Shop Local This Festive Season

In light of the fast-approaching Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas Day, Love Wimbledon is urging consumers and businesses to shop local this festive season and help to support local businesses in Wimbledon Town Centre.

It is evident that online shopping has become increasingly popular in recent years, with buying behaviour changing rapidly too. Now more than ever, consumers are buying and returning more items online, with next-day delivery and free returns becoming the new standard. Often shoppers buy clothes online with the expectation of returning them, with recent figures suggesting that almost half of what consumers spend online, is returned.

What is often forgotten is the environmental impact of these few mouse clicks, which is becoming increasingly relevant given the current state of climate change. Despite its advantages, shopping online has a large impact on the environment. When you shop online, you can receive separate packages within multiple deliveries, typically from delivery trucks or vans. In addition to this, additional packaging which often includes single-use plastic, is used in excess to protect products in parcel deliveries. Compare this to shopping locally, where consumers tend to use their one trip to their local town centre to combine tasks, e.g. purchase Christmas presents, grab some groceries and browse through a bookstore.

When you shop local, your money also stays local. In other words, rather than adding to the profits of multi-national chains, your money goes into the pockets of your neighbours in the community. By choosing to shop local your money could be helping a family-run independent business, who’s owners are trying to fund a new bike for their child. Local businesses tend to be smaller, produce less waste than their enormous counterparts, and usually buy locally, live locally, and therefore create less air pollution and traffic.

 

 

Helen Clark Bell, CEO of Love Wimbledon is passionate about environmental issues

“Shopping locally at our independent businesses, charity shops and our market stalls, you are helping to keep the character and diversity of our town centre alive. Shopping online also means losing out on receiving great customer service and often, local businesses offer good value and outstanding, personal service all year round, bringing a warm, welcoming personality to a town centre whilst building that all important sense of community and belonging”

– Helen Clark Bell, CEO of Love Wimbledon.

Love Wimbledon also encourages you to go one step further this Black Friday and Cyber Monday, by resisting the urge to buy more and instead opting for recycling or reusing gifts. So shop smart and shop local this season, and help reduce the demand for new products, and their carbon footprint, whilst supporting a good cause.

 

Photo Credits: First Mile

 

Wimbledon is full of great independent stores including Fayre & Square, Fielders, Aubergine Art gallery, Health Zone, Phokas Barbers and Gina Conway’s Aveda salon. Pop down to one of our many charity stops, including the National institute for African Studies charity shop,  Cancer Research and Oxfam, where you can get pre-loved gems for a fraction of the price.

Get involved and go green this Black Friday and show your support on Small Business Saturday by supporting our independent businesses on Saturday 7th December.

And don’t forget to visit our lively Christmas Markets, which are now single-use plastic free, where you can pick up unique handmade gifts from local artisans and taste flavourful street food from our award-winning traders.

 

 

 

Join our vision to ensure a brighter future for Wimbledon and help to strengthen our town centre businesses.

Christmas Never Tasted So Good

With over 80 places to eat in Wimbledon, indulge your taste buds this festive season with feel-good meals full of comforting ingredients and rich flavours.

From cosy pubs, delicious restaurants and welcoming cafés, Wimbledon is full of great eateries to help you eat, drink and be merry this Christmas.

Remember, you can view the full range of eateries in Wimbledon Town Centre where you can filter your search by the type of cuisine you’re after, or even search specifically for ‘healthy eating’ venues.

Christmas Drinks

Whether it’s celebratory drinks with friends and family or a quick catch-up after work, Wimbledon’s buzzing bars and pubs have a range of special festive tipples to keep you jolly this festive season.

 

 

Sip into the season with Hand & Racquet and the Prince of Wales pub. 

Both will Gin-gle your Bells this Christmas with their festive Gin and Tonic’s and range of special Festive Ale’s including the Rocking Rudolf, a full-bodied beer with currant and malted toffee taste and a crisp bitter finish.

 

Escape the winter chill with a warming festive drinks reception at The Alexandra 

Enjoy crisp and refreshing festive fizz’s waiting for your arrival or get everyone mulling from the get-go, with a mulled wine reception full of gloriously rich and warming spiced wines.

