Fancy dinners, champagne and a messy party for singletons
Our Valentine’s Day guide, plus: have your say on the future of the town centre
Good morning, Wimblers — I hope that everyone is having a lovely week. As always, thank you to everyone who has shared and subscribed to our newsletter. I really feel like we’re building a community every day, and I’m thrilled with how fast we’re growing!
This week is all about love. I’m talking about L-O-V-E. It’s The Wimble’s Valentine’s Day edition, and we’ve got some incredible romantic recommendations and deals for you just below. We’ve also got your usual news roundup, an answer to our last edition’s photo of the week question, and some brilliant activities for the to-do list.
We’ve also got another exclusive Wimble code for AFC Wimbledon fans this week. Just enter the code WIMBLEDONS here and get your £15 tickets for any seat against Crewe Alexandra and Salford City. And what’s more, a pair will be picked out at random and upgraded to the 1889 lounge, which normally costs £80 per person. Those lucky Wimble readers will get to enjoy a pre-match interview with a club legend and a post-game Player of the Match presentation, as well as a giant screen to enjoy match broadcasts before or after the AFC Wimbledon match. Winners will also receive a complimentary main meal, two free drinks for each guest, and a padded seat with a great view of the pitch.
Please keep sharing The Wimble with your friends and family. And please do get in touch with story ideas: zak@thewimble.com.
News snippets 🗞
🌊 The Wandle Trail might finally have a “missing link” added so that the walk is no longer interrupted by a busy high street. Although both Wandsworth and Merton councils have called the missing link a “priority project”, more than 1,200 local residents have signed a petition calling for more urgency. As it stands, Network Rail owns the land that the councils need to purchase in order to complete the route. Merton recently conducted a feasibility study which cost £1.1m and found that buying the land back from Network Rail is the best course of action. You can sign the Wandle Valley Foundation’s petition here.
📈 Love Wimbledon needs your help! If you’re a local resident and want to have your say about the shops, restaurants and general activities in Wimbledon Town Centre, then fill out this survey. Love Wimbledon (AKA the Business Improvement District) will share the results with local decision makers to demonstrate what Wimbledon residents are looking for from the town centre.
🚨An armed police car chase in Wimbledon sees a fugitive apprehended as he tries to evade the law. The driver, who attempted to flee in a stolen vehicle, was wanted by both the Metropolitan and Cleveland police. Check out the Daily Mail for coverage.
💷 Wimbledon Championships charity are offering £290,000 in community project grants. Last week, the AELTC announced the news that the Wimbledon Foundation has opened its annual community funds. Grants of up to £10,000 — which are available to charities and organisations in both the boroughs of Merton and Wandsworth — are open for applications until February 24. Check out more details here.
🍾 Lanson’s Le Rosé Creation is arguably the wine of Wimbledon’s Championships. This week, Luxury London have written a deep-dive piece about how the pink bubbly became synonymous with Wimbledon tennis. Read all about it here.
Property of the week 🏡
I want this house, and I want it now. It has everything — in fact, it might have too much. This five-bedroom detached period property is the perfect blend of old and new. Just look at that floor to ceiling log burner. And don’t get me started on the garden. For £2.75m, this Wimbledon home could be yours. Check out Rightmove for more photos.
The Wimble’s to-do list 🎻
🍷 NOIR Dinner at The Black Lamb: Devil’s Corner is inviting you to an exclusive evening at The Black Lamb to celebrate the winery’s unique and elegant cool-climate vintages. Guests will taste eight varieties of wine alongside a seven-course bespoke menu. Tickets are £45 per person and can be bought here.
Where: The Black Lamb
When: Thursday, 13 February, 7:15 PM - 10:00 PM
🐜 An Ant Called Amy: Get ready for a brand new show at the Polka Theatre! Amy is a hardworking ant who is motivated to work harder when she wins Employee of the Month. But is Amy really happy? With the help of the Brown Spider, Amy the ant learns to find happiness in the everyday. The show is for children ages 5-8. Grab your tickets before they sell out!
Where: Polka Theatre
When: Thursday, 6 February - Sunday, 9 February (showtimes are 11:00 AM or 2:00 PM)
📀 Synthetics at YMCA Wimbledon: Get your 80s on! Head over to the YMCA this week for an aerobic throwback. Expect a classic 80s-style cardiovascular workout with strengthening and toning. Book via the options listed online. Here’s hoping that they’ll play Eurythmics.
