Tag Archive for: Polka Theatre

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.

The Festive Spirit Returns to Wimbledon

Love Wimbledon has brought the festive spirit to Wimbledon Town Centre in the lead up to Christmas, attracting visitors to the town through activities and events and the launch of The Wimbledon Gift Card

 

Decorating the Town

Our magical, twinkling tree has returned outside Wimbledon Station bringing a smile to commuters and visitors passing by, while children and families have been captivated by our Spot the Golden Reindeer installation, which has seen Santa’s nine reindeer back again with a new twist to celebrate local theatres. Christmas lights have been switched on and planters refreshed with festive flowers, including Wimbledon’s first Living Pillar which has been updated with air-scrubbing plants! We have dressed up the shop fronts of empty units along The Broadway with planting and pops of colour, presenting a more attractive town centre.

The Wimbledon Gift Card 

Love Wimbledon has launched London’s first town centre gift card, designed to encourage local spend in Wimbledon and provide essential support to a range of high street businesses within the community. This is a positive addition to the town centre, promoting the depth and range of businesses to the strong community and provides the great gift of choice to reward employees and volunteers this Christmas. Used like a pre-paid Mastercard, it’s redeemable at over 30 brands, independents, restaurants, lifestyle, entertainment and cultural venues in Wimbledon Town Centre, including department store Elys, Prince of Wales Pub, Lush and Fitness Space. To find out more and order The Wimbledon Gift Card for your staff, click here or register your business to take part here.

Wimbledon Winter Weekender

Taking the place of our Winter Wonderland event, we created a reimagined community event this year – the Wimbledon Winter Weekender, which took place 27-28 November. Spread across two days, the event featured community choirs, dance performances, schools acts, face painting, steel pans music, Santa appearances, ice-carving and the very popular fireworks. Businesses lended their support to the event, with Centre Court Shopping Centre hosting the fireworks display and many families, children and visitors getting involved and enjoying the return of live events. We thank those who visited the town for this event and supported local, braving the cold weather and showing true festive spirit.

Christmas Markets on The Piazza

In their 10th year, our Christmas Markets are always a popular event. Providing that extra sparkle to The Piazza and offering the perfect opportunity to pick up unique Christmas gifts and deliciously hot festive food, we have two upcoming Friday markets, for employees to visit during their lunchbreaks or after work*. Local artisans offer a broad range of products, including original art, home décor, bespoke jewellery, clothing, candles and much more.

*Our last two Christmas Markets are Friday 10th December – Sunday 12th December and Friday 17th December – Sunday 19th December, 11am to 6pm each day.

We’d like to thank all the businesses that have come together to support the local community and the town this Christmas, whether it’s by donating to local organisations who help those in need, or sponsoring our activities and events, to deliver Christmas festivities in a new way this year. Thank you to The Piazza and Centre Court Shopping for sponsoring the Christmas Tree as well as our Golden Reindeer, plus Polka Theatre and New Wimbledon Theatre for also supporting the reindeer installation. A final thank you to Morrisons Solicitors and WSM for sponsoring the floral planters on The Piazza.

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.

Christmas Activities in Wimbledon

Christmas Market food stall

Love Wimbledon are hosting a range of FREE events and promotions to bolster the Christmas period, aiming to drive footfall to the town centre and enhance the overall experience for visitors, supported by a strong marketing campaign.

The Wimbledon Gift Card

A gift for all this Christmas. We’re launching The Wimbledon Gift Card, an exclusive card to redeem at participating Wimbledon Town Centre businesses, including independents, brands, lifestyle, shops, theatre, restaurants and more. Perfect for the person who has everything, last-minute presents and employee gifts. If your business would like to take part in the gift card programme, please register here, and look out for when this launches – it’s also a great opportunity for a tax-free gift for your employees.

Christmas Tree

A perennial favourite, the Christmas Tree will appear again on the station forecourt, lighting up the town. Jointly sponsored by Centre Court Shopping, The Piazza and Love Wimbledon. 

Wimbledon Reindeer Trail: 19th November – 1st January

Eight vibrant and colourful reindeer (plus Rudolf!) will decorate the streets of Wimbledon this Christmas. In partnership with Centre Court Shopping and The Piazza, see if you can spot them in town – with a theatrical twist!