 

Celebrate this season with Christmas Cocktails at All Bar One, Wimbledon 

Share a special moment with friends over magical creations conjured up by the All Bar One mixologists. Their limited edition Christmas Cocktails include the dessert-style Cherry Crème Cracker and a Winter Espresso Martini.

 

Keep warm with a hot favourite at Bliss Coffee 

With coffee that tastes like no other, enjoy hand-crafted winter warmers in a cosy setting at Bliss Coffee, located on the The Broadway.

 

For a full list of bars and pubs in Wimbledon, visit the following link and for Christmas party bookings, please contact the establishments directly.

 

Festive Food

Feast on decadent desserts, succulent meats, or simply enjoy festive nibbles this Christmas, to keep your belly warm through the chill.

 

 

Stay healthy (well.. try) with award-winning, independent café Lu-Ma 

Start the day with indulgent gluten-free pancakes or tuck-in to a hot ‘winter style Buddha bowl’ for lunch. Lu-Ma’s festive menu includes a very tasty line-up including a Christmas pudding with cashew vanilla ice cream and a vegan custard for dessert.

 

Enjoy dine-in comfort at Bill’s Wimbledon

Take your pick from squashy sofas to comfy leather table seats, as you sit back and relax, whilst the team serves you their newly launched winter menu. Featuring the much-loved British roast with all the trimmings, to a steaming hot macaroni and cheese, Bill’s will have you feeling warm and joyous on a cold winter evening.

 

Fancy a succulent, well-cooked steak? Then pop down to Bar + Block

Steak is Bar + Block’s specialty and they have a fabulous wine menu to pair it with too. Enjoy their warm, welcoming atmosphere and tuck in! Find them next to Premier Inn Hotel on The Broadway.

 

Check out Leon‘s special Noel menu, full of festive-themed healthy food.

Leon’s Christmas menu, features a cracking Christmas Wrap, the much-loved ‘LEON x Gizzi Erskine Turkey Curry’ with carrots and parsnips in a creamy curry sauce and finished with a sprinkling of crispy onions, and their Spiced Apple and Mulled Cherry versions of mince pies.

 

For a full list of restaurants and eateries in Wimbledon, visit the following link.

 

Market Goodies

Starting again this weekend, the Wimbledon Christmas Markets are home to local artisans and international award-winning delights. Tuck into a vibrant mix of tasty treats or pick up a festive food gift for those foodies around you.

Our Christmas Markets are running every weekend until the 22nd December from 11am to 6pm, plus Friday 13th and 20th December until 7pm.

 

 

Pop down to Jono’s market stall to try mouth-watering Biltong and South African dried sausage.

 

Blue Rabbit offer incredible galettes, crepes and bubble waffles both in sweet and savoury versions, that you’ll definitely remember!

 

Visit House of Toast for toasties oozing with flavourful cheesy fillings, including cheese and chutney, buffalo chicken, Christmas special turkey and cranberry and brie.

 

Check out Stir Me Tea’s selection of pure origin Kenyan loose leaf tea blends, full of healthy and warming aromatic ingredients, guaranteed to bring out the tea-drinker in you.

 

For more information and to see the full list of market traders offering delicious goodies, visit our Christmas Market page.

 

 

Love Wimbledon Plant Over 250 New Trees

Love Wimbledon can proudly announce that it has planted the longest native woodland hedge in Wimbledon.

Ahead of National Tree Week,  Love Wimbledon has joined the Woodland Trust’s The Big Climate Fightback and pledged to help fight the climate emergency, by planting over 250 new saplings in Hartfield Road.

As well as being one of the best ways to fight a changing climate, planting trees can help to improve air quality in urban areas and protect biodiversity. Younger trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, at a rate of nearly 6kgs per tree. This means that the new hedge planted by Love Wimbledon will absorb approximately 1,500kgs of CO2 and have a significant impact upon air pollution in Wimbledon Town Centre.

This comes as part of the ‘Free Trees for Schools and Communities’ programme run by the Woodland Trust, and funded by Sainsburys, People’s Postcode Lottery, Yorkshire Tea, Joules and Selfridges.

