Tooting Newsie Weekly Newsletter
An aesthetic launch party, meet your local firefighters, Queer LitFest, food & drink deals, news for dog and cat lovers, a local nature event, new openings, and lots more in Tooting!
Visage Hair & Beauty Studio in Tooting presents the ULTIMATE AESTHETIC LAUNCH PARTY this Sunday 1st June, 1pm-4pm, with up to 30% off selected services, FREE goodie bags, and more (see below)!
Visage invites you to meet Sonia Mohammedi, their new advanced aesthetic practitioner! Salon Manager, Hanna, tells us more:
"We're so excited to have the fantastic Sonia join the team! With over 7 years of experience, and certification from The Centre for Medical Sciences & Research in London, Sonia's passion lies in her work. She's committed to staying at the forefront of the ever-evolving skincare and beauty industry, ensuring that every client receives the best possible experience through the latest cutting-edge treatments.
"She'll be offering an exclusive range of treatments – from natural skin-enhancing facials, to Botox and much more, you'll find the perfect way to rejuvenate and glow!
"But that's not all – join us for unbeatable Launch Day offers (with up to 30% off selected services), take home a FREE goodie bag, and sip on refreshing drinks while you mingle!
"This is your chance to experience top-tier treatments in a vibrant atmosphere that's all about celebrating YOU! We can't wait to help look and feel your absolute best!"
Visage Hair & Beauty Studio has been serving Tooting and surrounding areas since 2005, offering a wide range of hair and beauty services. Find them at 127 Mitcham Road, SW17 9NN, call 020 8682 4253, or find out more via their website.
Tooting Fire Station on Trinity Road are holding a charity car wash to raise money for The Fire Fighters Charity this Saturday 31st May, 11am-4pm! Everyone's welcome to come down and join in the fun – you may get the chance to look around the fire engines too!
If you'd like to donate to the charity, you can do so via the Firefighters Charity website.
BioBlitz this Saturday 31st May, 2pm-4pm, at Fishponds Fields on Hebdon Road in Tooting – all welcome!
The event's aim is to search for and find as many species as possible at Fishponds Fields – plants, birds, insects and mammals – to help people learn about nature and create a biodiversity record as a baseline for the future. Enable LC and local experts will lead and support.
Those taking part can use the iNaturalist app (download via https://www.inaturalist.org) to help identify what they find, but this is not essential. There will also be a guided butterfly walk, bird walk and tree walk, plus arts and crafts activities. The new stag beetle ‘loggery’ will also be unveiled!
Refreshments, including hot and cold drinks and homemade cake, will be provided.
Organisers promise an enjoyable afternoon with a gentle element of competition, and prizes for those that spot the most species. It’s for all ages, and children are especially welcome.
BioBlitz approach is a national project, and Saturday's results will get fed into regional and national databases. The key is to bring together wildlife experts and the wider public to learn together and share expertise and enthusiasm. More info via https://www.bnhc.org.uk/bioblitz/national-bioblitz-network
For more info about Saturday's event, email foreverfishponds@gmail.com, or join their Facebook group – search 'Forever Fishponds'.
Fishponds Fields is located at Hebdon Road, SW17 7NW.
Local litter pickers Tootin' Tidy are BACK this Sunday 1st of June, and welcome volunteers to join them! The group will meet at 11am at Tooting Broadway station, and welcome any help – gloves, bags, and litter pickers will be provided!
See @tootin.tidy (Instagram) for more info!
Queer LitFest comes to The Furzedown Project on Sunday 8th June, supported by Furzedown Pride! The organisers tell us more:
“Queer LitFest, from 2pm on Sunday 8th June, is an afternoon of queer writing, conversation, and community, including:
“Elizabeth Lovatt in conversation with Hugo Greenhalgh about the importance of being heard — a theme that runs through both of their recent books, which explores how people seek connection and recognition.
“Elizabeth’s debut book, Thank You for Calling the Lesbian Line, draws on stories of queer support and solidarity. Hugo, a journalist who played a role in lowering the age of consent, shares the story behind The Diaries of Mr. Lucas, a heartfelt work preserving the life and memories of a diarist from Clapham.
“Dr. Will Tosh, Head of Research at Shakespeare’s Globe, will discuss queer themes in Shakespeare’s work and his book Straight Acting: The Many Queer Lives of William Shakespeare in conversation with writer, performer, and presenter Holly James Johnston.
“Jason Okundaye will speak about his acclaimed book Revolutionary Acts, a social history of Black gay men in Britain. The book includes powerful oral histories of love, friendship, and desire from communities in places such as Brixton and Clapham.
