Tooting Newsie weekly newsletter
Tooting news, events (including some Christmassy goings-on!), offers & more...
NEW TO TOOTING – TURO TURO Filipino BBQ & Grill has opened at 102 Tooting High Street (where Good Neighbour was previously located)!
The new eatery is from chef Rex De Guzman, who already runs a kitchen residency at The Queen's Head in Holborn – and he's chosen Tooting as the location for his first restaurant!
Vegetarian, vegan and halal options available. Open Wednesday to Fri 12pm-4pm and 5pm-10.30pm, Saturday 11am -4pm and 5pm-11pm, and Sunday 11am-4pm and 5pm-9.30pm for eat-in and takeaway (delivery to come).
More info via their website.
Congratulations to Rex and the team!
COMING SOON TO TOOTING – Taabiir Restaurant is to open at 159-161 Mitcham Road, where the Pearl Chemist Vaccination Centre was previously located. We'll keep you posted...
COMING SOON TO EARLSFIELD – Yard Sale Pizza is to open at 406 Garratt Lane, where Marina Fish Restaurant was previously located. They plan to open in the next couple of months – we'll keep you posted.
RETURNING TO TOOTING THIS SATURDAY 23RD NOVEMBER – SW17 Premier Trees will be back on corner of Garratt Lane and Greaves Place with Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes! Follow their Instagram for more info!
Hear ye, hear ye, Tooting traders! The Castle, Tooting is calling for traders to join its Christmas Market, taking place in their garden on 30th November!
The Castle is calling on small businesses, Etsy sellers, charity shops, and pastry/bakery businesses in the Tooting area to join them in creating a magical festive market experience for the community.
This is a fantastic opportunity for local entrepreneurs to showcase their products and connect with the community. Whether you sell handmade crafts, vintage treasures, delicious treats, or anything in between, The Castle wants you there.
They're also seeking talented carolers to fill the air with holiday cheer, so, warm up those voices and get in contact!
Email castletooting@youngs.co.uk for more info!
Unfortunately, apart from pastry/baked goods, The Castle will not be hosting any food vendors this year.
Last chance to get tickets for The Diwali Show at Tooting's St George's University – ends tomorrow, Friday 22nd November!
This annual production consists of over 100 healthcare students, raising money for charity. The show has been very successful for the 10+ years that it's been running, attracting an audience of over 300 people per show, comprising of healthcare professionals, friends and families of the cast, and students at the university!
The show takes place 21st and 22nd of November at St George's University – book your tickets here.
If you'd like straighter teeth, My Dentist Dental Surgery in Tooting is holding a FREE Aligner Assessment Event on Saturday 7th December, where you can meet their expert dentists and discover how easy it is to straighten your teeth with their clear aligner solutions! Limited spots available - booking details below!
What’s included:
• Complimentary 3D smile scan
• Personalised aligner consultation
• Free goody bag with every assessment
Book your FREE assessment today and start your journey to a beautiful, confident smile for the New Year!
And if you sign up for treatment during the event, you'll receive a free electric toothbrush and teeth whitening kit!
The event takes place 9am-5pm, 7th December at My Dentist, 1071 Garratt Ln, SW17 0LN
To reserve your spot, call My Dentist Tooting on 020 8672 8054, email tooting-rec@mydentist.co.uk or visit the practice at 1071 Garratt Ln, SW17 0LN!
Everyone is invited to the free ‘Prelude to Advent’, concert at 3pm this Sunday 24th November at All Saints, Tooting on Brudenell Road in Tooting, SW17 8DQ.
Presented by Churches Together in Balham and Tooting – the networking body for 20 local churches – the concert will tell the Advent story in a creative way.
Churches Together’s choir will perform a range of songs in contrasting styles by classical and modern composers, interspersed with solos for oboe, cello and piano.
The Chapel Choir of St Philomena's Catholic High School for Girls, Carshalton, will perform two songs. There will also be hymns for the audience to join in.
There will also be readings, poetry and prayers, featuring modern poets such as Liz Crumlish and Malcolm Guite.
Refreshments and mince pies will be served afterwards.
A new map shows the most dangerous areas to cycle in London after six people have died on the city's roads this year.
The map, created by the London Cycling Campaign (LCC), is made to highlight how dangerous some of London's junctions are, and has the Upper Tooting Road cluster at the top of the list, which the LCC claim is responsible for two serious collisions with cyclists and six slight collisions.
There are 10 different points marked on the map, which show the most dangerous places for cyclists, based on their latest data for 2024. The LCC claim that these junctions are the reason behind the six cyclist fatalities on London's streets this year.
Full story via MyLondon.
Wandsworth residents are once again being offered free bags of grit and rock salt as part of Wandsworth Council’s annual winter initiative to tackle snow and ice.
Residents who want to take advantage of the offer should visit the council depot in Dormay Street (SW18 1EY) between 9am and 12 noon on Saturday 16 November and Saturday 23 November.
