Wandsworth
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Squeeze − Up The Junction
I never thought it would happen, |
Wandsworth is a district of south-west London. Today the smart houses, cafes and bars close to the expansive green lung of Clapham Common are popular with young professionals working in the City, whilst cosmopolitan Tooting is home to a large South Asian community. Some of the smartest and newest developments are to be found along the riverfront in Putney and Battersea, where shiny apartment blocks rub shoulders with the industrial shell of the famous power station.
Understand
Wandsworth consists largely of modest housing built as suburban retreats in the 19th century, interspersed with a patchwork of green "commons", a relic of the borough's history as small villages.
Get in
By Tube
In the west of the borough, the Edgware Road—Wimbledon branch of the District line ( DIS ) serves:
- East Putney (Zones 2 & 3)
- Southfields (Zone 3)
In the east of the borough, the main Northern line ( NOR ) serves:
- Clapham Common (Zone 2)
- Clapham South (Zone 2)
- Balham (Zone 3)
- Tooting Bec (Zone 3)
- Tooting Broadway (Zone 3)
In the northeastern neighbourhood of Battersea, a short new branch of the Northern line opened in 2021. It serves:
- Nine Elms (Zone 1)
- Battersea Power Station (Zone 1)
By train
- 1 Clapham Junction. A major station on south London routes and a huge number of services pass through there and various destinations in suburban South London and the South and Southwest of England. Many London bus routes also operate through the Clapham Junction area.
- SouthWest Trains – London Waterloo, Richmond
- Southern Railway – London Victoria
- London Overground – Mildmay line – Willesden Junction via Imperial Wharf, West Brompton, Kensington Olympia and Shepherd's Bush
- London Overground – Windrush line – London Victoria, London Bridge and Surrey Quays
- 2 Tooting railway station. Tooting Thameslink goes to Holborn Viaduct and Wimbledon, and directly to Luton Airport. There is also a proposed tram link. Trains can be caught at Tooting, Wandsworth Common and Balham stations.
- 3 Putney railway station. Trains leave London Waterloo for Putney every 10 minutes and the journey takes around 20 minutes.
By bus
Putney is connected by bus from the following areas:
- 220 Bus (Willesden Junction to Mapleton Crescent). Connects Putney with Hammersmith and Shepherd's Bush.
- 170 Bus (Danebury Avenue / Minstead Gardens to Victoria Bus Station). Connects Putney to Clapham Junction, Chelsea and London Victoria.
Clapham Junction
South Kensington, Knightsbridge and Hyde Park
- 430 Bus (Danebury Avenue / Minstead Gardens to Victoria & Albert Museum). Connects Putney to South Kensington.
- 74 Bus (Putney Exchange to Baker Street). Connect Putney to Earl's Court, Knightsbridge, Marble Arch and Baker Street.
- 14 Bus (Putney Heath to Russell Square). Also connects Putney with the Oxford Street area (Warren Street, Goodge Street, Tottenham Court), West End (Piccadilly Circus) and Buckingham Palace area (Green Park).
Get around
See
- 1 Wandsworth Park, Putney Bridge Road. This 19-acre riverside park was opened by London County Council in 1903 on land which used to be allotments. The park is replete with a putting green, small cafe, cricket pitch and tennis courts. The park is home to 350 species of trees and the riverside promenade is lined with London Plane trees which provide shade and beautiful views across the river.
- 2 Battersea Park (tube: Sloane Sq CIR DIS and then a 15-min walk over Chelsea Bridge), mike@batterseapark.org. A lovely park on the southern banks of the Thames known or its wildlife and some splendid examples of mature trees.
- 3 Battersea Power Station. One of the great icons of the old smog-filled London of the mid-20th century and regarded as a fine example of industrial design of the Art Deco era. This coal-fired power station generated its last electricity in 1983 and sat empty for many years before being redeveloped with flats, shops, and offices in the 2010s. In many ways best viewed from a distance on the north side of the Thames at Chelsea.
- 4 Clapham Common (tube: Clapham Common NOR ). This large open space in densely built Wandsworth has been a source of comfort to Londoners for time immemorial. The common is roughly triangular shape with an area of 88 hectares (220 acres). It is mostly open grassy parkland with scattered mature trees. There are three ponds here which are notably popular with local fisherman. The Grade II listed bandstand was fully restored in 2006.
