For us, none other than the amazing tradition of Christmas markets is what gets us in the Christmas spirit, and so we have gathered some of the fantastic Christmas markets in South London that are definitely worth checking out in your local area this year!
As the sun finally begins to show its face, we’re bringing you a list of the best spots to don your sunnies, slap on the suncream and settle in for an afternoon of cold ones in the London sunshine. From riverside sundowners to boozy lunches on the terrace, Putney’s got an exciting little assortment of al fresco possibilities and we’ve rounded them up just in time for the Bank Holiday.
With the gradual, yet steady closing-down of local cinemas and theatres that has been happening in Britain for decades, we thought it a good idea to use our platform to pay homage to one of the oldest theatres in South London that has survived this unfortunate decline in entertainment venues, and continues to showcase cutting edge theatre and events to this day....
Season's greetings! There is no better way of getting into the Christmas spirit than by attending your local christmas markets. Wrap up warm with the family or a few friends, stroll down to your local market and enjoy the rich warming smells of mulled wine and mince pies, whilst trying to remember the lyrics to your favourite carols. We've got the round-up; check out where your local market is happening and make sure you're there!
Run your fingers along their spines, cast your eyes up and down the shelves, flick through the pages and sit cross legged on the floor engrossed in the words resting in your lap. Escape the dull, uniform, needlessly clean chain bookshops that are a stalwart part of any high street or soulless shopping centre. South London has its fair share of independent bookshops where hidden treasures can be found, prices are right and the shelves hold countless stories to lose yourself in.
Tattoos are a beautiful way to turn your body into a piece of art. So, there’s nothing worse than getting a tattoo that’s just not right! Whether you’re looking for a dainty first tattoo, an epic full sleeve or a quick touch up, we’ve got you covered and given you the lowdown on our favourite places to get stunning tattoos in South London!
Is it your turn to cook the next family Sunday roast? Don’t panic! South London has plenty of quality, independent butchers to give you a hand and sell you the finest cuts of meat to make sure your roast is a hit! Whether it’s a tender beef steak or a juicy whole chicken you’re after, here’s your one-stop shop at finding the best butchers in South London!
Dulwich Picture Gallery is the oldest public art gallery in England, having opened its doors to the public in 1817. As you can expect, the gallery has a rich history that we were keen to dive into. From a cherished friendship to a painting famous for being stolen the most times than any other, here is our brief history of Dulwich Picture Gallery.
Grab the popcorn, we have your next movie night sorted! Visiting an independent cinema can be a great way to turn watching a movie into an evening out with friends and family. Whether independent films are your cup of tea or you love keeping up to date with the latest blockbusters, we’ve done the hard work for you and given you 8 independent cinemas to check out!
Libraries are a fantastic and cheap way to enjoy millions of different books, perfect for anyone who has overflowing bookshelves! Popping into your local library can also be a more sustainable way to read, meaning us bookworms can do our bit for the environment and get lost in another world at the same time! Here’s a list of some of the most notable libraries in South London.
For a foodstuff that makes up a very large part of the diet of a large proportion of the the great people of South London, we don't seem to take much care in the quality of the meat we eat. We're happy to go to the supermarket and buy the pre-packaged meat on the shelves because it's more convenient, and we're not going to damn you for doing it, a lot of the time you've just come home from work and haven't got any food in your fridge. However, we would certainly encourage you to make an effort in purchasing meat of a higher quality as the taste and flavour will certainly make it worthwhile. Butchery is an ancient trade and though almost all large supermarkets will have a butcher in their premises, independent butchers are a great way of supporting the local economy. If you're not sure of where to look for your new local independent butcher, we're here to help you with our list of the 11 best butchers in South London.
Beer shops are actually quite an old thing, though it might not feel that way. Having gone through something of a lull, plenty of beer shops have been opening up all over London in recent years off the back of the surging craft beer scene. As we all know, and we as showed in our A-Z, South London is home to the best craft breweries in all of London - and the presence of these breweries has led to the opening of some fantastic beer shops. Beer shop operate in a very similar manner to wine sellers, and they are wonderful places to just browse - you know, just stand around looking at stuff you might buy. If you haven't got into the craze that is figuratively sweeping South London, we think it's about time that you did, so to help you get going here is our list of the 14 best beer shops in South London.
We continue our series on the blue plaques of South London by talking about those commemorated in Dulwich, East Dulwich & Herne Hill. Though Dulwich and East Dulwich are firmly in the borough of Southwark, Herne Hill is in Lambeth or Southwark - depending on who you ask. Being in Southwark means that Dulwich and East Dulwich have a number of London Borough of Southwark plaques, as voted for the residents of Southwark, but there are good number of official plaques on this list. Some might find it slightly curious that East Dulwich has so many more plaques than its traditionally more fashionable neighbour Dulwich, however when you consider that a lot of the timelessly quaint Lordship Lane goes through East Dulwich, it's possibly not that surprising. That said, there are some rather interesting characters on this list of the blue plaques of Dulwich, East Dulwich & Herne Hiil, and they show off the varied range of individuals that have lived in the vicinity.
Bicycling as a method of transport for getting round London has grown and grown - something which is only positive. While some cyclists are not as responsible as they should be, it's likely that those individuals would be just as careless behind the wheel of a car, so we should be thankful that they are only in control of a bike. South London Club are firmly behind this clean method of transport which also provides a convenient opportunity to exercise. We understand it can be aggravating as a driver if a cyclist skips a red light, but just bear in mind that if you are involved in a collision - they'll be coming off a lot worse, so maybe be a little more forgiving when in control of a machine that was directly involved in the death of 1,732 people in 2015, and in incidents which caused serious injuries to 22,137 individuals. Anyway, less about that, and more about how useful bike shops are, and how the gradual growth in the number of independent bike shops across South London reflects how many people are now using their bike to get around. We know that a good bike shop is something that many people rely on for repairs and whatnot, so we think it's a good idea to give you our list of the the 13 best bike shops in South London.
We all have a particular meal that we enjoy more than others, it's natural, so don't feel bad about it. Some days you feel like trying something new, some days you don't, and today we're gonna be focusing on those days that you don't - though you could still use this list as a guide of places where you can try new foods, there's absolutely nothing stopping you. There are even more added layers to all this, you could use this list as a guide for new places for you try your favourite foods at, did you think of that? Yes? Well done then. If you are using this list of 17 places for your favourite foods in South London for any of these reasons, that's fine, we just hope you're using it safely, in a responsible environment, with people you trust. Anyway, here it is.
A local discount card to support South London's local businesses while saving you money!
We aim to help you discover and explore all that South London has to offer, from hidden gems to the best-kept secrets!
The South London Club Card will take you on a tour of South London that you've never experienced before, showcasing our fantastic local businesses that are the lifeblood of our communities.
With 850+ local businesses to choose from, including gift shops, bike shops, restaurants, and roofers, our pocket-sized card is full of value.
Join us and let's work together to make South London even better.
