SOUTH LONDonER
christmas in south london
Our curated guide tO where tO shOp and what tO dO this festive seasOn sOuth Of the river
19 NOV – 31 DEC
JOIN ODD AND THE LEGENDARY LOKI, THOR AND ODIN ON AN EPIC ADVENTURE TO SAVE THE WORLD
CREATIVE CAPTIONS ON ALL PERFORMANCES FRI 13 DEC, 11AM RELAXED PERFORMANCE
For ages 7+
15 DEC, 2PM BSL & RELAXED PERFORMANCE
£3 discount on all tickets for Access Users. Complimentary ticket for personal assistants available.
We’ve been producing independent, balanced and community-focused journalism in south London since 1987. We moved into the old Biscuit Factory in Bermondsey in 1994, and have been there ever since.
We are proud to be a London Living Wage employer.
Our flagship publication, the southwark news launched in 1987 and is now London’s only independent, paid for newspaper.
We also publish the south London weekly and greenwich and Lewisham weekender every week, as well as the quarterly Bermondsey Biscuit and rotherhithe docker
We use 100% recovered paper from the Ortviken papermill in Sweden, a green energy provider who use biofuel instead of oil and provide heat for 10,000 single family homes. www.southlondon.co.uk
editor Eliza Frost
design Lizzy Tweedale, Dan Martin, Ann Gravesen
Marketing Clarry Frewin, Katie Boyd
Media partnerships Anthony Phillips
finance Emrah Zeki
Managing directors Chris Mullany and Kevin Quinn
phone 020 7231 5258
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website southlondon.co.uk
WINTER MARKET PLACE
home secretary:
What’s on
GLiDe into battersea poWer station
Set against the backdrop of Battersea Power Station, ice skate the season away with Glide, presented by Boots.
With views of the Thames and under the twinkling lights of a 30ft Christmas tree, you can skate around three interconnecting ice rinks. Whether you’re practising your backwards skating or need to hold on to a trusty penguin, Glide welcomes everyone to enjoy this festive activity.
After your skate session, you can carry on the good vibes in The Glass House to warm up with a hot choc or enjoy a tipple with views of the skaters left gliding around the rink.
Dates and ticket prices vary Circus Road West, Nine Elms, SW8 5BN glidebatterseapowerstation.co.uk
cheese anD Wine tastinG at DuLWich picture GaLLery
Dulwich Picture Gallery brings you a sumptuous cheese and wine pairing event for the festive season where you will enjoy an evening featuring five wines paired with five cheeses.
Indulge in slabs of blue, some cheeky cheddars, as you sip on some delicious – and expertly paired – wines. You’ll also come away with endless hints and tips on how cheese and wines can complement each other.
Plus, your ticket includes early entry to enjoy the Gallery’s collection from 6:30pm.
Date: 5 December 2024
tickets: £45, £40 for friends of the Gallery College Road, SE21 7AD www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/whats-on/ festive-events/2024/december/cheese-and-winetasting-in-the-gallery
secret
1930s jazz cLub
Hot Harlem jazz, Park Avenue dining and Manhattan Island excess; this is the Jazz Age at Ms Belle Livingstone’s 58th Street Country Club.
For the night, you are the Bright Young Things of 1930s New York, and the bourbon-soaked paradise is your playground. You’ll enjoy live music fronted by vocalist Ayesha Pike and led by “King” Rory Simmons on horns.
Served with old-school glamour, you’ll enjoy a sixcourse meal of pure Park Avenue indulgence designed by executive chef Mr. Ash Clarke.
The dress code is 1930s luxe, think glamorous and elegant; black, white, and metallics are preferred. Time to party like it’s 1939.
Dates: Various to 31 December 2024
tickets: Prices vary 133 Rye Lane, SE15 3SN 58thstreet.co.uk
LonDon Gay men’s chorus: christmas bop
Enjoy a toe-tapping festive trip back to dance halls of the 1950s and 60s with the London Gay Men’s Chorus this festive season.
Jingle all the way to the Christmas Bop at Southbank’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. The show features festive classics that capture the sound of an era when rock and roll, jive and bunny hop filled the airwaves.
Led by the singers of the acclaimed London Gay Men’s Chorus, this is a fun and energetic concert to get you in the holiday spirit with a songbook packed with classics like “Jingle Bell Rock”, “I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”.
Dates: 6 and 7 December 2024
tickets: From £25 – buy 5 tickets get 1 free Queen Elizabeth Hall, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX southbank.london/whats-on/london-gay-menschorus-christmas-bop
Birch & Birch is hosting a Christmas wreath workshop in the newly renovated Walworth Town Hall this December. In collaboration with Finchtails, a Peckham-based flower and event stylist, you will learn how to make a decorative wreath.
Different foliage, dried fruits, ribbons and decorations are all included, and a wide selection will be available on the night for you to choose from, making every wreath unique.
You can also enjoy free-flowing mulled wine and homemade mince pies – plus, a member of the team will take the keyboard to play carols, singalong optional.
Everyone will take their wreath home, meaning you can enjoy it during the whole of Advent.
Date: 1 December 2024
tickets: £70 – get £5 off with code SOUTHLONDONER
Walworth Town Hall, SE17 1RS www.tickettailor.com/events/finchtails/1419753
christmas Wreath Workshop
Saturday Sessions
Start the weekend with creative activities and performances for children aged 5 – 11, and their families (free, no ticket required).
Adapted Relaxed Sessions take place in the morning (free, ticket required).
Sat 7 Dec, Sat 11 Jan, Sat 8 Feb, Sat 8 Mar
Creative Encounters
Find a home in the heart of London with evenings of arts, music, poetry and creative activities for all.
Wed 11 Dec, Wed 18 Dec, Wed 15 Jan, Wed 29 Jan, Wed 5 Feb, Wed 26 Feb, Wed 12 Mar, Wed 26 Mar
Part of Open Doors
Our regular free events are open to all, and bursting with creativity
Mix & Move
Pick up new steps and meet people at our monthly dance workshops showcasing dance styles and dancers from across the globe.
Fri 22 Nov, Fri 13 Dec, Fri 24 Jan, Fri 28 Feb, Fri 28 Mar
Scan the QR code to see all Open Doors events
The Cocoa Butter Club © Bryan Aseya
Cassenbaum © Alex Brenner
Electric Shuffle unveils limited edition winter menu and Festive brunch
Level up party season with a specially curated menu of christmas crackers and a bottomless brunch with a difference
The work Christmas party held in a stuffy office is a thing of the past, we’re looking for bigger and better. Luckily for us in London, there are so many places on offer to bring an edge of excitement to the festive season.
And at Electric Shuffle – which has branches in London Bridge and Canary Wharf – the party is only just getting started.
The bar is known for its chic interiors with a cocktail list that will have you saying, “Another one of these, please” to the bartender, and a delicious array of sharing dishes, and not forgetting the high-tech shuffleboard.
And now it’s launched some festive treats just in time for the Christmas party season.
So, if you’re role is social secretary at your place of work or in your group of friends, we’re here to make that decision easy for you…
Electric Shuffle’s new seasonally-inspired collection of cocktails and snacks, combined with that party feeling and fast-paced games, is the perfect recipe for fun-filled get-togethers with a difference.
the winter menu: your favourites but with a festive twist
Electric Shuffle’s new limited-edition cocktail menu features a collection of classic drinks adapted with an injection of winter and festive flavour combinations. Each sip is intended to evoke images of Christmas nostalgia.
Seasonal tipples on offer include the Winter Hugo Spritz, a refreshing blend of St Germain Elderflower liqueur, Prosecco and spiced berry cordial, topped with a splash of soda. This spritz brings together the crispness of prosecco with the warmth of winter spices for the perfect balance of sweet and refreshing.
The decadent Red Velvet Martini pairs Cîroc vodka with Chambord raspberry liqueur and Disaronno Velvet for a smooth, creamy texture. A touch of grenadine and vanilla adds subtle sweetness.
