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.
The Brockley Jack is so synonymous with the area of Brockley and Crofton Park, that it has its own bus stop. There is good reason for this. A pub of that name has stood on that spot since 1863, though the current building, as the date at the top states, has stood there since 1893. There is, nevertheless, a more intriguing history to be told here...
From the 8th-11th June, Balham will play host to the second Balham Literary Festival, produced by Dulwich Books. The event will feature talks from numerous different writers, and is going to be hosted at the Grade-II listed Bedford Pub. The talks will explore numerous different themes relevant to those that call Balham home, and even further afield, and there will also be a pop-up bookshop at the pub all weekend.
The art of making cocktails takes passion, fresh ingredients, and an extensive knowledge of flavours. There’s a professionalism to it that takes bartending to a whole new level, a level beyond pouring a pint. When done well, cocktails are a defining feature of a night - sometimes you want to go out for a pint, sometimes you want to go out for cocktails - maybe both. Say it to yourself: ‘we’re going for cocktails’. It’s grand and flash. Being an inherently grand and flash place, South London is spoilt for choice on establishments which serve tasty mixed drinks. Being South London Club (a very good potential name for a cocktail bar ©) we feel it is our duty to ensure that you are informed of the best South London establishments for grabbing the fanciest drink of all - a cocktail.
Beer gardens. A garden where you can consume your beer. A common mistake is that one cannot drink other beverages in a beer garden, don’t worry, one certainly can. Nor do beer gardens actually have to be particularly green, they can be completely paved. Beer gardens were once really only used in the summer, but they are now the main refuge of smokers throughout the entire year. Summer is, apparently, upon us, and we’re sure that you, like us, have been scouring the internet, or the actual real tangible world, for local establishments with the right beer garden. We love saving you time at South London Club, so we’ve compiled for you a list of 5 beer gardens to try in Southwark Borough.
Blackheath is not quite as famous as its near neighbour, Greenwich, despite today sharing a similar atmosphere and community. Curiously however, Blackheath has more blue plaques than the part of London that time itself is named after. Here's an assemblage of some the many great people that have lived in Blackheath.
On Wednesday 31st May 2017 the first ever London History Day is set to he held. The date marks the anniversary of the day in 1859 when Big Ben began keeping time for the residents of London. The aim of the day is to highlight our great city’s wonderful history and is part of Historic England’s wider ‘Keep it London’ campaign, which aims to make Londoners discuss and celebrate the heritage of the capital. All across London, more than 40 galleries, museums and institution will be showing rare London-related objects, or staging special events and conducting tours to mark the occasion. A number of these special events will be happening south of the river in the more pleasant half of London. To save you time, we at South London Club have compiled a list of the events happening in South London
Brixton is already a pretty lively place; one of the liveliest in South London we'd say, and since the night tube started it has only become more exciting. Beyond the clubs, bars and music venues, Brixton has one of the finest selections of burger joints in all of London. If you’re heading into Brixton to revel the night away - and possibly the morning after - it might be wise to eat something hearty beforehand, so as to line the stomach and fuel your night ahead. Even if you’re not going 'out out' (Micky Flanagan ©) but still want to head out for a meal, perhaps with friends, family or even a romantic interest, we’ve done the hard work and compiled a list of the best burger joints in Brixton.
Chances are if you are from South East London, or just happen to be a young person living in South East London, you have either been invited to, or have actually set foot in the hallowed nightclub. Though referred to universally as just ‘Venue’, the nightclub is, in more scientific circles, known as The Venue, and even more colloquially as a shouted 'Venners', or the more global 'Vennerzuela'. Here's a brief account of The Venue's intriguing history, including some surprising facts that will make you think twice next time you pass by this historic venue.
In years gone by, the Arctic Monkeys song ‘A Certain Romance’ could have have definitely applied to Lewisham. The area has come a long way since then and now, due to significant investment and infrastructural change, straddles that perfect middle ground between its dark-ish past and its highly-polished future as a major centre of London - according to Whitehall’s 'London Plan' anyway. Currently classed as 'edgy' Lewisham's unique landscape makes it a pretty cool place to go for a romantic meal.
Blue plaques are a neat little indicator of history. They lend meaning to places that would otherwise just be buildings or houses on a street – they notify those passing that someone or something significant happened here. By proxy, the mere act of walking past said building becomes significant. Now, it would be petty to suggest that those at English Heritage who decide who gets a blue plaque are biased - it would be extremely petty indeed. Let’s just get that very, very clear. Petty. That said, the number of blue plaques across the Thames in North London (670) compared to beautiful, sunny South London (130) is shocking. At South London Club we've decided to compile the blue plaques across the beautiful region we call home. A curious combination maybe but Brixton and Stockwell have only three each (we know!), so we deemed it prudent to club the areas together in a list of the blue plaques of Brixton, Stockwell & Kennington.