Christmas Markets: five consecutive weekends, from 20th November

This year marks the 10th anniversary of our festive markets on The Piazza, which take place annually across five weekends during the Christmas period. The markets provide a winter shopping and eating experience over 12 days, including two Fridays (10th and 17th December) where employees can pop down during their lunches/after work. 11am – 6pm

Wimbledon Winter Weekender: 27th & 28th November

Our NEW Winter Weekender will welcome visitors to the town centre with festivities across two days, replacing our previous one-day Winter Wonderland event and tying into the Black Friday shopping weekend. 12pm – 5pm

Visitors will enjoy:

  • Performances
  • Brass band
  • Roller skating Christmas characters
  • Ice carving demonstration
  • Father Christmas appearance
  • Fireworks Display (5pm on Sunday, courtesy of Centre Court Shopping)
  • And more!

The majority of activities will take place around the station forecourt, The Piazza and Centre Court, with an appearance of entertainment near New Wimbledon Theatre and Polka Theatre, as shows end, providing additional enjoyment for theatre-goers.  


We look forward to a joyful festive season for the town and businesses within, with the community coming together once again and celebrating Christmas. Get in touch to let us know what your business has planned and we can promote your offering. info@lovewimbledon.org

New Year, New Developments

Wimbledon is entering the new year with a surge in positive developments and placemaking across the town. The centre is an urban / suburban hub of good transport links, beautiful buildings, HQs, independents and cultural choice. It is recognised as a growth relocation area for businesses who want somewhere safe, convenient and affordable, the following projects will further enhance this.

Hartfield Walk Goes Green

Love Wimbledon has secured CIL funding of £120,000 from Merton Council to create an exciting new space – Hartfield Walk, to improve the area between Blacks and Robert Dyas on The Broadway. Working in collaboration with local creative business Firecracker Works, the project will see the reclaiming of an underused space being repurposed for the local community, providing a sense of escapism through an amalgamation of planting, seating, market kiosks, new lighting, environmental games and art. As well as presenting a place to sit and read a book in the afternoon sunshine, grab a bite for lunch or meet and connect with friends and family, Hartfield Walk aims to be a space which educates, informs and engages the local community. Through references to combatting air pollution and climate change, each component has been carefully considered to inspire local people of all ages to make a difference, e.g. through art, play, materials used etc.

New Homes and Workspace for the YMCA

YMCA St Paul’s Group has received planning consent from Merton Council to deliver a brand-new YMCA hostel in Wimbledon, consisting of 121 en-suite rooms to promote independent living, alongside an adjoining development of 135 new homes, plus an improved café, gym and fitness studio for wider community use. Read more about this here.

Polka Childrens Theatre Refurbishment Nears Completion 

The UK’s first children’s theatre, Polka has been awarded a Capital Kickstart grant as part of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund, worth £253,000. This will enable the local theatre to continue with their redevelopment, despite the financial challenge caused by the Covid-19 crisis. With just over £100,000 left to raise to complete this £8.3m capital redevelopment, Polka is due to re-open in Spring with a new café and open-access play spaces, improved physical access, expanded capacity for early years work, and a new rehearsal and community space.

New Forecourt for Theatre 

A new paved front entrance to New Wimbledon Theatre, is due to complete by spring in time for the theatre reopening. The space reclaims part of Russell Road, enhancing the theatre experience by providing more room for theatre goers to meet before or spill out onto after. It creates a better sense of place for this landmark building. The works by Merton Council will also incorporate a new crossing, which had to be relocated. The project was developed through the Future Wimbledon consultation, which Love Wimbledon BID has been supporting.

We look forward to 2021 being a strong year for our town and businesses.

Check back to our news pages and LinkedIn for further developments and news.  

Icon Solutions Donates £100K to Polka Theatre

Icon Solutions have generously donated £100K to Polka’s redevelopment of their building. The theatre’s FUTURE POLKA campaign will ensure the theatre will be able to inspire children for years to come.

 

Icon Solutions, a fintech consultancy headquartered in Wimbledon, are supporting the urgently needed redevelopment which will offer children across London, the south east and beyond, new state-of-the-art theatre facilities and the UK’s first purpose-built early years theatre for under 6s.

 

The team at Icon Solutions have a long history with Polka. Two of the Directors, Ben Hallifax and Tom Kelleher, grew up in the local area and have fond memories of seeing shows at Polka as children.  In fact, Ben Hallifax’s mother used to run the café back in the 1980s!