You’ll also find delectable bar bites like crispy brie with cranberry sauce and pigs in blankets with honey and mustard, which make for the perfect pairing. No double dipping, though.
toast to the festive season with a bottomless brunch
Throughout the month of December, Electric Shuffle will host its two-hour Festive Brunch Social on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
From £30 per person, you can expect 120 minutes of Christmas party tunes from the resident DJ, a cocktail on arrival from the limited-edition winter menu followed by a bottle of prosecco for every guest. There will be lip-smackingly good bottomless pizza paddles and an hour at the shuffleboard, too. Plus, show up dressed in your most glitzy and outthere outrageous Christmas jumper and you’ll be in with a chance to score some goodies.
Wait, but what is Electric Shuffle?
Electric Shuffle has transformed shuffleboard, it uses technology to reimagine the classic game for modern times and then houses it in a stylish bar set-up.
The high-tech version of the shuffleboard uses state-of-the-art cameras to track the position of every puck and automatically keeps score. At Electric Shuffle, shuffleboard can be enjoyed by up to 320 players in one game.
First opened in London in 2019, Electric Shuffle now has five venues across the UK – and also in the US. Since opening, it has welcomed over a million visitors and seen a sweet nine million pucks thrown.
Created by the Red Engine team, Electric Shuffle is the sister brand to Flight Club, which launched in London’s Shoreditch in 2015 and now has 21 venues across the UK, US and Australia.
The winter menu will be available at all Electric Shuffle venues from 18 November up to the first week of January.
The Festive Brunch will be available on weekends through December.
Canary Wharf: 10 Cabot Square, North Colonnade, E14 4EY London Bridge: 10 Bermondsey Street, SE1 2ER electricshuffle.com/uk/london
Snow White
Family events
By Eliza Frost
Alice In Wonderland
Last seen over the Christmas 2022 season, Poltergeist and Brixton House’s reinterpretation of Alice in Wonderland returns to Brixton for an extended run this year.
Featuring a new cast led by poet, performer and writer Tatenda Matsvai as Alice, the show, which is rooted and inspired by the local Brixton community, brings this much-loved classic bang up to date in contemporary south London.
After an explosive argument with Mum at Brixton Underground Station, eleven-year-old Alice leaps onto the tube seconds before the doors shut. Trapped on a train speeding into Nonsense, surrounded by weird and wonderful passengers, and at the mercy of a Queen who won’t relinquish the controls, can Alice turn this train around?
Enjoy a Christmas ride suitable for the whole family reimagined on London Underground’s Victoria Line.
Dates: 21 November 2024 to 4 January 2025
tickets: From £15
385 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, SW9 8GL www.brixtonhouse.co.uk
Santa’s Grotto
Come and meet Father Christmas in his grotto, and get an amazing present made by his elves, at Stanley Arts Centre this festive season.
Every ticket holder will receive a special gift from Santa and have the time to tell him all about their Christmas wishlist.
Children can visit Santa in groups if booked within the same timeslot with separate tickets and adults must be there throughout, although no ticket is needed for them.
Book your tickets to see Red Riding Hood (14 December 2024) at Stanley Arts with your ticket to Santa’s Grotto and enjoy 10% off your panto tickets.
Dates: 29 November to 24 December
tickets: £6 per child
12 South Norwood Hill, SE25 6AB stanleyarts.org/event/santasgrotto/2024-11-29
Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, don’t miss the fairest pantomime of them all.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be brought to life this festive season at Churchill Theatre, starring TV personality, doctor and presenter Dr Ranj as The Man in the Mirror, pop and musical theatre star Gareth Gates as The Prince, and panto comic Simon Fielding as Muddles. They will be joined by West End stars Britt Lenting as The Wicked Queen and Laura Emmitt as Snow White.
Throw in a magical mirror, the magnificent
seven and plenty of audience participation and you have the perfect recipe to outwit the Wicked Queen and let love prevail in this festive treat for all ages.
Dates: 7 December 2024 to 5 January 2025
tickets: £25 to £54
Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley, BR1 1HA
trafalgartickets.com/churchill-theatrebromley/en-GB/event/pantomime/snowwhite-tickets
Whippersnappers’ Winter Wonderland
On the edge of Dulwich Park by College Gate stands the old Victorian Park keeper’s Lodge; a ‘Gingerbread House’ where, each year, Father Christmas and his elves climb down the chimney and entertain children with Whippersnappers’ Winter Wonderland Experience.
On arrival, guests will be greeted by Santa’s elves who will serve them mulled wine, hot chocolate and mince pies in the Wyld Woods. Climb in Santa’s sleigh for a festive photo before joining in with the musical elf band to record some tunes.
Visit the Elf cinema and pop into Mrs Claus’ kitchen where you can decorate gingerbread people before following Santa’s footsteps to the Wonderland Waiting Room where children meet Starfrost the Christmas Tree Fairy, who will be busy painting faces with her fairy dust.
End your visit meeting the Big Man himself and hanging Christmas wishes on his tree before receiving a present.
This year, it is raising money for the upkeep of Park Keepers Lodge in Dulwich Park and to support the activities it delivers for disabled children.
Dates: 1 December to 23 December 2024 tickets: Adults £17.50, children £28.50 College Lodge, 5 College Rd, SE21 7BQ whippersnappers.org/whatson/winterwonderland
Winter Lodge at Battersea Park Children’s Zoo
Experience the zoo like never before with Battersea Park Zoo’s after-dark events this December with three special evenings to discover wildlife under the stars.
As darkness falls, the zoo will come alive with festive performances, seasonal treats and exclusive talks all about the special animals that call it home.
You can sing along to carols and take part in Christmas games, crafts and activities – plus indulge in some heartening food and seasonal drinks to keep you cosy.
Not forgetting seeing your favourite animals in a whole new light, too, with the zoo’s exclusive keeper talks by lantern light. Find out more about Rico, the prehensile-tailed porcupine, and harvest mice, or take part in a meet and greet with donkeys and Valais blacknose sheep.
The Battersea Zoo bandstand will also light up with a vibrant mix of musical performances, featuring choral groups, classical ensembles, and more.
Dates: 6, 13 and 20 December 2024
tickets: Adult £18.95, children £16.95, group ticket of four people £65 Battersea Park, London, SW11 4NJ www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk/whats-on/ events/winter-nights-at-the-zoo
Black & White Café
By Eliza Frost
Down Atlantic Road in Brixton, you’ll find Black & White Cafe. The all-day dining and takeaway spot has been there for 14 years and specialises in Caribbean cuisine.
The head chef of Black & White Cafe tells The South Londoner how he learned to cook from his family and friends in Jamaica when he was a boy, “and the things I loved there”.
He then brought those much-enjoyed dishes to the people of Brixton through the cafe – and the “customers love it”, he says, adding that they say it is well prepared.
On the menu you’ll find many different curries and stews at Black & White Cafe, plus dishes such as Oxtail, which is braised down in a savoury sauce with spices and butterbeans, or the curry goat, with tender meat and seasoned with an array of spices, and not forgetting the pepper steak dish, strips of beef cooked with peppers, allspice and with a slight kick of scotch bonnet pepper for those who like a bit of spice, as well as their roast breadfruit.
Black & White Cafe serves up all homemade drinks, too, such as fruit punch, Guinness punch, lemonade, and sorrel and ginger.
The cafe also has a long-standing tradition of Fish Fridays – or Frydays. Served from 2pm every week, some special dishes are introduced to the menu.
Black & White Cafe serves up steamed fish, a whole sea bass, parrot or snapper fish that comes with Irish
potato, okra, pumpkin, crackers and bammy; fried fish, again sea bass, parrot or snapper, that comes with bammy and onion, garlic and pepper garnishes; or pepper prawns, a portion covered in peppery sauce created with Jamaican spices and scotch bonnet peppers.
And the head chef’s favourite is the steamed fish, “because it’s healthy”.
Being based in Brixton, the head chef says the best thing about having Black & White Cafe here is the people, those who come in and enjoy the food on offer.
75 Atlantic Road, SW9 8PU
Winter at the southbank centre!
Come together for a magical Winter at the Southbank Centre with spectacular shows, luminous art, cracking activities, a wondrous Winter Market and more festive treats making spirits bright this winter.