“Tickets are available from www.furzedownlitfest.com, with Access For All tickets made possible by Wandsworth Council.“
The Furzedown Project is located at 91-93 Moyser Road, SW16 6SJ
Have your say on how Tooting Commons should be run – join the Tooting Commons Management Advisory Committee (TCMAC) Annual Public Meeting on Wednesday 25th June, 7pm-8.30pm, at Woodfield Pavilion, 16a Abbotswood Road, SW16 1AP. All users of Tooting Commons are welcome.
Representatives of Enable Leisure and Culture, and the Parks and Events Police, will be present to address questions and comments about their work. In addition, the meeting will hear about the current work to develop a new multi-year management plan for the Commons, and will elect a new Committee for 2025-26.
The meeting offers an opportunity for local residents and users of the Commons to voice their opinions, ask questions and contribute to the future of the Commons.
TCMAC is an official body set up by the London Borough of Wandsworth to advise it on its care of two commons: Tooting Bec Common and Tooting Graveney Common.
TCMAC is an annually elected body of 24 representing nearby residents together with local societies, groups and clubs. Everybody is welcome to their meetings.
TCMAC is the official voice representing users of the Tooting Commons to help ensure that they are suitably cared for and protected.
For more info, email tootingcmac@gmail.com
The next Mega Skip Day takes place from 9am this Saturday 31st May, in seven locations around Wandsworth, including Tooting.
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.
The skips are open to residents of the London Borough of Wandsworth only. Proof of address may be required on the day.
The skips will be in the following places:
• Church Lane, SW17 9PP
• Acanthus Road, SW11 5TY
• Malva Close, SW18 2JU
• Larch Close, SW12 9SY
• Putney Park Lane, SW15 5HU
• Henry Prince Estate - Bendon Valley, SW18 4UQ
• Winstanley - Grant Road car park, SW11 2SG
More info, including details of what you can bring and when the skips will be open, via Wandsworth Council.
Property Advisor Chuk, of Tooting-based Homes With Chuk, has loads of positive reviews from happy clients – here’s one example from Genevieve (which you can view below), who recently completed on a home that she loves. Chuk tells us more:
"It's such a huge deal buying a home, and even more so when it's your first one! It's so much more than a transaction, and whilst as agents we are obviously instructed by the seller, it's extremely important to me that both seller AND buyer win!
"I absolutely love it when both sets of people are happy with the outcome; it really doesn't have to be that stressful and it's one of the main reasons that I only work with a handful of homes at any one time.
"I”m really pleased for Genevieve – she secured a fabulous home in a great spot!
"Next week, I'll share 5 top tips if you're thinking of selling your home – watch this space for details!”
Chuk Agudosi is an independent local property advisor, in partnership with The Agency UK. For more info, email chuk.agudosi@theagencyuk.com, call 020 8092 0200, or pop into Tooting Works at 89 Bickersteth Road and ask for him at reception!
Huge congratulations to AFC Wimbledon who have been promoted to League One, following a 1-0 win over Walsall in the Play-Off Final at Wembley!
Myles Hippolyte's strike from outside the box in first half stoppage time was enough to make the difference in a nail-biting affair.
SW17 once again has a team in the third tier of English football!
Thanks to AFC Wimbledon for sharing this photo!
Congratulations to Balham-based film production company Fable Pictures — founded by long-time Tooting resident Faye Ward — who recently won two BAFTA awards for their TV drama ‘Mr Loverman’!
‘Mr Loverman’, currently showing on BBCiplayer, tells the “moving and funny story about an exuberant, closeted family man who wants to end his marriage and live with his best friend, with whom he has been having an affair for almost 60 years.”
The show is based on the novel by Bernadine Evaristo and was directed by Hong Khaou, and written by Nathaniel Price. Produced by Faye Ward, Hannah Price, Hannah Farrell and Irma Inniss.
‘Mr Loverman’ stars actor Lennie James (known for Save Me and The Walking Dead), who grew up in South London and attended Ernest Bevin Academy, Ariyon Bakare (Doctor Who) and Sharon D. Clarke (Ellis and Havoc). All three of the main cast were nominated for BAFTAs with Lennie and Ariyon taking awards home on the night for Lead Actor (Lennie) and Supporting Actor (Ariyon).
To watch the programme, visit BBCiPlayer.
Congrats to all!
Police were called at 02:19hrs on Sunday, 25 May to reports of a fight in Renmuir Street in Tooting.
Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended and found a man in nearby London Road suffering from a stab injury.
He was taken to hospital and his injuries were deemed not to be life-threatening.
No arrests have been made. Enquiries continue.
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD 840/25MAY.
Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org
📷 Google Maps
A lifesaving treatment called CAR-T that destroys blood cancer has been given to seven patients at Tooting's St George’s Hospital, with the majority now in remission.
One patient is Tooting resident Gordon Macniven, who started treatment in September after being diagnosed with lymphoma. Prior to his diagnosis, George loved going on day trips across London, and, is now back to exploring the city once again.
Full info via St George’s.
Congratulations to Tooting Thai restaurant Kaosarn 🇹🇭, who received a ThaiSELECT award – presented by the Thai Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra – last Thursday 22nd May at The Royal Thai Embassy in London.
Kaosarn owners Noi and Goo tell us, "we're so proud to once again receive this award, which is a mark of quality, authenticity, and dedication to delivering a true taste of Thailand. We are absolutely delighted and proud to share our achievements with all our customers."
"We would like to express our gratitude to ThaiSELECT and the Royal Thai Embassy for their support of Thai cuisines and other businesses in the UK. It was a truly wonderful experience once again!"
Kaosarn is located at 181 Tooting High St, SW17 0SZ
📞 020 8672 8811
Visit the Kaosarn website for more info.
Congratulations to Noi, Goo and the team!
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NEW LUNCH POTS AT LAHORE KARAHI IN TOOTING! The popular Pakistani restaurant now serves lunch pots every Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm, starting at just £4.99 – both to eat-in or takeaway!
Choose from favourites like lamb karahi, mutter paneer, chicken saag and more (all lunch pots come with rice) – perfect for your lunch break! Or order Lahore’s famous kebab roll for just £2.50!
Lahore Karahi manager, Numan, tells us, “we realise that times are tough at the moment, so we wanted to offer a delicious lunch deal for Tooting, providing some of our customers’ favourite dishes at an affordable price!”
Lahore Karahi’s new lunch pots are available for eat-in and takeaway every Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm, at 1 Tooting High Street, SW17 0SN. Vegetarian and vegan options available, and all food is halal. Lunchpots and kebab rolls are also available on Uber Eats (prices may vary on delivery platforms). See Lahore Karahi for more info.
ALL YOU CAN EAT PIZZA at Made in Puglia Company in Broadway Market Tooting every Wednesday!
Choose any five pizzas from their menu and eat as much as you want for 90 minutes – all for just £19.99 per person – price includes a drink (a beer, glass of wine, or a soft drink) and dip!
Each table receives a card – when the card is turned to green, you’ll continue to receive pizzas, and when the card is flipped to red, it signals a break or that you can’t eat any more!
Available for eat-in only every Wednesday from 5pm at Made in Puglia in Broadway Market Tooting. Book via their website.
Ts and Cs apply. Vegetarian options available. More info and menu via their website.
Enjoy a curry delivered to your door with this special takeaway / delivery offer from Indian Room Balham!
Get 10% OFF + an EXTRA £9 OFF + FREE poppadoms & chutney (with every main ordered), when ordering direct via their website.
Use code MAY25 at the checkout to claim the offer. There's also FREE delivery within 3 miles! Minimum spend £25. Offer ends 31st May!
Indian Room prides itself on making their cuisine as healthy as possible, without compromising on taste. All dishes are prepared without using ghee and therefore, relatively low fat. They don't use any artificial colourings, all meat is British bred from a farm in Devonshire and only the freshest, seasonal vegetables are used in their cooking.
The award-winning, family-run restaurant offers a menu packed full of tasty starters, main dishes & sides from throughout the regions of India. Most vegetarian dishes can be made vegan on request and they also cater for those with special dietary requirements.
You'll find Indian Room located at 59 Bedford Hill, Balham, open 7 days a week!
Popular Tooting bar Goldfinch host a BBQ in their courtyard this Saturday 31st May, 3pm-8pm (perfect for Happy Hour which lasts until 8pm!) – in collaboration with The Southern Kitchen – to celebrate their 7th birthday AND their brand new Summer cocktail menu and new look!
The Southern Kitchen, also based in Tooting, is a catering company run by local resident Richard, which specialises in the unique flavours and style of food from the American South, including slow & low BBQ!
Goldfinch manager, Lewis, would love locals to come along and enjoy fantastic food, drinks and tunes in their lovely courtyard.
He tells us: “We can’t wait for you see our new look and try our brand new Summer menu – fresh, seasonal, and full of flavour! What’s more, Happy Hour is on until 8pm!