 

Tom Kelleher, Icon’s Commercial Director, said: “Polka is an important centre of creativity and support for the community of Wimbledon and surrounding areas. As Icon Solutions originates in Wimbledon, it is incredibly important to us to support initiatives which benefit our local community.

 

We have supported Polka’s Freefalling Programme for a number of years and we have seen the difference this programme has made to children’s social confidence, creative thinking and academic achievement. It is an honour to be associated with Polka Theatre and we will continue to support their valuable work and the joy they bring to so many.”

 

Icon Solutions were invited to the theatre and thanked personally by Polka’s well known Patron Amanda Holden, who is a judge on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent. Amanda made a special visit to kick start the public fundraising campaign for Polka, which still needs £1 million to reach its £7.5 million target.

 

Polka’s Executive Director Lynette Shanbury is thrilled with the donation “We are very grateful to Icon Solutions for their incredible support of Polka.

 

Icon Solutions have been valued supporters of Polka and their recent and significant contribution to our Capital re-development has demonstrated a real commitment to our community and the children and families that will benefit most from this project, many of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds.

 

The financial support and good will from the local community, from both individuals and businesses alike, is pivotal in making our ambitious redevelopment plans a reality. We still have £1 million left to raise of our £7.5million appeal to ensure we can secure Polka Theatre for future generations of children.”

 

Ben Hallifax, Icon’s Operations Director, commented “At Icon we believe that we’re not only measured by the success of our projects but also by the contributions we make to society. We feel strongly in supporting charities where we have a personal connection and where we feel we can make a difference, especially to our local community. I would encourage other local businesses to see if they can also support this worthy cause and help continue the Polka legacy.”

 

For further information about FUTURE POLKA and Polka Theatre visit www.polkatheatre.com  or call Sarah Ruff, Head of Development on 020 8545 8327.

 

Image Credit – Oscar May

Pictured left to right: Tom Kelleher (Commercial Director), Saara Day (Head of Marketing), Amanda Holden (Polka Patron) Darren Capehorn (Director of Services) and Ben Hallifax (Operations Director). Picture taken at Polka Theatre, February 2019

Polka to receive £1.2 million from Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund

Polka has taken a significant leap towards achieving its plans for redevelopment in 2019, with the award of investment from the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund.

The £1.2m award towards the theatre’s FUTURE POLKA programme is a clear endorsement of Polka’s importance as a cultural hub for the local Merton community and a resource for children and families from across south London and beyond.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2019, Polka is the UK’s leading theatre for children  up to the age of 12. The redevelopment will be the first since the charity first opened its doors back in 1979 and will ensure Polka remains at the forefront of children’s theatre for future generations, providing innovative, challenging and thought-provoking work for an increasingly culturally diverse young audience. The development includes a new Adventure Theatre specially designed for young children  up to age 5, a new rehearsal and development studio, and a creative learning studio
designed with particular reference to children with sensory needs, as well as improved  access facilities.

Merton Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Culture, Councillor Nick Draper, said: “I am delighted to hear that Polka Theatre has received this investment award, which will go a long way to bring their FUTURE POLKA plans to life. This gives a  much needed boost to a vibrant arm of our community which promotes diversity and champions accessibility for artists and audiences in London.”

Commenting on the award, Peter Glanville, Artistic Director & Joint CEO of Polka said “We could not be more delighted. This award is a clear demonstration of the Mayor of London and the GLA’s commitment to supporting culture and community-led  regeneration in Merton and a ringing endorsement of the value of Polka’s work with children and families. Theatre and access to the arts nourishes and inspires children’s creative development. This investment celebrates the world class cultural provision Polka creates and shares with children and families in our local community.”

Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills, Jules Pipe, said: “This is a great example of a project which aims to give Londoners of all backgrounds the opportunity  to be actively involved in shaping how their city develops. The Mayor and I are committed to supporting ‘good growth’ by building a city where all Londoners have
access to the same opportunities and I look forward to seeing the positive impact this project has in the future.”

This funding award means Polka has less than £800K to raise to reach their total fundraising target. Other key project supporters include Arts Council England, London  Borough of Merton, major trusts and foundations, and individual supporters.

For further information on Polka and FUTURE POLKA: polkatheatre.com/futurepolka