Love Wimbledon’s double-row hedge features a variety of species including Rowan, Hazel, Cherry, Elder and Crab Apple trees. This carefully-selected combination of saplings, will offer beautiful  blossoms, bright berries and stunning autumn displays, whilst also acting as a connection for existing woodland, to help wildlife stay on  the move.

Trees are essential for people, wildlife and the environment. They absorb carbon, fight flooding, reduce pollution, nurture wildlife and make landscapes more resilient. But given the alarming rate of global warming on our planet, reducing our carbon emissions will never be enough.

 

‘It is vital that we grow a UK-wide patchwork of trees and woods – not just by planting, but also through natural regeneration. The woods, hedges and green spaces we create buffer existing habitats, tackle climate change and reverse wildlife decline – all at the same time’.

– The Woodland Trust

 

So, join us in reducing our impact on the environment by helping to look after this hedge. If you are passing by, give the trees a little drink and help them flourish!

Purple Tuesday at Centre Court

On Tuesday 12th November 2019, Centre Court will be ‘going purple’ in aid of Purple Tuesday 2019.

Purple Tuesday 2019 is an international call to action to celebrate the Purple Pound – the consumer spending power of disabled people and their families. Across the UK, the Purple Pound is worth £249 billion and is rising by an average of 14% per annum, whilst worldwide, it equates to a staggering £2.25 trillion. Despite this, less than 10% of businesses have a targeted plan to access this disability market.

Centre Court Shopping Centre is proud to announce that it will be joining the national campaign to change customer experiences for people with disabilities, and is launching its commitments to support customers over the next 12 months. These commitments include:

  • The Centre Court management team directly engaging with local disabled customers, via attending local charity and focus group meetings, to ensure that their needs and wishes are clearly understood.
  • Refurbishment of Centre Court accessible toilets, with local disabled customers being directly involved in the design process.
  • Mystery shopper visits, designed and carried out by the local disabled community at all stores in centre. The Centre Court Management team will then utilise the individual feedback on each store, to work with the centre tenants and initiate improvements where required.

Purple Tuesday is about creating a step change improvement in the awareness of the value and needs of disabled customers. Essentially, in aiming to make the customer experience accessible, the result for organisations will be the opening up of products and services to the disability market.

So look out for Centre Court staff wearing purple sashes on Tuesday 12th November 2019, to support the Purple Pound. The Centre Court management team and staff will also be on hand to explain to customers what Purple Tuesdays is all about, as well as the Merton Centre for Independent Living (CIL) who will be onsite promoting their organisation and what they are doing.

For further information visit the Centre Court website.

Kick-Start Your Christmas with Festive Workshops

 

Heading Home with Neptune

Kick-start your festive season with Neptune, as they celebrate the arrival of their new winter collection with a range of workshops and events to welcome in Christmas.

Christmas Wreath-Making Workshop 
Friday 15th November 2019, 11am – 1pm
Under the guidance of Makiko Design Studio, Neptune’s wreath masterclass will provide you with decorative ideas to help you get your door ready for Christmas. Tickets will include everything you’ll need to create your wreath, as well as plenty of tea, coffee, prosecco and mulled wine to keep you well-fuelled.

 

Free Live Cooking Demonstration
Saturday 16th November 2019, 11am & 2pm
Join Becky Wilkinson for a seasonal cooking how-to, which will include how to make the most of your festive leftovers and ideas for edible gifts. Guests will leave with recipe cards to help recreate the dishes demonstrated, so come along and remember to bring an empty stomach!

 

Live Music & Sweet Treats
Sunday 17th November 2019, 11am
Enjoy live performances from SandLiveMusic and learn how to make sweet treats with local food and lifestyle blogger Sisley White.

 

Contact Neptune Wimbledon to book or reserve your place now.

 

Get Creative This Christmas with Lu-Ma Café

Wimbledon’s award-winning healthy café Lu-Ma welcomes you to their festive workshops.