- 5 London Wetland Centre, Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, Barnes (tube: Hammersmith CIR DIS H&C PIC , then bus 283; or bus 33 from Richmond), ☏ +44 20 8409-4400, info.london@wwt.org.uk. Substantial nature reserve on the old disused Barn Elms Reservoirs. A major wetland habitat for wintering wildfowl and an excellent choice for any keen birders visiting London, and an entertaining place for kids to learn about nature £4.50-8.13.
- 6 St Mary's Church, Battersea Church Rd, Battersea, ☏ +44 20 7228-9648, office@stmarysbattersea.org.uk. One of the oldest churches in Battersea, this church is where Christians have worshiped at the same site since 800 AD. It is protected as a Grade I listed building with its combination of heritage and architectural merit.
- 7 Wandsworth Museum, 38 West Hill, Wandsworth, SW18 1RZ, ☏ +44 20 8875-8323, contact@wandsworthmuseum.co.uk. A modest museum covering local history which relocated in 2010; has an excellent cafe.
Do
- 1 Clapham Picturehouse, 76 Venn St, SW4 0AT (tube: Clapham Common NOR ), ☏ +44 20 7498-3323. Repertory/arthouse cinema with a very varied programme.
- Easy Peasy Skate (Battersea Pk). Sa 10:30AM. For absolute beginners.
- 2 Putney Arts Theatre, Ravenna Rd, SW15 6AW, ☏ +44 20 8788-6943. Comes recommended for anyone interested in anything to do with theatre. They run drama courses for adults and children and around eight shows a year are produced by adults and children alike. Putney Theatre company offers opportunities for anyone interested in any type of theater work from acting to writing to set design. Group 64 is the youth drama group for kids, they run weekly classes, holiday projects but also put together shows.
- Putney Leisure Centre, Dryburgh Rd, SW15 1BL, ☏ +44 20 8785-0388. All-year warm swimming pool and sauna session. £4.
- Putney Walk. Starts at Putney Rail Station, passing historical houses, old pubs, a cemetery, the Embankment, etc.
- Thames Path. Start from Embankment St. If you feel energetic, from Embankment street walk south to Lower Richmond Rd via Festing Rd (a road of cute little white houses). Continue walking to the west until you reach Barnes Village.
- 3 Tooting Bec Common. A real gem, with tennis courts, football fields and plenty of open space. Sports facilities include Tooting Leisure Centre and Pool, golf, horse riding, Tooting Bec Lido (the biggest open air pool in the UK), athletic track and the nearby Streatham Ice Rink.
- 4 Tooting & Mitcham United Football Club, Imperial Fields, Bishopsford Rd, Mitcham, SM4 6BF (tube: Morden NOR , buses 280, 118, 201, Mitcham tram stop), ☏ +44 20 8648-3248. The 'Stripes' are a football club based at Imperial Fields. They play in BetVictor Isthmian League South Central Division and normally play their league games on Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons. The club has a café/bar with real ale and with big screen TV (Sky Sports) and has a gym. Adult £10, concession £5.
- Rugby Union: Rosslyn Park play in National League One, the third tier. Their home ground is at Priory Lane just south of Barnes railway station.
Buy
- 1 Clapham Junction (an area near the busy Clapham Jct Railway Stn). Good selection of shops including high street chains, supermarkets and department stores, complimented by bars, cafes and restaurants. Nearby Northcote Road has many independent shops and a Saturday market for organic food, an indoor antiques market, arts and crafts, and was voted London's second favourite shopping street.
- 2 Putney High Street. Shopping, also international and British dining experience.
- 3 Tooting and Broadway Markets, Tooting High St, SW17 0RJ (tube: Tooting Broadway NOR ). Provide a varied and interesting selection, including fruit and vegetables, clothes, furniture and household items.
Eat
There are two eating 'hubs' in the Wandsworth borough. St Johns Hill and Battersea Rise near Clapham Junction have an excellent range of restaurants, with new ones opening all the time - very popular with the young professionals who flock here after work. For the tourist looking to escape the overpriced horrors of central London this is a good, easy-to-reach option. The second hub is Tooting, which has many excellent Indian restaurants, however the area doesn't really compare to Brick Lane.
Budget
- 1 Chanteroy Delicatessen, 233a Wimbledon Park Rd, SW18 5RJ (Tube: Southfields), ☏ +44 20 8874-1446. Daily 8AM-8PM. A small delicatessen offering primarily French breads, meats and cheeses. Fresh filled baguettes are made to order and there is often a queue out the door. The staff are all native French speakers. £1.50-3.