Winter at the Southbank Centre is here until Sunday 5 January, offering holiday fun for all to enjoy the festive magic of London.
Be wowed by sparkling theatre, dance and circus. For families, Carlos Acosta's Nutcracker in Havana and Circa's Duck Pond will be bringing exciting new takes on classic ballets. Plus, Tom Fletcher’s best-selling book The Creakers has been adapted for stage in a new musical adventure, and 1927 will take us into a magical, mischievous world with handcrafted animation in Please Right Back.
For cabaret fans in the new year, Fascinating Aïda celebrates 40 fabulous years of the beloved singing trio.
Enjoy live music spanning classical music, Christmas carols and festive favourites, featuring the London Gay Men’s Chorus, Mohit Chauhan and Sir Bryn Terfel.
Wander around the beloved Winter Market and pop-ups, offering delicious food, drink and twinkling lights right by the river. Keep your belly full with plates of truffle burgers, duck wraps, spicy chicken boxes with fresh cut Cajun fries, lobster buns, hot dogs, dutch pancakes, churros and chocolate-smothered fruit. Ward off the cold by cradling a mulled wine or hot chocolate while you browse for gifts, jewellery and decorations made by independent creatives.
Plus, there’s plenty of cracking free activities for everyone, including art and exhibitions with Winter Light and Koestler Arts: No Comment, dancing with Five Go Jiving and Mix & Move, celebrations at Kids’ Countdown with Just Vibez and New Year's Day Ceilidh,
Until Sun 5 Jan
and crafting at Winter Re-Imagined and Creative Encounters.
Alongside this, experience our must-see exhibition Haegue Yang: Leap Year at the Hayward Gallery, open until Sunday 5 January. Described as 'surreal, exuberant...uplifting, festive' in a four-star review by The Telegraph, the exhibition explores a world of inventive, immersive and multisensory installations and sculptures inspired by East Asian traditions and folklore, modernism, contemporary art history and nature. Don’t forget, under-30s can get tickets for just £9 (available Tuesday – Friday and after 5pm on Saturday), Lambeth residents can get tickets for £5 and under-12s go free.
Discover all the festive treats this winter at the Southbank Centre at https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/winter
Kids' Countdown Photo: Alice Boagey
Winter Market Photo: Adam Luszniask
Installation view of Haegue Yang: Leap Year, 2024.
Photo: Mark Blower. Courtesy the artist and the Hayward Gallery
José Pizarro’s Favourite Treats Hamper
£169.50
For every lover of Spanish cuisine, this José Pizarro hamper is full of the finest, authentic, artisan food from across Spain and a bottle of one of José’s favourite riojas, Marqués de Vargas Gran Reserva.
It includes Cantabrian Salted anchovies and delicious figs covered in chocolate – perfect when accompanied by a morning coffee or an evening drink next to the Christmas tree.
The hamper also includes Jamón Ibérico, Lomo Ibérico, Espinaler mussels ‘en escabeche’ (marinated in vinegar), Perelló spicy gordal olives, Ortiz tuna chunks as well as Manchego cheese.
Buy online: shop.josepizarro. com/collections/xmas-gift-ideas/ products/joses-favourites-hamper
Kashmiri Chilli Oil by Third Culture Kat
£8.50
THE SOUTH LONDON Gift Guide
Gaurab Thakali’s ‘Suryaska’
£60
This Gaurab Thakali print is inspired by the visual culture and landscape of the artist’s home country Nepal. ‘Suryaska’ comes from an edition of 200 and is signed and numbered by the artist, making it a special gift to give this season.
It is a 29.7cm x 29.7cm Risograph print on archival 220gsm paper.
Buy online: www.gaurabthakalishop.com
This Kashmiri Chilli Oil is a unique South Asian blend, inspired by the traditional tarkas of the cuisine. Kashmiri chillies aren’t overly spicy but are prized for their rich flavour and aroma. Perfect for the spice in your life.
Third Culture Kat also works with farmers in Pakistan, aiming to create fairer and more sustainable supply chains.
Buy online: delli.market/products/kashmiri-chilli-oil or from select south London stockists Italo and Kitchen Provisions.
The Happiest Diet in the World by Giulia Crouch
£16.99
London food writer Giulia Crouch explores the phenomenon of blues zones – places where people live longer and healthier than the rest of us – in the book The Happiest Diet in the World: How to eat like the healthiest people on earth
Asking the experts Giulia answers key questions about nutrition and reveals the health benefits of some of the tastiest foods such as cheese, olive oil, red wine, bread and pasta. A happy diet is a healthy one, says Giulia. Buon appetito to that.
Buy online or in-store on Amazon, Waterstones and other booksellers. Audiobook and eBook also available.
Calm Coffee Subscription
£81 for a three-month subscription (less than £1/cup)
The Decaf Gift Subscription by Calm Coffee is for a friend who enjoys a coffee ritual without the rush. Each month, your recipient will receive 2x250g bags of the finest decaf coffee, ideal for all brewing methods and enough for a daily cup.
Delivered straight to their door with free postage, this thoughtful subscription showcases top-quality, naturally decaffeinated coffee from around the world.
Buy online: www.calmcoffeeroastery.co.uk
Deptford Does Art
£30/A3, £15/A4
We all have our favourite Morley’s memories, so why not surprise someone with a print to remind them of it this Christmas? Deptford Does Art is a shop and gallery selling on behalf of hundreds of local makers and artists; you’re sure to find something unique for that someone special at an affordable price.
Buy in-store: 28 Deptford High Street, SE8 4AF
LAURA Mohair Silk Scrunchie by KNOTTS
£55
KNOTTS is a sustainable crochet brand from south London that shines a light on manufacturing processes. The LAURA Mohair Silk Scrunchie is made with 70% mohair and 30% silk yarn, consisting of over 1,500 stitches and is made to order. Scrunchies are available in every colour on the KNOTTS website, and you can also design your own by contacting the maker directly.
Buy online: www.knotts.studio
Cheese and Wine print by Nina Bombina
£15.99
A colourful and cheerful print for cheese and wine lovers.
Grab this for a pal who you enjoy sharing a slice of blue with, or a glass of rosé, or nab as a gift for yourself.
The Nina Bombina print is available in A4 size and is printed on thick, quality paper.
Buy online: www.ninabombina.com
Puzzle Designs Charm Jewellery
Prices from £25 for bracelets and £35 necklaces
Puzzle Designs charm pieces are a perfect choice to gift a unique Christmas present this December. Each design is customisable – and waterproof, so they can wear it anywhere.
Create your own designs while choosing from 150+ charms, meaning you can add your own meaningful stamp to the design.
Buy online: www.thepuzzledesign.com
Chin Chin Prints
From £18.99
South London illustrator Emily Chin creates location-based prints, stickers, totes and cards. Hand-drawing local landmarks, Emily then enhances them digitally with vibrant colours, texture and shading.
With a wide selection of locations available –like Crystal Palace, Brockley, Catford, Brixton and Battersea – you can gift a piece of south London love with each product. A thoughtful gift for anyone with a special place in their heart for south London.
Buy online: www.chinchinprints.co.uk
Frill of It scrunchies at Ed
£24.95
Bad hair days don’t exist when you throw a massive frill on your head. These large and lavish scrunchies by Frill of It are the perfect way to make any ponytail pop and any bun beam. Available to buy at East Dulwich’s Ed, they are made with thick French linen.
Buy in-store: Ed, 41 North Cross Rd, East Dulwich, SE22 9ET
Hiver Beers Bermondsey Beer Mile Tasting Voucher
£25.50
The gift of a day out on the Beer Mile with Hiver Beers, for activity and beer-loving friends and family. Start your day out with an 80-minute expert-guided tasting in the centre of south London’s craft beer makers.
Little Mouse Christmas British Cheese Selection
£33-£89
Christmas just isn’t Christmas without an exceptional cheese board. Little Mouse has curated the perfect Christmas British Cheese Selection to wow your family and friends with this year. The three-cheese selection includes British Brie-de-Meaux Baron Bigod, Isle of Mull Cheddar, and Colston Bassett Stilton. With the five cheese selection, you’ll also get a very specially-aged Templegall and the award-laded British Morbier Ashcombe.
