Wimbledon Winners at Food & Culture Awards 2023

Wimbledon Winners for Food & Culture Awards 2023

Huge congratulations to so many Wimbledon Town Centre businesses. We had 16 finalists, ten runners up and four overall winners at this year’s prestigious Time & Leisure Food and Culture Awards. Now in their 11th year, the awards ceremony was hosted in the heart of the town at the New Wimbledon Theatre with hundreds of cultural and hospitality businesses attending from across South West London and Surrey. This year’s awards champion the talented, creative and passionate people who comprise our thriving hospitality and arts industries.

 

The Wimbledon Town Centre People’s Choice (Sponsored by Love Wimbledon)

Winner: New Wimbledon Theatre

Highly Commended: Aya Lebanese

Commended: Bombay DelightDibai-Thai

New Wimbledon Theatre

 

Most Innovative Arts/ Community Project

Winner: Polka Theatre

Commended: Merton Arts Space and Wimbledon Bookfest

Polka Theatre

 

Best Family Friendly Restaurant

Winner: Diba

Diba

 

Best Sunday Roast 

Winner: The Alexandra

The Alexandra

 

We are delighted to see so many of our local businesses in Wimbledon recognised for their excellence by the community. View the full list of winners and commended here.

Chancellor Announces the 2023 Spring Budget

The Chancellor has announced the Spring Budget 2023, aimed at securing economic stability and long-term growth, with a plan to deliver on three of the five key priorities set out by the Prime Minister in January: to halve inflation, grow the economy and get debt falling. Below is a summary for Love Wimbledon BID businesses.

Business Rates

The Chancellor made a long-term commitment to local authorities retaining 100% of their business rates. A recap of the Merton Business Rate Payers Meeting, can be viewed here.

Cultural Tax Relief

The temporary Theatre Tax Relief will be extended a further two years, to April 2025.

Alcohol Duties

From 1 August, the government will increase the Draught Relief on beer and cider from 5% to 9.2% to freeze the duty charged on a typical pint in the pub, ensuring this will always be lower than in the supermarket.

Employment

A new over 50s returners programme developing existing skills to support them reentering the workforce will be introduced, supported by a £63.2 million investment.

Energy

The Energy Bills Discount Scheme will provide all eligible businesses, voluntary sector organisations and public sector organisations with a baseline discount on energy bills until 31 March 2024. To encourage energy efficiency, the government will extend the Climate Change Agreement Scheme for a further 2 years, until March 2025.

 

Full details of the Spring Budget can be found here.

 

CEO Update – The Year Ahead For Wimbledon

We are coming towards the end of the first year of the third term of Love Wimbledon, and I have also recently celebrated my own first anniversary as Chief Executive. While the economic climate nationally remains uncertain, Wimbledon remains impressively resilient, and I believe we are in great shape to weather this storm. The next few months will offer much for businesses locally to look forward to.

 

Starting in March with the opening of The Golf Groove, we will increasingly see the Centre Court Shopping Centre transformation realised. With climbing walls, a luxury gym and spa, new restaurants and retail and a new co-working hub all to look forward to, it will be a very different place by the end of 2023.

Centre Court Shopping Redevelopment

 

We continue to attract new office businesses and have several more major arrivals in the next three months, beginning with Flight Centre’s relocation to 120 The Broadway this month. This will bring hundreds more employees into the town centre – good news for the local economy! There will be several major developments completed in 2023, including the YMCA scheme and the new office development opposite at 147 the Broadway, which will transform the look and feel of this end of our BID area.

YMCA Development

 

Our Business Masterclass Series, launched in January 2023, will continue throughout the year, with events to look forward to on workplace wellbeing, cyber security, the future of workspaces and sustainability. I’d encourage you to attend any of these events if you have concerns in these important areas of business or if you’re looking to expand your business network, bringing our business community together is so important right now. If you missed the last masterclass, you can now catch up with our podcast on your preferred streaming service.

Business Masterclass Series

 

The Coronation in May will kick-off a packed summer of events, activities, markets and displays planned to showcase Wimbledon Town Centre in all its glory, including of course tennis fortnight – we want everyone to take real civic pride from our town this summer.

It’s a genuine privilege to be in this position, and I’ve met many excellent businesses in the last year here in Wimbledon, but I am always keen to know more. If we’ve not met yet, or if you have any questions about how the BID’s services can help your business with any challenge or opportunity you are currently working through, please get in touch!

The Golf Groove Comes to Wimbledon

The ongoing developments of Centre Court Shopping Centre are well underway with the first of the new developments, The Golf Groove set to open this month.

Wimbledonians and beyond will soon be able to experience a brand new high-tech immersive golf experience with a stylish bar and restaurant. The space will bring a different kind of entertainment to Wimbledon, catering to anyone from the amateur golfer to the well-versed pro.

Whether you are looking to play with friends and family, learn from PGA Qualified professional coaches or just grab a drink with colleagues you’ll find everything under one roof – or bay! Their 12 state-of-the-art, Trackman and Callaway supported bays are designed to accommodate everyone from scratch golfers to first-time explorers. Tee off from the Empire State Building or play a round of golf at the world’s best courses.

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Richard Harrison, CEO of The Golf Groove:

The Golf Groove is very much looking forward to being a part of the Wimbledon business community. Our hi-tech indoor golf experience is for everyone from beginners to Tiger Woods and our bar and dining area is designed for comfort with a homely design. Our South West facing terrace captures the sun all day and is a perfect spot to enjoy a drink or some food from our Chef Marlon.

With a highly experienced team of PGA professionals, we are focusing on group lessons for everyone as well as detailed tech coaching using Trackman. Our partners Callaway are proving equipment in every bay. We will be open from 0700am until 2300hrs midweek and from 0800am at weekends. We look forward to welcoming you all.

 

For updates on opening and booking, please visit www.thegolfgroove.com