- 2 No Cruel Burgers, Arch 65, Queens Circus, Queenstown Rd, SW8 4NE (1 minute walk from Battersea Bridge Station or Battersea Park), ☏ +44 74 7542 1222, office@plantastickitchen.co.uk. Noon-10PM. Vegan takeaway/delivery only restaurant. Vegan burgers, dessert, sauces and sides for takeaway or home delivery. UK-wide delivery for vegan afternoon tea picnic hampers and DIY burger kits.
Mid-range
- 3 Dosa n Chutney, 68 Tooting High St, Tooting, SW17 0RN (near Tooting Broadway underground on Upper Tooting Rd and close to the border with Collier's Wood), ☏ +44 20 8767 9200. Th–Su 5–10PM, closed M–W. Large restaurant.
- 4 Lahore Karahi, 1 Tooting High Street, SW17 0SN (tube: Tooting Broadway), ☏ +44 20 8767-2477, lahorekarahi@hotmail.co.uk. Daily 10AM–11PM. BYO, Halal. Pakistani restaurant serving great food at decent prices, albeit in very basic premises with cheap furnishing. No alcohol is served but you can bring your own at no charge. A meal for two is about £30.
- 5 Lahore Spices Tooting, 111-113 Upper Tooting Rd, SW17 7TJ, ☏ +44 20 8682 5120, lstooting@hotmail.com. Daily noon–11:15PM. Serving Pakistani cuisine.
- 6 Ma Goa, 244 Upper Richmond Rd SW15 6TG, ☏ +44 20 8780-1767, hello@magoaputney.com. W–Sa 4–9:30PM, closed Su–Tu. Fine Indian cuisine.
- 7 Mirch Masala, 213 Upper Tooting Rd, SW17 7TJ (tube: Tooting Broadway), ☏ +44 20 8767-8638. M–Th 4–10PM, F 1–10PM, Sa Su noon–10PM. BYO, Halal. This place would not win points for interior design, but despite the canteen-style furnishings you have the advantage of an open kitchen, so you can see exactly what they are doing to your food. The staff are numerous, fast and friendly, and you are barely sat down before a plate of poppodoms appear in front of you like magic. The menu caters very well for vegetarians, but still offers plenty of lamb, chicken and fish dishes, all generous portions and very reasonably priced.
- 8 Preto, 31-33 Putney High St, Putney, SW15 1SP, ☏ +44 20 8788-4388, putney@preto.co.uk. Daily noon–11PM. Brazilian steakhouse, with a great-value buffet (£17 with meat cooked to your liking).
- 9 Radha Krishna Bhavan, 86 Tooting High St, SW17 0RN (tube: Tooting Broadway), ☏ +44 20 8682-0969, info@radhakrishnabhavan.com. Su W Th noon–3PM & 6–10PM, F Sa noon–3PM & 6–10:30PM, closed M Tu. Fully licensed. The decor is charmingly eccentric, which just means it is a bit bonkers. Sunset palm trees on the walls and large masked figures glare back at you. The specialty here is South Indian (unlike Brick Lane which is mainly Bangladeshi), so you may discover plenty of dishes you have never heard of before. The poppodoms have some very tasty dips and every dish is very cheap for London, meaning you can try loads of different dishes between a large group. Highly recommended. Starters £2.50, mains £5-6.
- 10 Thai Girder, 36 Replingham Rd, SW18 5LR (tube: Southfields), ☏ +44 20 8877-3855, eat@thaigirder.co.uk. W–Su 6–10PM, closed M Tu. A Thai restaurant with an iron girder running through the middle of the place.
- Jack and Beyond, 146 Battersea High St, SW11, ☏ +44 7593 310545. Cake and coffee shop.
Splurge
Various restaurants and bars in Putney Wharf area. Just behind the St Mary's Church.
- 11 Chez Bruce, 2 Bellevue Rd, SW17 7EG, ☏ +44 20 8672-0114, fax: +44 20 8767-6648. Michelin star restaurant serving Modern European cuisine. Despite the award, unpretentious, great food and service; situated across the road from Wandsworth Common. £52.
- 12 Thai Square, 2-4 Lower Richmond Rd, SW15 1JN (Putney Bridge), ☏ +44 20 8780-1811, putneybridge@thaisq.com. M–Th 5:30–10PM, F–Su noon–3PM & 5:30–10PM. Thai bar/restaurant. Good, if expensive food, impressive decor, great view of the Thames river.