Buy in-store: Little Mouse, 212A Selhurst Road, SE25 6XU
Buy online: littlemousecheese.com/christmas
In Hiver Beer’s custom-built tasting room, you’ll do a deep dive into five of the brewery’s offerings and learn secrets of the area’s brewing heritage.
The ticket also includes a voucher for a drink in Hiver’s Taproom and a (self-guide) map of the food and drink businesses on the mile. Plus, they won’t let you leave without a memento of your time together – you’ll get free Hiver seeds to plant for your local bees.
Buy online: hiverbeers.com
Forest’s Handwoven Shopping Basket
£60
This handwoven basket from Forest is made in the north of Ghana by a group of self-taught women in Bolgatanga. It showcases the artistry of African weaving while providing practical and sustainable solutions for everyday needs. The baskets are made from 100% locally grown elephant grass with high-quality fibres and natural dyes, making them an eco-friendly choice.
Buy online: forest.london
HOSEF
£218
The gift of door decoration; this Vintage Cosy Christmas Rug available at HOSEF is a soft medium pile vintage wool rug with warm pink and brown tones. It is a subtle nod to the holidays, featuring deer and trees. It is 142cm x 100cm.
Buy online: www.hosefstore.co.uk
Buy in-store: 32a Market Row, Brixton Village, SW9 8LD
Hattie Buzzard Jewellery Vintage
Bead Bag Charms
£32
Hattie Buzzard Jewellery Bag Charms are a special accessory that you can personalise. Made with vintage and repurposed beads threaded onto a chunky cord, they are made to tie to bags, keys or purses.
Each bag charm is one of a kind and you can choose to add letters that are meaningful to the person you’re gifting to – a perfect keepsake for someone you love.
Buy online: www.hattiebuzzard.com
Marcon Court Project
£130
Brixton Street Wear Baseball Cap
£30
The navy and yellow Brixton Street Wear baseball cap is the perfect gift to give a Brixton local this Christmas. With 3D embroidered stitching in 100% chino cotton, the cap has a metal buckle adjuster and a distressed look to the peak.
Buy in-store: Unit 57 Granville Arcade, Brixton Village, Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8PR
Buy online: www.brixtonstreetwear.co.uk
The Natalia blouse is an A-line oversized top with a statement collar designed by the Marcon Court Project in south London. It is the perfect piece to elevate winter outfits, and a lovely gift to give to a fashion-focused loved one.
It is made out of brushed cotton, which is a fabric that will help you keep warm without having to wear lots of layers. Perfect for a south London winter.
Buy online: www.themarconcourtproject.co.uk
Pleasant Homeware at Guzzl
Prices: From £20.99
Brixton’s independent answer to Fortnum & Mason, Guzzl is packed full of indulgent goodies to browse ahead of gifting season, including chocolates, natural wine, hot sauces and loads more. Guzzl always supports small independent producers, and it is an exclusive home to Pleasant Homeware, the brainchild of chef @whatwillycook. The plates, bowls and mugs are all handmade in Portugal, available in Brixton.
Buy in-store: Unit 9, Granville Arcade, Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8PR
Mothers & Suns’ Moringa Kombucha
£4.75
Moringa Kombucha is a refreshing, nutrient-rich drink crafted for wellness enthusiasts. Mothers & Suns’ kombucha combines traditional fermentation with the superfood benefits of moringa, known for its antioxidants, vitamins and natural probiotics that support gut health and immunity.
Buy in south London stores: Khan’s Bargains, Royal Maroon Herbs, Gladwell’s, Budgens Pomeroy Street, Jays Budgens Buy online: www.lifeofatree.co.uk/products/ moringa-kombucha
Brixton Hot Sauce
£6.95
Brixton: the sauce that started it all. This fiery blend pays tribute to the vibrant, local community that gave birth to Lazy Scientist. Crafted with Scotch Bonnet and tomato, it’s a hot sauce with deep roots in the heart of SW9.
The Glowcery
Beauty brand The Glowcery offers great stocking fillers for Christmas. The Superfood Snacks Set (£30) is a skincare set containing all seven of The Glowcery’s nutrient-rich skincare products in bitesize pots. Or there is the Recharge Duo Set, which has an exclusive Christmas deal of two candles for £20 until stocks last.
Floral events, weddings
farewell florals, dinners
weekly floral deliveries
potted gardens, restaurant contracts.
Bespoke, sustainable floral design.
Sourcing with the best of the seasons at the forefront of design.
nina bombina on why ‘more is more’
the crystal palace maker talks about creating dopamine décor and how south London inspires who she wants to be and what she wants to make
Ilove how creative South London is,” says Nina Robinson, the owner and designer of the brand Nina Bombina.
Nina creates colourful gifts and “dopamine décor”, including prints, cards, notebooks, tea towels, stickers and soon-to-be-launched tote bags. She also takes on custom commissions and works as a freelance graphic designer.
“My style is colourful, maximalist, vibrant and fun. More is more,” she says.
Nina has been “super arty” since a very young age and she has always wanted to design and make products.
Nina Bombina as a brand was born out of lockdown and began with a range of cards featuring Black and Brown characters, “as they are often underrepresented in the greetings card industry”, she explains.
And once the cards were taken on board by Moonpig, Funky Pigeon and Paperchase, she started designing
prints, too, and then expanded her range from there.
“I’ve got a photography degree and am a professional photographer, but I felt I needed to create things, too, rather than just capture them,” she says.
In the last four years, Nina has created works using lots of different mediums – digital design, polymer clay, fabric, marbling inks, metal, card and more – “but my favourite is digital design”.
“I recently scaled back my making to focus on that, allowing me to apply my designs via print onto different objects; that way, the possibilities are endless,” she adds.
And her favourite thing about creating brightly coloured pieces of work? It has to be the “satisfaction I get from the start of designing to seeing the end product”, she says.
“When I’m out and about at art exhibitions or in gift shops and see colourful things that are in the style I love,
they really spark joy in me, so to get that same feeling from the things I make is a wonderful thing. I hope that feeling is passed onto others when they see my creations, too,” Nina adds.
Living in Crystal Palace, Nina really feels like there is an artistic community bubbling away, which she also feels when walking around the annual Artists’ Open House, “seeing the street art, popping into local exhibitions and going to freelancer meetups”.
“It’s great to discover local creatives and connect over a shared love of making,” Nina adds.
South London also plays a part in Nina’s art: “It’s influenced my work with its network of creative people that I’m grateful to have tapped into, who inspire me with their own work and share great opportunities.
“Coming here after growing up in a Midlands town with little diversity, south London has provided me with an environment that allows me to express myself more, and is a constant inspiration for who I want to be and what I want to make.”
www.ninabombina.com
© Molly Rhianon Photography
salad Days market
―
the twin sisters behind the market chat all things south London, their ‘favourite place in the world’
By Eliza Frost
Photographers:
Rio Carciero & Beatrice Granados
“I never knew the answer when people asked, ‘What’s your life goal?’ And now I know it’s because I couldn’t possibly have dreamed of a life this good.” says Daisy Tinker, who runs Salad Days Market with twin sister Liv.
“Every day I feel lucky that I get to live in the most amazing part of the most amazing city, work with the most amazing people, and work with my sister, in my favourite place in the world – south London.”
Salad Days hosts pop-up markets in places like Battersea Power Station, Selfridges and Gipsy Hill Brewery, curating and inviting a wide selection of creatives and makers to sell their wares, and for you to attend, browse and shop for free.
Feeling inspired
And being a free space for people to visit is important to the pair. “Some products at the market are expensive. Products are handmade in the UK and often sustainable or one-of-a-kind. They’re not going to be the cheapest,” says Liv. “But we always want people to be able to come to the market, enjoy it as an event, as a space, feel welcomed, feel inspired, feel happy. That is the essence of Salad Days.”
As their five-year anniversary approaches, they explain how it all began.