"The Southern Kitchen will be serving all sorts of amazing BBQ – from coffee beef brisket rubbed in paprika & honey with a side of Boston baked beans, to pulled jackfruit with a side of smashed roasted beets, they have your dinner plans covered this Saturday!"
To book a table at Goldfinch, visit their website.
Booking is not required to purchase Southern Kitchen food, but they advise booking, so that you're not disappointed!
Goldfinch is located at 145 Mitcham Road in Tooting. The BBQ runs 3pm-8pm.
Local insurance broker Howden Insurance Tooting hosted a free Pet Pawtraits event, welcoming dogs and their owners from Tooting and the surrounding areas. The event offered a fun and relaxed environment for furry friends to shine in front of the camera.
“Our team had such a wonderful time,” said Matt Hillier, Branch Manager at Howden Tooting. “It was heartwarming to see the community come together and share in the joy these pets bring to our lives.”
One particularly memorable highlight was Juno the pug, who quickly became the unofficial mascot of the day, greeting guests and keeping spirits high until the very end.
Given the overwhelming positive response, the Tooting branch is already planning future pet-friendly events to continue building connections with the local community.
Howden Insurance Tooting is located at 149/155 Mitcham Road, SW17 9PG. Pop in, call 0208 672 3375, or visit their website to find out more.
Tooting Community Kitchen (TCK), who aim to help alleviate poverty in SW London by helping feed the homeless and those in need, and provide them with other vital resources, are appealing for help in their £1 a week campaign.
TCK says, "The cost of living crisis hasn’t gone anywhere and sadly, we are seeing the consequences each week – for some in our community, having a job and earning money is not guaranteeing they are able to make ends meet.
"We understand that many of you will be feeling the pinch, so we’re asking if lots of you could do something small that collectively will have a huge impact. Imagine, if 500, 1000, 5000 of us gave £1 a week…we could really make a difference in these hard times.
"If you think you can help, please set up a standing order to support us for £1 per week or more if you are able to."
If you'd like to join the TCK £1 a week campaign, their bank details are:
Tooting Community Kitchen
Account number: 56059671
Sort code: 60-21-29
TCK are also looking for volunteers to fulfil a number of roles within the charity. To find out more, visit their website.
RSPCA South London Branch have just brought in 3 new kittens from Balham. They have been working with the owners for a few months as they had multiple cats they could no longer care for.
The kittens are 9 weeks old, 2 girls and a boy, called Aurora, Willow and Dennis.
The local charity tries to be there for all the animals who need them, but with their costs ever increasing, they are asking for donations to help. If you can donate, please do so via their Just Giving page.
To find out more about the charity, visit their website.
Vermicelli open their NEW pizzeria in Tooting Market next Thursday 5th June, with the first twenty pizzas FREE for dine-in customers every day until the end of June... plus 25% OFF all mains courses (including pasta) all month too – booking details below (spaces filling up fast)👇!
Vermicelli founder, Amos, tells us more: "I was one of the co-founders of the original Franco Manca in Brixton, and I've been dreaming of bringing back its authenticity and vibe from its early days!
"So, when Franco Manca closed their branch in Tooting Market, we knew we had to bring back our original vision for the Tooting community!
"We thrive to do our very best to give our customers the quality and value they deserve with a truly authentic experience, so we're giving away free pizzas to the first 20 dine-in customers each day in June – and 25% off all pizzas and main meals – to celebrate the launch of our pizzeria with our ever growing community.
"We'll be closed from Monday 2nd to Wednesday 4th June to finish off the refurbishment, but will re-open our doors from 4pm on the 5th June – we can't wait to show off our new look restaurant and, of course, our pizzas!"
Book your table here.
Branché has opened at 14 Trinity Road, serving French Inspired brunch and more, including French Toast, English breakfasts, pancakes, pastries, and their signature French tacos, as well as tea, coffee (including matcha and iced coffee) smoothies and more! They're also planning later opening hours with an evening menu in the next few weeks. This is their second branch, which joins their one in Leyton.
Open 8am-8pm Monday to Sunday for eat-in and takeaway. Vegetarian and vegan options available, and all food is halal. Strictly no alcohol. More info via instagram.com/branche.london
Congratulations and good luck to owner, Jalila, and the team!
The classic red public telephone box is a rare sight these days, so it's great to see a bit of history in the form of a K6 model (unfortunately no longer in service) still standing in the grounds of Springfield University Hospital in Tooting!
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