Spring in the High Street

The face of the high street is ever changing and with many well-loved names falling by the wayside over recent years, towns across the country have struggled to fill some of those big, empty units.

To transform the high street until empty units are brought back into use, Putney has creatively transformed the high street’s visages using art. Historic images of Putney have been projected onto the window fronts using vinyls.

The high street has seen a rise in artisan independent retailers offering an oldschool traditional specialist store - harking back to the days of visiting the butcher, the baker and the greengrocer - with a contemporary twist. The appetite for artisan delis, coffee shops and quirky bars is continuing to rise. And, with people’s desire to work a hybrid model, there has also been a rise in co-working spaces. Other new businesses moving into the area include fitness gyms and restaurants.

There is a lot to be excited about in our area as we move into spring. The King’s Coronation in May will be celebrated with a host of special events including a Big Lunch in Putney and a Coronation Trail in Clapham Junction. Other highly anticipated events this spring include the St John’s Hill Late Spring Festival and the University Boat Race.

There is certainly plenty going on this Spring to put a spring in your step.

Wandsworth Town

The arrival of established and emerging businesses in SW18 has delivered a boom for the town centre.

2023 started on a high when BrewDog opened its doors at Southside Wandsworth, Garratt Lane. The craft beer connoisseurs’ latest London venture serves a dazzling array of beers, including their hugely popular Lost Lager and a selection of fun flavours - pecan and toffee stout, anyone? You can even book a hot desk and enjoy co-working with unlimited tea or coffee before cooling off with a refreshing complimentary pint at the end of the working day.

BrewDog Wandsworth also boasts an impressive menu, serving everything from burgers and wings to vegan and vegetarian options, and their celebrated boozy bottomless weekend brunch. As well as being dog-friendly, BrewDog also hosts Dog Pawties - that’s right, parties for your pooch!

The popular co-working hub HomeWork launched their Wandsworth Town base at Ram Quarter, offering flexible office solutions for small businesses and startups as well as a refreshing alternative to working from home.

HomeWork offers fixed desks, hot desks, meeting rooms, studio space, printing, high-speed WiFi, and more, at flexible rates, including a pay-as-you-go-option. We also have it on good authority that HomeWork’s baristas serve a mean cup of coffee to help fuel your day.

Speaking of coffee, a caffeine powerhouse has joined the ranks in Wandsworth Town - Black Sheep Coffee. The popular coffee chain opened at Southside shopping centre, bringing their delicious 100% specialty grade Robusta coffee, tasty Norwegian waffles, fresh-baked pastries, and smoothies.

More information on the new arrivals, including interviews with the people in the know, can be found at www.wandsworth.town

The latest additions to the neighbourhood join a community of popular eateries, watering holes, and entertainment complexes in the town centre, firmly cementing SW18 as a top London destination for people of all ages. And we haven’t even revealed details of our upcoming events.

Follow us @wandsworthtown to be among the first to find out what’s coming up.

Putney

Positively Putney have been working with landlords with empty units in Putney Town Centre and excited to present ‘Putney in the Past.’ We would all prefer to have the units occupied but whilst the landlords are waiting on planning applications, development finance or a new tenant we have taken the opportunity to share wonderful historic images of what Putney town centre has looked like over the last 200 years displaying them on the vinyls on the windows. The historic images have all been sourced from Wandsworth Heritage Library, and the modern ones are either Positively Putney owned or by local photographer Andrew Wilson. Come and have a look for yourself, they really are a treat.

The University Boat Race is this year on Sunday 26th March. Always a great day in the Putney calendar – cheer on your favourite crew from the start of the race and then watch the remaining race and celebrate in one of our wonderful hospitality businesses. They are all offering Boat Race specials. Or join the Boat Race Party with live music and stage compered by Riverside Radio in Church Square, just off Putney High Street from midday to 7pm.

The weekend of 1st and 2nd April is Citizens Art Market, also in Church Square. Local artists will be displaying their art and it will be available to purchase. Putney School of Art and Design will also be open to the public on Sunday 2nd April.

Putney will be celebrating the King’s Coronation. On Sunday 7th May, we will be organising a Putney Celebration Big Lunch, and on Monday 8th May, there is a Big Help Out event. Look out for further details as to how you can get involved.

For the latest information on what’s happening in Putney visit our website www.positivelyputney.co.uk or follow us on social media.

Clapham Junction

Christmas was a busy trading period in Clapham Junction and the BID showcased over ten festive events, including two Christmas Switch-On spectaculars at Clapham Junction and on Northcote Road, and eight smaller costume-character-led events – raising the profile of The Junction and its fantastic businesses and engaging residents and visitors. A series of new Christmas streetlight decorations and LED tree light installations also created a warm and welcoming ambience across the BID footprint.

The BID now looks forward to an equally busy spring, with the continuation of our popular My Local Bobby Scheme – with two street wardens working directly with BID businesses to tackle anti-social behaviour and shoplifting (amongst other projects) and on the ground to offer friendly help and guidance to residents and visitors when shopping in The Junction. This runs alongside ongoing initiatives such as additional street cleansing and graffiti removal across the BID footprint.

Stunning seasonal colours will soon blossom across the locale as part of our LivingPillars™ – a Clapham Junction BID scheme, designed to encourage biodiversity across Clapham Junction whilst enhancing the neighbourhood, featuring sustainable planting on local lampposts.

In May, to celebrate The Coronation of The King and The Queen Consort, The BID will run a Coronation Trail – an augmented reality story trail which is a free and fun way for families to discover our Clapham Junction businesses.

That month also features the St John’s Hill Late Spring Festival (Sunday, 21 May) which replaces last year’s autumn event (sadly cancelled due to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II’s death). Festival fun includes: themed areas for the different business sectors; pop-up stalls; street food, arts and crafts, competitions, a fitness area, costume characters, magical stilt-walkers, jugglers and live music, buskers and DJs from Riverside Radio.

Spring is a time for new beginnings, and we look forward to welcoming F45, a new fitness hub on St John’s Hill in March, which features a mix of circuit and hiit-style workouts, completed in forty-five minutes. Albion & East (an all-day restaurant and bar) and Third Space (the luxury awardwinning fitness gym) will also be opening within the iconic Arding & Hobbs building (alongside its major work and social space) which is currently under renovation.

Looking ahead to summer, the Northcote Road Summer Festival returns on July 16th with the big screen, showcasing the Wimbledon Men’s Final. Alongside Northcote Road’s wealth of independent retail shops and superb selection of hospitality outlets, visitors will be treated to entertainment, activities and market stalls.

Throughout 2023, The BID will continue to work hard to showcase the rich diversity of our retail, hospitality, beauty and fitness, entertainment and service businesses which give Clapham Junction its distinct identity and unique character. Marketing activity includes advertising and editorial in the local press, radio, poster campaigns, organic and paid social media advertising, newsletters, dedicated blog pages, leaflet drops to households across the BID footprint and engaging content on The Junction BID’s website, visitclaphamjunction.com