Ever since they were children, Daisy and Liv have wanted to work together, creating little magazines together and scheming a department store named after them. Both went on to study similar subjects at university and found success in jobs in the fashion industry, but “we just weren’t happy”, they say.
Having noticed that you could rent a room in a local Crystal Palace library one Christmas season, “we’ve honestly never thought about anything less”, says Daisy of how it felt when they put down the deposit with plans to host a market.
This was in 2019 and without any previous market experience – just being lifelong shoppers – they invited makers, set up stalls and hosted the very first of what is now Salad Days Market.
“On the day, there was this really magical feeling in the air; so many people came, and all the sellers had such great feedback,” says Daisy. It was such a success that stallholders were asking when they could book the next event as they left.
From the high of the Sunday market, Monday saw
Liv fired from her full-time job: “I guess [the market] is my job now,” she thought at the time.
Determined spirit
Filled with determination and ready for a lot of hard work, Liv says: “We just knew that we could make the market a success if we both put our all into it. So, we’ve worked and worked and worked.
“I think being fired and to have it taken out of my hands, it was like all of a sudden everything could be really authentic, which I know is cheesy, but I started doing things that actually made me happy and losing a lot of the anxiety that came from my job. Through that, we both reconnected to a lot of the things that we loved.”
Daisy adds how they “tapped into who we were as people and what made us happy”, and the market expanded naturally. Daisy offers a great analogy of when you meet a potential partner: “You think, do they like me? Is it going to work? But it won’t work because you’re overthinking it so much.”
But they never questioned Salad Days.
Formerly A South London Makers Market, the name change came about as they began to expand. Although south London is always the focus, it started to become greater than.
Liv explains how it was originally an offshoot of an Instagram account they ran called A South London Style, where they would post content on interiors.
The Salad Days rebrand was to make it “less confusing”, and there was a special story attached.
Living our Salad Days
Liv started going to Crystal Palace Car Boot each week, looking for items to sell on a vintage shop she had set up. “Del Boy is our ultimate hero. And I was tapping into my Del Boy energy,” she laughs, adding that buying and selling items helped build her independence after losing her job.
“One day I came across a box,” she explains, with the warning that she may cry telling this story. “It was a shoe box of all of these old leaflets and flyers from different theatre productions that had happened in south London over the past 50 years, and they were all hand-drawn, programmes that had been photocopied, listing the actors and characters.”
With gorgeous illustrations, Liv thought they were
12 December | 7.30pm | Free
QUEER CHRISTMAS with MARK T COX
12 December | 7pm GROTTO FOR GROWN-UPS!
12 December | 7.30pm A CHINEKE! CHRISTMAS
15 December | 7.30pm STEP INTO CHRISTMAS
19 December | 7pm THE ORANGE ROOM COLLECTIVE: CHRISTMAS OPEN MIC
21 & 22 December | 11am & 2pm THE ENCHANTED CINEMA: ‘THE SNOWMAN’ INTERACTIVE
21 December | 7pm | Free SISTERLAND SOLSTICE
31 December | 7.30pm | Free NEW YEAR’S EVE AT WOOLWICH WORKS
so cool and started to frame them to sell on her shop.
She continues: “We spent ages looking through them, and then we found a card in there that was addressed to a woman called Beryl, which is our nan’s name. I thought it was amazing that I’d found this box of things that were going to end up in the bin.
“But then also, when I was looking through them, I found loads for a production called ‘Salad Days’, which I hadn’t ever heard of before. Searching for what the phrase means, it’s when you’re young and you’re naive and you’re living your best days, and you’ve got a youthful optimism about the future. It really struck a chord.”
And they realised they were living their salad days, then and there.
New perspectives
“It made us perceive things completely differently,” Liv adds, “Instead of feeling lost, we thought, what a privilege to feel excited that we don’t know where life is going to go. Instead of feeling anxious about having not achieved all of these things, we thought how exciting that the next year could look completely different.”
Throughout the life of A South London Makers Market and then Salad Days Market, we experienced the Covid lockdowns, and it came right after Daisy and Liv had planned a series of further events following the Christmas market success.
But instead of cancelling, the market went online – and it was a smash and a half, but not without its challenges.
Daisy says: “We realised that people who were self-employed weren’t going to necessarily get furlough payments. These people’s livelihoods at that specific time in March and April 2020 were really hanging in the balance, and we felt so much personal responsibility to deliver something to them so that they could make money for those next few months, as they’d booked into a market already. It wasn’t an option not to carry on.”
Setting up the tech and running online markets meant they reached one million people some months, and many of those now support the in-person markets, too. A community was built.
Liv adds how the community is the “reason Salad Days is more than a market”.
When coming out of lockdown, Daisy and Liv could run events locally again and they felt that the bar was raised.
The first event was in Selfridges. Daisy says: “From running two events in the local library to a year of online events, to then hosting a pop-up in Selfridges. You couldn’t write it; it was the biggest rollercoaster. We always say Ronan Keating is right, and you do just have to ride it.”
Despite varying venues, what Salad Days does hasn’t changed, “it’s always been simple tables with people bringing beautiful products”, says Liv.
They receive many applications from traders when planning each market, but the “curation from day one has always been our biggest focus”, says Daisy.
“The level of talent out there is incredible, and we are so lucky that we get to work with who we think is the best of the best.”
And Liv adds how they enjoy building relationships with makers, too – like Rosie from Good Daze who was at their first-ever market and who, nearly five years later, joined them at a market hosted at The Hoxton recently.
“Sometimes we get emails from people who tell us they think it should be a new line-up every single time, which I do understand is some people’s opinions, but we love to have those ongoing relationships with stallholders and see what new things they’re doing,” Liv adds.
Supporting small businesses
When it comes to shopping, Daisy and Liv are from a family of shoppers, they say.
“Shopping has genuinely and truly always been our hobby, passion and expertise,” says Daisy, “and we’ve always been interested in small, independent businesses”.
Their family run an upholstery business and grew up chatting about it over the dinner table, and then working in fashion gave them more awareness, including “of what we didn’t like about the industry”, explains Liv.
Adding: “From the beginning, we’ve always been excited about showing people why it’s amazing to shop small, as much as the message of it’s important to shop small is so relevant and true, we think it’s amazing because the product itself is so great.
“We’re so passionate about shopping small that it’s easy for us to talk about how exciting, how thrilling, how great, how unique it is because the product truly is better than what you could find anywhere else.”
With so much love and care going into making the
products sold by small businesses, the transfer from the maker to the buyer allows you to take on that energy, says Daisy.
Shopping habits
Daisy and Liv often enjoy a spot of shopping at the markets, but what’s been their best buy?
Liv mentions how it wasn’t directly from a market, but a maker called Kitty who has attended Salad Days in the past made her engagement ring with her now fiancée, and with help from Daisy, “and to have it from a small brand who we’ve worked with, that is so special”.
For Daisy it’s a bag from Studio Kyodai: “They are made by Scarlett who is a south London girlie based in Brixton, and she uses deadstock fabrics to make the most beautiful handbags.”
Chatting as three south London girlies, sitting around a table at The Alma in Crystal Palace talking about the abundance of creativity and talent coming out of this side of the river, Daisy and Liv say how they are “here to champion our communities”.
And south London has a lot to offer.
Liv explains: “We’re here to show people the best of south London, and we’re here to hopefully raise people up from those communities as well.
“It’s such a cliché, but I think people overlook south London. If you don’t live here, I feel like people either forget it exists or they’ve got preconceptions, or they don’t want to travel down here.”
South London love
From the beginning setting up the market in Crystal Palace and since expanding, they explain how they’ve connected with so many people who celebrate creativity and who want to shop small. “It feels like people in south London really care,” they add.
And that caring spirit is what shines the brightest when talking to the pair, and when looking at the community they have built with Salad Days Market.
And, at the end of the day, Daisy and Liv are most proud that the market creates memories.
Daisy says: “That the market might play a small role in some of people’s best days of their life, that they think about and hold on to forever, that just blows my mind. And it’s amazing it’s all here in south London, where we love.”
saladdaysmarket.co.uk
Visit an upcoming Salad Days Market:
Battersea Power Station Christmas Market: 31 November, 1 December, 7 December and 8 December.