You will need to bring proof of address to show you live in the borough.
The council is also supplying sacks of grit to Wandsworth’s 200 neighbourhood watch co-ordinators and filling up grit bins across the borough so that local people have an immediate stock close at hand.
There are now 55 of these bins located around the borough, situated mainly in hilly areas where icy pavements can be particularly treacherous.
More info, including the location of your nearest salt bin, via Wandsworth Council.
Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters tackled a fire at a mid-terraced shop and dwellings on Mitcham Lane in Tooting on the afternoon of 15th November.
The ducting from ground floor to roof level was destroyed and a small part of the first floor roof was damaged by the fire. Five people left the building before the Brigade arrived. There are currently no reports of any injuries.
Control Officers took the first of 10 calls at 14.01 and mobilised crews from Tooting, Mitcham, Norbury and Brixton fire stations to the scene. The fire was extinguished by 15.09.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Info via London Fire Brigade.
Wandsworth Council is raising awareness of cheaper water bills for lower income households across the borough.
There are two schemes managed by Thames Water which could lead to reduced bills:
WaterHelp applies to households if either of these conditions apply:
• The water bill amounts to more than five per cent of net household income (excluding disability benefits)
• Net household income is less than £21,749 per year (excluding disability benefits)
Residents who qualify for WaterHelp will receive a 50% discount on their water bill.
WaterSure applies to households if all of the following apply:
• The home has a water meter
• You are in receipt of a means-tested benefit (such as Universal Credit or Housing Benefit)
• You have a medical condition which requires extra water OR three or more children under the age of 19 live in your property
Households eligible for WaterSure help will have their bill capped at £471 over the next 12 months.
More info via Wandsworth Council.
In preparation for the installation of two community defibrillators for Furzedown, local volunteers are cleaning up two "adopted" telephone boxes on Moyser Road (pictured here, being cleaned by Camilla) and Mitcham Lane!
Furzedown Community Network spokesperson Anthony said, "We're just finalising the plans to install the defib units and decorate the kiosks with the required signage. They may not be ready for Christmas but we're looking forward to a New Year of 24/7 provision for Furzedown."
Watch this space or follow Furzedown Community Network for more info.
GRANT FUNDING AVAILABLE: South London charity, Thrale Almshouse and Relief in Need Charity (Thrale) is making around £40,000 in grant funding available to organisations across South London which support positive changes in people’s lives and in their communities.
In 2023 Thrale awarded over £40,000 of grants to local groups that are working to support individuals and create resilient communities across Tooting, Balham, Streatham, West Norwood, Tulse Hill and Brixton.
The deadline for applications is Friday 6 December 2024 and grants will be awarded in Spring 2025.
For more information and to apply, please visit their website.
The new Community Orchard on Tooting Common launched this weekend at The Woodfield Pavilion, with two mayors (Wandsworth’s Sana Jafri and Lambeth’s John Paul Ennis) helping to dig and plant the first seven trees!
Over the next two years there will be up to 30 fruit trees planted, including different apples varieties, mulberry and plum, maintained by local volunteers and schools. See The Woodfield Pavilion for more info.
#TootingHistory – legendary composer Stephen Sondheim visited Tooting in 2014 to watch Sweeney Todd being performed in Harrington’s Pie and Mash Shop on Selkirk Road!
The show, produced by Tooting Arts Club, ran for two months to an audience of 32 each night and was such a critically acclaimed success that Sondheim, the show’s composer, flew in from the U.S. for the final night! The production then went on to be a huge hit on Broadway, New York – and it all started in Harrington’s in Tooting!
With Christmas approaching, the Age UK shop at 98 Mitcham Road in Tooting is encouraging locals to pop in to pick up a festive bargain! From presents for even the hardest-to-please recipient to party outfits and accessories, the Age UK Tooting shop has a range of items to help make the holidays extra special this year.
Age UK shops offer a wide range of pre-loved items, all of which are sold on to be loved again, raising funds for the Charity’s work, which includes tackling loneliness amongst older people.
The Age UK shop is also asking the public to donate any unwanted, quality items that they no longer need. When donating, people can make their donations worth an extra 25% for the Charity by signing up to Gift Aid. Simply filling out a basic form when dropping off donations means Age UK will receive an extra 25p from the government for every £1 that is raised from donated goods.
Age UK shops are reliant on the support of volunteers and are looking for people to join shop teams across the country. To find out more about Age UK’s shops and how you can help, please visit their website.
Shoppers can also pick up items via Age UK’s ebay page.
Howden Insurance specialises in home, vehicle, and business insurance (and lots more besides) – and they’ve recently been named Broker of the Decade at the prestigious British Insurance Awards 2024!
Your local Tooting branch also supports local charities and community initiatives, and hosts events for the community at their branch throughout the year.
Pop into your local Tooting branch to meet the friendly team and find out more about the activities you can take part in. Howden Tooting is located at 149-155 Mitcham Road, Tooting SW17 9PG. More info via their website.
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