Lu-Ma Cafe

Christmas Wreath Workshop
Wednesday 27th November 2019
Lu-Ma Café joins forces with Gardenia to bring you a special festive Flower School class, helping you learn how to decorate your own Christmas door wreath.

 

‘Christmas Rehearsal’ Cooking Class
Wednesday 11th December 2019
Lu-Ma’s Head Chef Angela Agrati Prange teaches you how to cook delicious dishes for your Christmas dinner and shares some of her best cooking secrets.

 

Festive Flower School Decoration Workshop
Thursday 12th December 2019
Under the guidance of professional Gardenia florists, learn how to create your own Christmas table decorations to take home, whilst Lu-Ma Café treat you to delicious canapés and festive tipples, to help those creative juices flow.

 

Contact Lu-Ma Café to book or reserve your place now.

 

Santa Letter Writing Workshop with The Entertainer

Entertainer Santa Letter

Write and send your very own letter to Santa this Christmas, with the help of The Entertainer. The store’s friendly elves are on hand to provide help and ensure that the letters are sent to Santa, who will reply in time for Christmas!

Workshops will involve several free activities for children and will be taking place in store at The Entertainer Wimbledon on the following dates:

 

Saturday 9th November 2019, 10am – 4pm

Saturday 16th November 2019, 10am – 4pm

Saturday 23rd November 2019, 10am – 4pm

Warm and Well in Merton

Warm and Well in Merton is a new campaign run by Wimbledon Guild, aimed at reducing winter hospital admissions in Merton.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of preparing for winter and to give support on how best to stay warm and well.

Five things you can do now to prepare for winter:

  1. Make sure you have a flu jab
    You can get your flu jab now from your GP or many local pharmacies. Flu jabs are free for people over 65, if you have certain long-term health conditions or are a carer. As you get older, there is a higher chance flu may develop into pneumonia. Flu viruses change each year, so it’s important to have your jab annually, and as early as possible.  If you are over 65, ask your GP about the pneumo jab too. This one-off vaccination helps protect you against pneumonia, meningitis and septicaemia.
  2. Get your home winter-ready
    Getting your heating system serviced every year ensures it is running safely and efficiently – always use a qualified Gas Safe-registered engineer. If you’re renting, your landlord should check your gas heating system and appliances at least once a year too. Check your smoke alarm is working and that you have a carbon monoxide alarm in each room that has a gas or solid-fuel burning appliance.
  3. Join Merton’s Mascot Telecare service
    The service, for older people and those with disabilities, brings 24-hour assistance at the touch of a button, whenever you need it, for a monthly fee. It provides reassurance to you and your loved ones that help is on hand, should you have a fall or feel anxious about something. An enhanced service includes visits from a mobile response team and access to a free handyperson.
  4. Find out if you’re entitled to help with your heating bills
    If you’re reluctant to turn up the heating because of the cost, you may be entitled to help with your bills. Contact Wimbledon Guild or Age UK Merton for a benefits check and to find out if you may be eligible for any other financial support. You can also consider switching energy supplier or switching to a cheaper tariff.
  5. Reduce the risk of a fall
    A grab rail to at your front or back door could prevent a fall in icy weather. Rails inside your home – in your shower and along your stairs – could be a big help too. Contact Occupational Therapy in Merton to request an assessment on: 020 8545 4477. Keeping a mixture of salt and sand handy to put on steps or paths in icy weather is also a good idea – ask a friend or relative to get some from a DIY store.

When the cold weather hits it’s really important to look after yourself and stay warm. Exposure to extreme cold, even for a short time, can raise your blood pressure, putting you at risk of a heart attack or stroke. Make sure you:

  • Keep moving – don’t sit still for more than an hour at a time.
  • Eat at least one hot meal a day and drink several hot drinks.
  • Wear lots of thin layers of clothing, which keep you cosy by trapping warm air between them.
  • Check your bedroom is heated to at least 18°C and your living room to at least 21°C.
  • Choose boots with non-slip soles and a warm lining, or wear thermal socks when you’re out and about.
  • Ask your family or friends if they could call or visit more often in a period of cold weather.

For more information, please call 020 8946 0735 or visit Warm and Well in Merton.