Gipsy Hill Brewery Taproom Small Business Sample Sales: 1 February, 2 February, 22 February and 23 February.
Prep Chef Wanted at Din Tai Fung!
• Location: Conveniently located near Lower Sydenham Station (SE26)
• Contract: 40-48 hours/week
• Shift: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday (08:30-18:30)
• Pay: £13-£15 per hour (including service charge) with strong potential to increase your earnings as you progress in your role.
As a Prep Chef, you will play an essential role in supporting our Central Kitchen Team. We’d love for you to bring your expertise in:
• Selecting top-quality ingredients to craft exceptional dishes.
• Ensuring smooth food rotation and restocking with high standards.
• Maintaining kitchen and food safety practices using advanced equipment. We value flexibility, adaptability, and a positive, team-oriented attitude If you’re ready to grow, don’t miss your chance to join a team that values your skills!
Apply today and be part of the Din Tai Fung family!
https://dintaifung-uk.com/discover/careers/
mondo sando
co-founders Jack Macrae and viggo Blegvad tell us about opening their own sandwich shop and bar in camberwell
By Eliza Frost
From never having worked in kitchens before to becoming somewhat south London sandwich moguls, the two co-founders of Mondo Sando Jack Macrae and Viggo Blegvad have now opened their own bricks-and-mortar site.
Cafe Mondo, the sandwich shop and bar in SE5, has swung open its doors, bringing you a 2.0 of Mondo Sando, with their “silly decorations” and own stamp on things.
Though, don’t worry to Grove House Tavern fans, the team will still be serving sarnies, burgers and roasts from the Camberwell pub.
Mondo Sando’s origin dates back a few years ago now, to during the lockdown period; “I suddenly had loads more time,” says Jack, “and I was cooking a lot”.
It was a time when takeaway concepts were thriving and Viggo explains how they would spend time visiting new places popping up. And Jack remembers some memorable burritos being sold out of a home kitchen.
During that time of experimental cooking, Jack was making sandwiches and cycling them to friends around the area. It then expanded and soon “people I didn’t recognise were outside my door on a Friday lunch”, he says.
Then they thought, “maybe we could do this”.
“It was quite freeing and quite inspiring, as two people who have always loved food and doing cooking events for friends and family, to think we could start selling them,” says Viggo.
The two overflowed, just like Mondo Sando’s sandwich fillings, into The Joiner’s Arm on Denmark Hill. The landlord Gary “was extremely accommodating”, says Jack.
It gave them the chance to experience a professional kitchen before moving into Grove House Tavern full time.
Moving from “semi-comfortable jobs” into hospitality “never would never have happened” if it wasn’t for the period of quiet caused by the pandemic, says Jack.
“We would never have had the time or the energy or the spark to follow it; I’ve seen what it takes to break into the food world of London and it’s really closed off and hard financially,” he adds.
Having been best friends for years and housemates, the two “speak in a pretty opaque shorthand”, says Jack. With Viggo adding how they are often separated when they’re off duty as they can “be found in our little conversations whittling about new specials”.
He says: “We’ve been obsessed with sandwiches for a long time, and we’ve been friends for a very long time. There are photos of us as teenagers making sandwiches in a wrecked kitchen. But it takes a long time to make a product that is actually going to please a large customer base.”
Jack explains how hunting down interesting sandwiches was a bit of a hobby during lockdown, too, so it made sense that that was what they started making. Viggo explains how the Mondo Sando approach to flavour and fillings has “changed a bit over time”.
He says: “When we started out, what we were really excited about is taking every dish we have ever loved eating and finding a way to put it in between bread. Now, there is real satisfaction in nailing a classic.”
Jack adds how a perfect sandwich is balanced, and you have to do that by getting the levels right of crunch, sweetness, salty, sour – everything coming together in a sarnie harmony.
At Cafe Mondo, they will be using neighbour TOAD Bakery bread across the menu, as well as baking their own hoagie-sized rolls in-house.
During the day, it will have a takeaway focus, getting you a delicious sarnie at somewhat speed, then the evenings will see a smaller menu of a few food plates and drinks served.
They are pretty excited to start slinging some drinks out there, too, because “we’ve done years of exploring food, we’re definitely not bored of it, but we also love a bar and we love the pub”, says Jack, who is developing his Japanese Slipper recipe.
Viggo says they want Cafe Mondo to be “a little place that feels really friendly for locals”.
And they note how the new spot comes with a south-facing garden – “some very hot property in terms of Camberwell outdoor space”, adds Jack.
Subs, sunshine and some bright green cocktails? Now that’s the perfect filling for a south London sandwich.
42 Peckham Road, SE5 8PX www.instagram.com/cafe_mondo_se5
Take a walk on the wild side
Canada Dock once welcomed sailing ships from across the Atlantic, laden with timber for London and beyond. Now there is a buzz around these waters once more, with a new 170m boardwalk open to help people explore a restored wetland habitat.
The boardwalk, named Rafter Walk, opened with a bang at the start of November as over 2,500 people turned out to mark the occasion. Celebrating the biodiversity boosted by the dock restoration, performers dressed as butterflies, bees, ducks and swans. Sound and spectacle were provided by the dazzling LED drummers and the eclectic Brixton Chamber Orchestra. Local children stole the show, pupils working with Bubble Theatre Company to perform a play about the area’s history, while youth leaders from Paper Garden read out a moving poem.
Rafter Walk snakes past the recently restored Deal Porters sculpture, above the new wetlands. The red wooden structure was designed by world-renowned architect Asif Khan, who hails from Southwark. It takes its inspiration from the timber trade that was the lifeblood of the working dock. This history also inspired the name – rafters were workers who hopped between floating planks to move the timber from the ships.
The revitalisation carried out by British Land in collaboration with Townshend Landscape Architects and ecology experts such as the London Wildlife Trust has created a mosaic of wildlife habitats. Seven wetland islands, over a kilometre of shallow edges, reedbeds and new trees and flowering plants have been put in place to attract dragonflies, butterflies, kingfishers and frogs, while providing nesting sites for birds.
Emma Cariaga, Joint Head of Canada Water at British Land, said: “The opening of the new boardwalk across Canada Dock brings together the history and the wildlife that help make Canada Water such a special place, and gives people a way to experience them close-up.”
The boardwalk is now open for all to enjoy, so come on down to the dock and enjoy a dose of nature in this historic setting.
The gently undulating walkway was inspired by the working lives of the dockers
Canada Dock was a hive of activity once more for the opening party
Beat that! The LED Drummers made some noise for the new boardwalk
WE WANT YOU AND EVERYONE YOU KNOW IN THE NEXT BIG FILM/TELEVISION PRODUCTION! NEXT FILM/TELEVISION
WHEN: 14 DECEMBER 2024
TIME: 11:00AM-3:00PM
WHERE: LAMBETH ASSEMBLY HALL
Kingsdale Foundation School
First Class and Top of the Class
‘Pupils achieve exceptionally well in a wide range of subjects and attain highly at GCSE and A level.’ Ofsted 2023
Applications for Sixth Form courses are now being accepted
Take advantage of the chance to visit Kingsdale Foundation School and see for yourself how we bring the best out of our students. A tour of Kingsdale Foundation School enables you to realise why we receive such glowing reports. In the Autumn term 2024 you will have just that opportunity as we will be holding Sixth Form Open Evenings for September 2025 entry.
Harnessing talent!
Kingsdale is a dynamic, exceptionally popular and progressive school that has invested £30m to develop an award-winning educational learning environment. In our specialist academic Sixth Form Campus, students study a combination of respected traditional, performing arts and creative A Levels in addition to alternative high value Level 3 courses. Our average class sizes are approximately ten in the Sixth Form. We also pride ourselves on our excellent links to the best higher education institutions in the world. A residential trip to Harvard and Yale in the USA is organised annually.
