Tag Archive for: Lu-Ma

Multiple Wins for Wimbledon at Food & Culture Awards 2022

A huge congratulations to the 17 businesses in Wimbledon Town Centre, who have received shining recognition in Time & Leisure’s Food & Culture Awards 2022, putting Wimbledon firmly on the map as a destination for dining, cultural events and theatres. 

This year marked the 10th year of the Time & Leisure Food & Culture awards, which are dedicated to celebrating world-class food, drink and culture in South West London and Surrey, as well as recognising the talented and passionate people who make up our hospitality and arts industries.

Over 10,000 votes were cast and ambassadors for this year’s awards included top chefs Adam Byatt and Marcus Wareing. Amongst the many local businesses nominated, five venues across Wimbledon Town Centre were winners in their categories. Hailed for their authentic Persian dishes, Diba won both ‘Local Restaurant Of The Year’ and ‘Best Delivery/Takeaway’.

 

Diba – winners of Local Restaurant Of The Year and Best Delivery/Takeaway awards

 

Lively local The Alexandra was awarded ‘Best Pub’ for its commitment to the community – namely its free Christmas dinner for anyone who would usually be alone on Christmas Day. Wimbledon Bookfest were winners of ‘Cultural Experience of the Year’ for delivering incredible live events with top guest speakers, despite the constraints of the pandemic, and New Wimbledon Theatre won ‘Favourite Entertainment Venue’.

 

New Wimbledon Theatre – winners of Favourite Entertainment Venue award

 

“We are thrilled to win this and to be nominated for Cultural Experience of the Year and Favourite Theatre Show after what has been such a difficult couple of years for our industry. We are so pleased the local community have supported and returned to the theatre, as us we reopened and brought the theatrical sparkle back to SW19.”

– New Wimbledon Theatre

 

Love Wimbledon sponsored the ‘Wimbledon Town Centre People’s Choice’ award, which was won by Leon, the health-conscious food group that impressed readers. Lebanese restaurant Grilandia followed closely behind as the highly commended choice, with Polka Theatre, CMYK bar and Diba also being commended. Other businesses recommended in this category included Dip & Flip, Kokoro, Lu-Ma Café, The Alexandra and Bills.

We are delighted to see so many of our local businesses in Wimbledon recognised for their excellence by the community, and hope that more people are encouraged to explore the best of their neighbourhood, trying out local favourites across the town and high street.

See the full list of winners here.

Merton Best Business Award-Winners 2021

After a one-year break, over 200 local business people gathered yesterday evening, 1st December, for the Merton Best Business Awards (MBBA) at the prestigious All England Tennis Club.

The MBBAs were redesigned for 2021 to recognise the challenges faced by businesses during the pandemic. A range of new categories and an easier application process attracted the highest ever number of applications in the Awards’ nine-year history – testament to the resilience and determination of Merton’s businesses in the face of such difficult operating conditions.

Helen Clark Bell, CEO of Love Wimbledon, said:

‘It was a brilliant evening and great to see businesses recognised for their resilience and celebrating together in person after a tough couple of years.’

 

Lu-Ma Café

Love Wimbledon BID business, Lu-Ma Café, scored a hat trick, coming away with category awards for ‘Star of the Year’ and ‘In the Face of Adversity’, and were crowned Overall Winner while Wimbledon Bookfest took home the ‘Arts & Culture’ award.

Wimbledon Bookfest

The Polka Theatre, The Wimbledon Group and Finling Associates Ltd were runners up for the ‘In the Face of Adversity’, ‘Arts & Culture’ and ‘Best Innovation and Customer Focus’ awards respectively.

A full list of winners and runners-up can be found on the Merton Best website here.

Love Wimbledon were proud to be gold sponsors of this event and sponsored the ‘In the Face of Adversity Award’, recognising business resilience over the last 18 months.

Wimbledon’s First Breathe Café Joins Lu-Ma

Local café Lu-Ma have collaborated with mental health charity, Shawmind, to open the first ‘Breathe Café’ in Wimbledon Town Centre.

The concept of a Breathe Café, was created by mental health charity Shawmind, and is a safe space where the public can go and read books in the wellbeing library, connect with a volunteer and find resources to help support them.

Mayor of Merton, Councillor Michael Brunt, attended the launch party stating:

“It is such a great idea to provide this type of help in this way and I am delighted to add my support”.

Breathe Cafés are not clinics or therapy sessions, and volunteers provide signposting and active listening support only – nothing offered by the Breathe Café replaces the advice of a mental health professional. Shawmind strongly believe that early intervention in this way, can help head off more serious mental health challenges in individuals in the future. It aims to partner with coffee shops and restaurants around the country to roll out Breathe Cafés in every community. Lu-Ma represents the first such partnership.

“When I met Maria I realised that we have an ideal partner to set up our first Breathe Café in Wimbledon. Her passion for better mental health and better physical wellbeing, through healthy eating, seemed like a natural fit with Shawmind and we are delighted to be launching the first Breathe Café at Lu-Ma.”

– James Espey, President of Shawmind

Maria Jessiman, co-owner of the family-run café added:

“We look forward to opening a space where people can feel seen, heard and valued without judgement.”

The plant-based healthy food café Lu-Ma, was born out of a desire to provide a hub in the heart of Wimbledon to help support the community’s physical and mental well-being. Mental health has always been something close to Maria and her families’ heart. This new initiative adds another dimension to the café which has previously held well-being events, meditations and courses, and looks to continue to do more in the future.

Employees in Wimbledon can access helpful mental health resources in Lu-Ma café, which is located at 43 Worple Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4JZ. Simply scan the QR code which is visible throughout the venue. To find out more click here.