Drink
Balham
1 The Bedford, 77 Bedford Hill,SW12 9HD, ☏ +44 20 3976 8007. Famed for the comedy and live music in the large galleried back room 
Battersea
2 Adventure bar, 89-91 Battersea Rise, SW11 1HW, ☏ +44 20 7223-1700. Cocktail bar with daily happy hour.
3 Prince Albert, 85 Albert Bridge Rd, SW11 4PF (south of Albert Bridge opersite Battersea Park's west entrance), ☏ +44 20 7228 0923.
4 The Victoria, 166 Queenstown Rd, SW8 3QH, ☏ +44 7724 645 109.
Clapham
Clapham has many upmarket pubs and bars, particularly around the northeast area of the Common
5 The Stonhouse, 165 Stonhouse St, SW4 6BJ, ☏ +44 20 7819 9312. gastropub with garden.
Putney
Putney is blessed with a fine selection of pubs. Among the most atmospheric are the ones on the river bank.
6 Boathouse, 32 Brewhouse Ln,SW15 2JX (in Putney Wharf area), ☏ +44 20 8789 0476.
7 The Bricklayers Arms, 32 Waterman St, SW15 1DD. Rated 3rd best pub in England 2012 by National Geographic. Traditional style pub with an eclectic clientele, well-kept beers, no TV, and no food.
8 The Coat & Badge, 8 Lacy Rd, SW15 1NL, ☏ +44 20 8788 4900, coatandbadge@youngs.co.uk. The old-world outward appearance of this Youngs pub (established 1715) belies an interior that is distinctly modern. This Putney pub packs in a sizeable crowd of trendy locals, keen to enjoy the attentive service, good pub grub and a wide choice of wines and beers.
9 Duke's Head, The Dukes Head, 8 Lower Richmond Rd, SW15 1JN. A lovely gastropub with great views on and along the river. A regular for locals.
10 The Rocket, Putney Wharf, Brewhouse Ln, SW15 2JQ (on the waterfront next to Putney Bridge), ☏ +44 20 8780 8970. fancy-dan Wetherspoons
11 The Spotted Horse, 122 Putney High St, SW15 1RG, ☏ +44 20 8788 0246. Described as the oldest pub on the high street, a refurb has made this local the new kid on the block. Thankfully, the local charm and hospitality remains.
Tooting
Tooting has many new wine bars, and renovated and traditional pubs.
12 The Selkirk (formerly The Frog Forget Me Not), 60 Selkirk Rd, Tooting, SW17 0ES, ☏ +44 20 8672 6235.
Sleep
- 1 Brewers Inn Wandsworth, 147 East Hill, SW18 2QB, ☏ +44 20 8874-4128, brewersinn@youngs.co.uk. A Youngs' pub with rooms. Full English breakfast included. £120.
- 2 Flexistay ApartHotel Tooting, Thirsk Rd, CR4 2BD (tube: Tooting Broadway), ☏ +44 20 7828-1526. Budget serviced apartments. Single and double studios available. nightly, weekly and monthly rentals. £350 per week.
- 3 Holiday Inn Express London - Wandsworth, Smuggler's Way SW18 1EG, ☏ +44 870 7201298. The usual Holiday Inn Express set up.
- 4 The Lodge Hotel London, 52-54 Upper Richmond Rd, Putney, ☏ +44 20 8874-1598. Situated in a great central London location, this three-star Best Western hotel is high quality and affordable.
Connect
Go next
- Cross Putney Bridge (A219) or Wandsworth Bridge (A217) into Fulham.
- South west into Wimbledon famous as the home of Lawn Tennis.
- Follow the Thames West into Richmond on the A205 and Barnes.
| Routes through Wandsworth |
| END ← Wimbledon ← | W  E |
→ Hammersmith and Fulham → Westminster / Mayfair-Marylebone |
| Leicester Square / The City ← Lambeth ← | N  S |
→ Wimbledon → South London |
| North London ← Fulham ← West London Line ← | N  S |
→ West London Line → END |
| END ← East London Line ← | W E |
→ East London Line → Lambeth → East End |
| Routes through Wandsworth |
| The City ← Lambeth ← | NE  SW |
→ Wimbledon → Kingston-upon-Thames |