky questions for everyone (even those who are rubbish at quizzes), including a live music round, plus prize-winning games and a raffle with great prizes to win on the night.
The quiz is fundraising for The Furzedown Project, St George's Hospital Charity, Learn To Love To Read and the local branch of MND Association. Tickets are £12 each, £85 for a team of 8 – email alan@feast.me.uk to book!
Join Alberto, Jez and the Tooting Common parkrun volunteer team to celebrate their 9th birthday this Saturday 1st February on Tooting Common!
Just email Louisa at tootingcommon@parkrun.com with your parkrun ID and there’ll be a party hat waiting for you!! 🎉🎉
Joining Tooting Common parkrun for the first time? The free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event (walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate – it's up to you) takes place at 9am every Saturday at Tooting Common, Doctor Johnson Avenue, SW16 1RT. More info via their website.
The monthly Furzedown Farmers’ Market is BACK this Saturday 1st February, 9.30am-1.30pm – and with even more new stalls to tempt you, including local bakery, Bread Bread Bakery who'll be selling all sorts of breads & pastries made with love & real ingredients!
There will also be some fantastic clothing brands, skiwear & other fashion items on offer at discounted prices from the local White Eagle Appeal, with all funds raised going towards their humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
The increasingly popular Market is a fantastic place to enjoy a Saturday morning / lunchtime, with 30 stalls from top quality local businesses selling all sorts of produce, including meat, smoked trout, honey, homemade jams & cakes, along with books, plants, coffee & more!
As well as this Saturday, the Market takes place on the first Saturday of every month, with the next dates being:
• Saturday 1st March
• Saturday 5th April
Furzedown Farmers’ Market is located at Penwortham School, Penwortham Rd, London SW16 6RJ – just down the road from Tooting!
Dogs are very welcome!
See their Instagram for more details!
Did you know that Frank Sinatra performed in Tooting – twice! The two shows on 14th June 1953 at the old Granada Theatre (now the Buzz Bingo Hall) were his first ever UK performances.
Memoirs Of A Metro Girl has an extensive history of the Granada on their website – read the full piece via their website.
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It's knee pain awareness month at Tooting’s Instant Physio, and they have been busy getting their patients ready for the London Marathon in April!
Instant Physio’s Ed tells us, “John, a patient of ours, started with knee pain in February 2024 and was frustrated at not being able to train and be active, so got in touch with us in November. After a course of treatment focused on rehabilitation and education, John is now training for the London marathon, knee pain-free.”
If you’re struggling with knee pain – or back pain, neck & shoulder pain or sports injuries – Instant Physio can help. Based at 261 Balham High Road (opposite the Sewing Shop) in Tooting Bec, call them on 020 3488 2698, or leave an enquiry via their website. Open Monday-Thursday 8am-8pm, Friday 8am-4pm and Saturday 8am-12pm.
If you'd like to renovate or redecorate either the inside or outside of your property, Balham construction business, Costa Construction are here to help! Costa (a local resident) & his team have been busy working on lots of local properties recently!
Their team now have availability for more new projects, large and small.
Costa tells us more:
"We're a team of highly experienced and reliable builders, carpenters and decorators who work on all types of residential and commercial projects, large and small, interior and exterior.
"We pay great attention to detail and can advise on all aspects of renovation and construction, including colours and materials. As well as a high-quality service, we focus on excellent customer service, ensuring that we finish each project on time and on budget."
To get a free quote and find out more, email costamatraku@gmail.com, text / call 07340 042048 and see their Instagram for more examples of their work!
RAIL DISRUPTION THIS WEEKEND: South Western Railway, who operate services through Earlsfield, advise passengers to check their journey before travelling this Sunday 2 and Sunday 9 February, as lines in the Wimbledon area will be closed all day due to maintenance work.
Earlsfield (as well as some other stations) will be closed, and a bus replacement service will be in operation.
Visit the South Western Railway website for more info and to plan your journey.
Hundreds of swimmers gathered in south-west London on Saturday for the return of the Cold Water Swimming Championships, reports BBC News.
The competition returned to Tooting Bec Lido for the first time since before the Covid pandemic.
The South London Swimming Club welcomed entrants from around the world for almost 100 races in the 5.5C (41.9F) water.
Full story via BBC News.
It ran on the same route as the day service on route 319, between Streatham Hill, Telford Avenue and Sloane Square Station via Tooting Bec Station.
You can find out more via TfL about what is proposed and how this may impact you. You can also view maps, ask questions, give feedback, and find out about other ways to get in touch and take part. See the TfL website for full info.
Lloyds Banking Group has revealed plans to shut another 136 branches (including their Tooting branch on Mitcham Road), weeks after a policy allowing customers to do their in-person banking across any of its three brands prompted fears that bosses could close up to a quarter of its high street sites.
The move will cut the group’s branch network by a further 15%, accelerating a strong shift towards digital and mobile banking.
It will result in the closure of 61 Lloyds-branded sites, 61 Halifax locations and 14 Bank of Scotland branches, and leave the group with 757 branches by spring next year.
Full story (including a list of the closures) via The Guardian.
Stunning early evening skies over the Rose & Crown, Tooting!
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