Scholarships in Mathematics and the Creative & Expressive Arts are on offer for gifted and talented candidates who meet our entry requirements. Scholars receive free individual or small group tuition provided by expert professionals to the value of ~£1,000 per annum. Prospective students are invited to come along to our Open Evenings to explore the fantastic opportunities and inspiring state-of-the-art facilities in our dedicated Sixth Form Centre. As our most recent Ofsted Report states : ‘ ‘Pupils are rightly very proud of their school. They really enjoy their learning and talk with enthusiasm about the school’s culture of mutual respect and inclusivity.’ Ofsted 2023
4.00-6.30pm Wednesday 27th November 2024
The amazing achievement of attaining 10A*s & 4A Grades between them at A level have enabled Eve, Ben, Rosa & Freya to study Classics, Philosophy, English at Cambridge University and Economics at Oxford respectively!
Are you tired of searching for top-quality meat that satisfies your taste buds? Look no further than the Proud Sow! With years of expertise and a passion for perfection, we believe in the art of butchery.
What sets us apart is our commitment to locally sourced products. We work directly with trusted farmers who share our dedication to ethical farming practices and superior animal welfare.
We take pride in creating a personal and welcoming experience for all our customers.
When it comes to your meat, settle for nothing but the best. Trust the Proud Sow to bring you the ultimate culinary adventure. Visit us today!
bitesize
By Eliza Frost
cööDie
Bringing Scandi vibes to Queen’s Road, Cöödie is a cöökie bar with unexpected cöökies. Think flavour combinations like chocolate and basil, roasted coconut mochi, and pear, brie cheese and pecan. Yes, brie. Dollops of tasty cookies on the counter, as well as sandwiches stuffed with more interesting ingredients. Enjoy a pickle aubergine, sweet potato, pepper, crispy spiced chickpeas and asparagus roll in the chic setting on Peckham High Street.
100 Peckham High Street, SE15 5RS www.instagram.com/coodielondon
VininG street Wine cLub
From the team that brought you Crystal Palace Wine Club, new to Brixton is its twin Vining Street Wine Club. You can expect more “wine without the bullsh*t” – as is its tagline. Vining Street sits on a cosy corner of south London, has a secret garden out the back and allows everyone to be a member.
What to expect? A range of over 150 wines sourced from all over the world, including classic and natural styles, and 15-plus wines by the glass every night. For snacking, there are cheeses, charcuterie and vegan boards, plus weekly specials such as pate-en-croute, boquerones and duck rillettes.
Buy a bottle to take home or book on to wine tastings and special events. The team has created a space where wine can be fun and approachable.
1 Vining Street, SW9 8QA www.viningstreetwineclub.com
Have you ever heard a better recipe for deliciousness than traditional hamburgers, French fries and pet-nat? Us neither.
Hospitality duo Matt Harris and Tommy Kempton (founders of Ploussard and Other Side Fried) launch Buster’s burger bar in Brixton.
Taking over the Other Side Fried site on Atlantic Road – although don’t worry fried chicken fans, OSF will remain as a delivery-only brand – the Buster’s concept will showcase a streamlined menu that highlights simplicity, flavour and top-tier ingredients, including Welsh Wagyu from Alternative Meats for its expertly crafted signature patties.
Burgers are cooked medium and served in a potato roll that was developed in-house. And, in recognition of the site’s previous offering, the menu features an OSF-inspired chicken fat mayo, all served alongside crowd-pleasing cocktails, locally brewed beers and pet nat by the glass.
3 Atlantic Road, SW9 8HX www.busterslondon.co.uk
tamiLa
How do you like your dosa in the morning? Tamila, the new fast-casual concept by The Tamil Prince, has introduced a South Indian breakfast menu at the Northcote Road location.
The all-vegetarian weekend breakfast menu, created by executive chef Prince Durairaj, draws from his Tamil heritage, echoing the authentic South Indian inspiration behind Tamila’s lunch and evening offering.
The menu features items such as Madhu Vadai – a soft, fried doughnut served with sambar and coconut chutney, Poori Masala – curried potatoes and fresh coconut chutney served with poori, a classic Indian fried bread, and veggie Uttapam, a savoury Indian pancake paired with sambar, coconut chutney and tomato chutney.
Complementing brekkie, you’ll find fresh juices, traditional South Indian filter coffee and Masala tea.
Whether seeking a taste of South India or a new weekend breakfast spot, Tamila is one to visit.
39 Northcote Road, SW11 1NJ www.tamila.uk
East London, NYC-style pizza slingers World Famous Gordos have taken up residence at Brick Brewery in Peckham.
Enjoy a pint and then as many slices as your belly can take. You’ll find chef specials like Sichuan five spice sauce, Guanciale, mozzarella, parmesan, chilli honey and sprunions, or a Peckham Pils braised oxtail and short rib pizza with garlic oil, smoked cheese, mozzarella and topped with crispy onions and parsley.
World famous, and now south London famous – one slice at a time.
The new home for the pizza joint was supported by Plate Club, which connects venues and food operators to help launch and scale residencies.
209 Blenheim Grove, Peckham, SE15 4RX www.instagram.com/worldfamousgordos
buster’s hamburGer bar
WorLD Famous GorDos
Pizza by the slice in one of our favourite south London breweries – don’t mind if we do. The
Matt Harris & Tommy Kempton
Review: Hausu
editor eliza frost visits the new peckham haunt serving modern dishes to the sound of a vintage hi-fi sound system
Nestled by Peckham Rye railway station sits Hausu.
Having taken over the address after Coal Rooms shut its doors, the bar and restaurant brings you their own brand of flavours. And, spoiler alert, it’s a pretty expert take.
The front of the space sees spots for you to enjoy a drink or two, the open kitchen and bar-style seating are cosied in the middle, and to the back you’ll find candlelit tables welcoming you in for an intimate dining experience.
Hausu believes food and music can bring people together, and soundtracks your evening with its vintage hi-fi sound system.
Good tunes and even better sharing plates are what a south London night out is made for, and Hausu will be inviting DJs to take over the decks to bring you sweet sounds while you savour drinks and dishes.
As I settled into the booth side of a cosy table for two, a tipple was the first port of call. The Gibson Martini (£11) – made with Absolut Vodka, Dolin Blanc and pickle juice from Hausu’s house pickles –will make you a martini convert.
A steaming bowl of Dad’s Broth (£4.50) was placed on the table and the meal began. Cupped between my hands, the chicken broth burst with herby flavour as I
slurped and as an introduction to the tastes of Hausu, I thought, this is the flavour they mentioned. It was delish.
Next was a scallop and prawn toast (£8). A crust of crunchy sesame seeds surrounded this inventive starter. Cut straight down the middle, the prawn pink cross-section of this dish was picture-perfect and good enough to eat. It was served with a spicy and sweet sauce, which was a welcome punch.
Lastly for starters was the smoked roe and crispy wontons for dipping (£7.50). If this was served as a never-ending run of more crispy wontons and more smoked roe, plate after plate, you’d leave happy. The snap of the wonton with the flavour of the whipped roe was a match made in heaven.
Before the main dish, another cocktail was ordered. The Plum and Rhubarb Sour (£12) – made with red plum syrup, Hendrick’s Gin, lemon juice, egg whites and rhubarb bitters – was sumptuous and well-balanced.
Then came the sirloin steak (£47 for 450g), served rare and cooked to perfection. It comes with a beef sauce drizzled over the top and garnished with a condiment of confit lemon zest, salted red chillies, smoked oil, pickle liquor and crispy garlic.
When ordering, steaks can take up to 45 minutes, but this is a waiting game you will want to play. Do as our friendly server recommended and add an extra starter to keep you satiated until it arrives.
Made for sharing, steaks and fish are found on the Hausu specials board, which changes regularly depending on the produce available.
The motto is that their dishes will be the freshest possible, which could mean some menu substitutions throughout service. But in Hausu we trust.
On the side of the steak, we ordered green beans (£7), which were drenched in miso butter with a bite left in the bean that brought a welcome texture, plus bitter leaves (£6.50) that had a moreish dressing, and some Ratte potatoes (£5), with nuttiness and butteryness that felt truly decadent.
Along with the flicker of the candle, our evening melted away. Oh, just one more martini before heading home then.
