Merry Christmas 2017

From all of us at Love Wimbledon…

We look forward to seeing you in the New Year!

Advent Food Donations

Ashworths Solicitors LLP, American Tax Returns Ltd and Cargostore Worldwide Trading Ltd, local businesses based at the Old Exchange in Wimbledon, decided to enter into the full spirit of Christmas this year.  Each day throughout the month of December staff members have donated items to be delivered to the Wimbledon Foodbank based at 59 High Path Wimbledon as a different slant on the Advent Calendar.

The Wimbledon Foodbank was set up by the Trussell Trust as part of their foodbank network.  This network was founded in 2004 and now supports 428 foodbanks across the UK.  Their aim is to provide food parcels that contain sufficient nutrition for at least three days of healthy, balanced meals for individuals and families.  Food can be obtained through a voucher referral system from a number of different agencies including Citizens advice, children’s centres and health visitors.

The  items that have been collected will be delivered just before the Christmas break in time for them to be distributed between the three local foodbank centres.

Staff members of each of the three companies have embraced the chance to give something back to the local community and are hoping that this new initiative will become an integral part of the annual season of goodwill.

Pictured: Back Row left to right- Brendan Dean and Jamie Coates, Ashworths Solicitors LLP.  Front row- Aideen Lynch American, Tax Return Ltd and Richard Mestrinho, Cargostore Worldwide Trading

 

 

Transport over the holidays

As you would expect during a holiday period, planned upgrades and engineering works take place which results in disruption to travel in and out of Wimbledon affecting trains, tubes, trams and buses.  Don’t get caught out, check before you travel and plan your journey in advance. A brief outline highlighted below:

December 24

Tube: Normal Sunday service with less frequent services from 20:00

District line closed between South Kensington and Edgware Road/Ealing Broadway/Richmond/Wimbledon/Kensington (Olympia).

Christmas Day

Unless you hitch a ride in Santa’s sleigh there are no services on any TfL platform all day.

Boxing Day

There will be a Sunday service on the Tube. The District line is closed between South Kensington and Edgware Road/Ealing Broadway/Richmond/Wimbledon/Kensington Olympia. Rail replacement buses will run.

There will be no London Overground services.

December 27

District line: The line is closed between South Kensington and Edgware Road/Ealing Broadway/Richmond/Wimbledon/Kensington Olympia.

December 28

There will be a Saturday service on the Tube except for the Waterloo and City line which will have a weekday service.

District line: The line is closed between South Kensington and Edgware Road/Ealing Broadway/Richmond/Wimbledon/Kensington Olympia. Rail replacement buses will run.

December 29

There will be a Saturday service on the Tube except for the Waterloo and City line which will have a weekday service.

District line: The line is closed between South Kensington and Edgware Road/Ealing Broadway/Richmond/Wimbledon/Kensington Olympia. Rail replacement buses will run.

December 30

District line: The line is closed between South Kensington and Edgware Road/Ealing Broadway/Richmond/Wimbledon/Kensington Olympia. Rail replacement buses will run.

New Year’s Eve

This year, TfL will be providing free travel for everyone this New Year’s Eve so that millions of party goers can get home safely. Travel is free between 11.45pm and 4.30am on New Year’s Day.

There will be a normal Sunday service on the Tube, although TfL is warning that some stations will be busier than normal.

London Overground: Some services will run throughout the night.

TfL rail: No service on the entire line but there will be replacement buses at all stations.

New Year’s Day

There will be a reduced service on the Tube from 4.30am and then a Saturday service from 11am.

Thameslink

Thameslink services will stop at 8pm on December 24 and not begin again until December 27. There will be no Thameslink cross service to London between December 23 to January 1 inclusively.

Have a look at the following links which will keep you up to date on the latest news and travel.

https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/major-works-and-events/christmas-travel

https://www.southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey/planned-improvements/christmas–new-year-holiday-period

New Openings

Wimbledon has welcomed new businesses including some big names that have caused a queue or two. In November, The Garratt & Gauge emerged after a refurbishment of the former Edwards on Hartfield Road and now offers a selection of craft products from a quiet breakfast, a coffee with friends and little ones, a quick bite at lunch time, a post work drink or night out.

Following the opening of Joe & The Juice on Wimbledon Bridge in October, brand new and side by side, itsu and Wilko both attracted excited queues of customers. Itsu was first to open it’s doors on 1 December with 700 FREE lunch time giveaways and 100 itsu butterflies hidden around Wimbledon for lucky finders to receive a free meal. This new spot is proving popular for lunch time workers and dinner visitors alike.

Just in time for Christmas, Wilko opened it’s doors on 8 December to queues of excited shoppers hoping to claim one of the free gifts, vouchers and giveaways available to the first 100 visitors. There was an opening fanfare with a ribbon cutting, carol singers and balloons galore.

Helen Clark Bell, CEO of Love Wimbledon comments, “We are very pleased to welcome three new businesses into Wimbledon over the past two months, each providing a different offer to the town and each attracting a strong excitable following for their openings. We are looking forward to working with all of these businesses in this high profile location to continue to make Wimbledon an attractive and exciting town.”

Night Czar, Amy Lamé visits Wimbledon Town Centre

Mayor of London’s Night Czar delighted to see our “diverse offering with impressive co-operation”

Just over a year ago, The Mayor of London appointed a ‘Night Czar’ to make London’s night-time economy even better.  Amy Lamé is a writer, broadcaster, DJ, performer and campaigner and has run her own performance night in Vauxhall for many years. On Friday 1 December she visited Wimbledon upon the invitation of Love Wimbledon BID at expressed her delight at “our diverse offering with impressive co-operation”.

We were very honoured to have Amy Lamé accept our invitation to join us. Wimbledon Police organised a tour of the night time economy for her with Merton Councillors and Merton Licensing staff as well as Love Wimbledon. We visited a number of the late night operators in Wimbledon and she heard first hand about the strong partnership working in Merton that enables a safe and diverse evening time and how this had positively impacted on the businesses and significant reduction in crime over the past few years.

Free Parking in December

Merton Council offers free parking in council-managed car parks

Throughout every weekend in December, until Christmas, Merton Council is offering free parking in council-managed car parks across Mitcham, Morden and Wimbledon.

Free parking is not available at Coombe Lane Car Park, Raynes Park, nor in council-managed pay and display on-street parking bays. All other parking conditions apply.

Please visit Merton Council for full details.

Merton’s Local Plan 2020

Merton Council is creating a new Local Plan to help guide future planning decisions – and wants to hear from you!

Merton Council would like to hear what your priorities are and what you want to see built in your neighbourhood. There are a number short online surveys to complete via their website to help stimulate thoughts and views.

Love Wimbledon urges all BID businesses to respond to some or all of the topics that interest you as soon as possible. The consultation will close on Monday 8 January 2018. For more details please visit Merton Council’s Local Plan 2020.

Love Wimbledon also encourages all BID businesses to have their say on the Mayor’s Skills for Londoners Strategy (closes 2 January 2018) and on the New Draft London Plan (closes 2 March 2018).

Met Police Christmas Appeal

In 2016 the Met Police collected over 17,000 donations from the public for children who may not have received a present for Christmas – this year, with your help, they hope to do even better!

All you need to do is drop your donations in to your nearest police station by Tuesday 12 December. The Met Police will wrap and distribute the presents. Or you can simply make a donation and they will use it to buy gifts for those children.

Please visit Met Police Christmas Appeal for more details, including present suggestions and where to find your nearest police station.

New Draft Plan for London

Blueprint for future development and sustainable, inclusive growth

London’s population is projected to reach 10.5 million by 2041. Tens of thousands of new homes and jobs are needed to prepare for this growth. The New Draft London Plan lays out how to achieve this while relieving the pressure on land, infrastructure and the environment.

The consultation on the New Draft London Plan begins on Friday 1 December. From 4 December 2017 you will be able to comment on the plan online, and Love Wimbledon urges all BID businesses to have their say as soon as possible. All comments must be received by 5pm on Friday 2 March 2018 and can be submitted online, by email or by post.

Please visit the New London Draft Plan website for more details.

Love Wimbledon also encourages all BID businesses to have their say on Skills for Londoners Strategy (closes 2 January 2018) and on Merton’s New Local Plan (closes 8 January 2018).