11a Station Way, Peckham Rye Station, SE15 4RX www.hausulondon.co.uk
Photographer: Teo Della Torre
Love the work of local artisans? Why not try it yourself?
By Isabel Ramírez
There’s something special about making things yourself - whether it’s baking fresh focaccia or carving your own charcuterie board. Now, Wecandoo is bringing that creative spirit to South London with workshops that celebrate craftsmanship right on your doorstep.
If you’re after something different, meaningful, and local, this might be just what you’re looking for.
From glassblowing to ice cream-making, each workshop allows you to take home a piece of the experience. Imagine the satisfaction of serving tapas on a board you crafted yourself or gifting a ceramic pot you threw on the wheel.
With prices starting at £25 for tastings and ranging up to £350 for a full day’s glassblowing, there’s a workshop to suit any budget. The average session is around £60, making it an accessible way to try something new—whether solo or with friends.
Wecandoo started in Paris in 2017 when three friends noticed that people were losing touch with the value of handmade goods. They brought their idea to London, and since launching here, the platform has grown rapidly. Now, over 150 artisans run workshops across the city, with many based south of the river. It’s a chance to meet the makers and learn from them right in their own studios.
From creating the perfect macarons with a French pastry chef in Bermondsey to sampling olive oils in
Borough, these experiences offer an authentic way to experience local artistry.
As more people look for alternatives to nights out at the pub, WeCanDoo’s workshops offer a fresh way to socialise. It’s a chance to step away from screens, pick up a tool or brush, and unwind - without the sore head the next day.
Wecandoo isn’t just about trying something new; it’s about transforming hobbies into genuine passions—and sometimes, even careers.
Jessica Edwards, the UK Country Manager, shares a favourite story: “One person came to a woodworking workshop with no experience. Now, they're running an independent studio and selling their work.” It’s proof that a single workshop can spark something bigger.
If you're looking to discover a new skill or support local artisans, Wecandoo's workshops offer the chance to explore, create, and connect. The focus is on the experience of making something truly your own.
Visit www.wecandoo.uk to explore the workshops available near you.
Learn to bake focaccia and pizza with Fouad
Create your own woven cushion with Janine
Pottery wheel throwing workshop with Mihaly
a love letter to south London
As told to Eliza Frost
sid gray, who was born in Brixton and raised in norwood and is now the owner and florist of Sid’s flowers, writes a love letter to south London…
The South Londoner: What inspired you to start Sid’s Flowers?
Sid Gray: It was a result of lockdown and losing my job in the fashion industry because of Covid. I decided to undertake doing up the rooftop garden of my flat in Peckham, I found I was getting up early and excited for the day with all the garden jobs I had to do and then keeping the rewards by seeing flowering plants that were previously wilted and cooking with all the tomatoes I was growing.
I decided to switch careers and learn floristry, being able to offer the same joy to others that flowers gave me. I also felt there was a gap in smaller, affordable bunches that anyone could purchase and that you could have in a pint glass on your work-from-home desk or just to gift a small gesture for a mate’s birthday, so I started with offering these. Loads of people were sending them around to friends they couldn’t see to cheer them up as we were stuck in our homes. It was quite a joy seeing people open their doors and be so excited to see a bunch of flowers gifted to them.
What do you love most about running Sid’s Flowers?
The people and the flowers. My days are long and start very early but it’s the people that I love chatting with, starting with my suppliers at the market early in the morning, all the customers who come by the studio, the clients and so on. I also find myself still gasping at incredible flowers, faults and all. I love discovering flowers at the market, or in someone’s garden, taking pictures of them to bookmark them for a project in the future and reading up about them. My phone has over 10,000 photos of flowers.
What does a typical week in south London involve for you?
I start the week on Tuesday at the flower market around 4am, I select, prep and drop off all the contract flowers for pubs, restaurants and bakeries. I’m back at the market Thursday and I spend the day conditioning the stems and arranging them for online orders and to sell at TOAD Bakery. Then, usually, on Friday and Saturday, I’m running around setting up for weddings and events. If not, I’m in the studio selling bunches or chatting to one of my neighbours at Print Village. Sunday is usually spent horizontal at home.
What are your favourite south London eateries?
My favourite and most visited place is Crossway Cafe on Bellenden Road, the only place that’s open when I’m back from the market at 6am. The guys in there are so lovely and make an excellent bacon roll and freshly squeezed orange juice. Other places I love are Falafel & Shawarma, Mondo Sando at Grove House Tavern and Silk Road in Camberwell, The Old Nun’s Head for a roast in Nunhead, Mamalan in Brixton, Artusi in Peckham – and Taco Queen (RIP).
Where do you shop for clothes and homeware in south London?
I have definitely shopped more for tools and floristry clothes in the last couple of years but me, my mum and sisters’ favourite days are homeware and vintage shopping at places like Bambino in Crystal Palace, DAY Bouquet in Peckham or So Last Century, which pops up. I’ve also found so many cool businesses to shop from via the fair we host in December, Sid’s & Friends: Hopeworld make the coolest candles, El Bras for lingerie and clothing, and Garden Gremlin make these amazing calendars and pillows.
And your favourite south London landmark?
It’s got to be the Eiffel Tower of London, the Crystal Palace Transmitting Station! You can spot it from anywhere in London, and I feel like south Londoners have a funny connection to it. You get all excited when you can see it from the Tate or a high spot in North London – you can always spot home, I guess.
Have any fellow local businesses been a help or inspiration to your vision for Sid’s Flowers?
Absolutely, I was given so much advice and support from Allie Twist who runs The Old Nun’s Head, as well as both Oliver and Rebecca from TOAD Bakery who have given me heaps of inspiration and advice from their work ethic and how to run a business day to day to how their business sits within and contributes to the community.
What’s the one place, thing or activity south of the river that everyone should try at least once?
I’d say spend a day in West Norwood, I grew up there and it’s such a hidden gem of south London. You have the West Norwood Feast festival with lots of local businesses, food and music, Cenci the vintage clothing store, The Book and Record Bar, and the cemetery, where you can do tours and discover all the famous people who are there – so much to do!
Unit 11, Print Village, 58 Chadwick Road, Peckham, SE15 4PU www.sids-flowers.co.uk
YOUR LOCAL PHARMACISTS – HERE TO HELP!
Think Southwark Pharmacy First Plus
Shree Patel, Rehan Ahmed, Atul Patel, Community Pharmacists at Bonamy Pharmacy, 355 Rotherhithe New Road SE16 3HF (Old Kent Road ward)
“As the days get shorter and temperatures start to drop, it’s important we look after our health, especially if we have existing health conditions that might make us more vulnerable to seasonal viruses. Your local pharmacy is here to make this easier than ever before. Pharmacists like us are highly trained and expert in medicines. Here are our top tips for making the most of your local pharmacist as the weather turns colder.
APPOINTMENT-FREE SUPPORT
Community pharmacies offer a convenient way to get clinical advice on minor health concerns. You don't
need an appointment, and we can see you in a separate consultation room for privacy. We can also signpost you to other local services if needed.
QUICK AND EFFECTIVE TREATMENT
Your pharmacist can prescribe medication for some of the most common health conditions. This includes earaches in children, sore throat, shingles, impetigo, sinusitis, and urinary tract infections in women aged 16-64. No need to wait for a GP appointment!
FLU AND COVID-19 VACCINATIONS
Many local pharmacies will be offering free flu and COVID-19 vaccinations to those most at risk of serious illness this autumn. As protection against these viruses can fade over time, it's important to top it up before
winter comes to help you stay well. The NHS will contact you if your NHS record suggests you’re eligible for a seasonal vaccination. We recommend you book without delay for maximum protection against these viral infections.
BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS
If you’re aged 40 or above, free blood pressure checks are available. It's a proactive way to monitor your health and find potential issues early on, helping you to stay in control of your health.
"Don't wait for minor health concerns to get worse – think Southwark Pharmacy First Plus and get seen by your local community pharmacy team. We’re here to help!"
Find your local pharmacy: https://www.nhs.uk/servicesearch/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy/