Where: YMCA, Wimbledon
When: Friday, 7 February, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM / Saturday, 8 February, 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
🍻 Pub Quiz at the Dog & Fox: Dry January is over, and you know what that means … you can have a real beer again (but don’t undo all the good work of the past month)! Gather your smartest friends, put a raincoat on and head over to the Dog & Fox next Wednesday for your weekly pub quiz and chance to win some prizes.
Where: Dog & Fox, Wimbledon Village
When: Wednesday, 12 February, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
🎼 The Amadeus Myth: Piecing Together the Real Mozart: Mozart might be one of the most famous composers of all time, but that doesn’t mean his life wasn’t shrouded in mystery and marred by misfortune. Join Sandy Burnett next Wednesday as he pulls back the layers of Mozart’s life and pieces together an image of the real man. Members can attend for free. Non-members will be charged £10 per ticket, which you can book here.
Where: The Sacred Heart Church Hall, Wimbledon
When: Wednesday, 12 February, 8:00 PM
Valentine’s Day Competition 💸
Wimbledon Quarter is running a rather romantic — and generous — competition this Valentine’s Day. One lucky person, chosen at random, will win over £1000 worth of gifts. All you have to do to enter is click on the Instagram image below and follow the instructions. To get you excited, here are a few of the gifts included in the hamper: a £100 voucher for 601 Queens Road, three introductory courses at The Boardroom Climbing, a bay and bottle of bubbly date night at the Golf Groove, and, of course, a bunch of red roses from Blooms at London. What are you waiting for? Enter now!
Cupid aims his arrow at Wimbledon: This year’s best Valentine’s Day spots 💝
Good morning, lovebirds. As you’re aware, this week is The Wimble’s Valentine’s Day edition (cue kissing noises). For all those who celebrate, we’ve been rounding up. Here are the best spots to woo your significant others with this year:
Best value:
601 Queens Road
601 Queens Road is a Wimbledon gem. With its rooftop terrace and circular bar, 601 is the perfect spot for a cool, casual and romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. And with an exclusive two-course set menu (including a glass of Della Vite Prosecco Rosé) for £32.50 per person, this might be this year’s best deal. Expect dry-aged steaks, pan-roasted gnocchi and seriously loved-up vibes. Book a table here.
Best flavour:
Bombay Delight
There are few dishes in life more comforting and hearty than a good curry, and what better way to spend the most romantic day of the year than enjoying some award-winning Indian cuisine? Bombay Delight are pulling out all the stops this year with their Valentine’s Day menu. Think everything from truffle scallops to turkey butter masala. Book a table before time runs out.
Best contest:
Bobochacha
Bobochacha have been gracing Wimbledon residents with some of the finest pan-Asian cuisine that SW19 has to offer. This year, they’ve got a simple yet delicious set menu for £37.50 per person — a glass of prosecco is included, of course! What’s more, Bobochacha are also running a lucky draw that will see one couple dine entirely free. But be quick, as entrees close on 12 February. Book a table, and enter the competition.
Best vibe:
Oy bar
Nothing says “I love you” quite like a glass of champagne and a selection of the finest oysters. If suave, sophisticated and sexy is your thing, then look no further than Wimbledon’s very own Oy bar. We’re talking about an incredible wine list, some delicious small plates, romantic music and, of course, oysters … and lots of them. Check out our interview with the founder of Oy bar and book your table here.
Best booze-up:
Tunnel 267
This is for the party-goers out there. Tunnel 267 are hosting their “Roses are Red” party from 10:00 PM - 3:00 AM this Valentine’s Day. With shots coming in at £2 and bottles of pink prosecco costing as little as £17.50, this party is not for the faint-hearted. Head to their Instagram to guarantee free entry.
Best quintessential Valentine’s Day spot:
The Black Lamb
The Black Lamb is one of the most beloved restaurants in Wimbledon. And for good reason! This year, the team have put together a stunning set menu for £78 per person (with an additional £45 per person for the wine pairing). Though not the cheapest option, you can’t go wrong with The Black Lamb. Check out their set menu here — it includes a “Daily Loosener” cocktail of home-infused cranberry vodka, plum liquor, red currant, and vanilla — and visit their website to book a table.
Best activity:
The Golf Groove
Sometimes, you want more than a meal. Sometimes, dinner and drinks aren’t enough. Sometimes, you want a show! Fear not, Wimblers, for the Golf Groove have got you covered. Couples can enjoy an hour of golf, a bottle of wine and a lovely dinner all for £90 per pair. Click here to book your spot and get swinging.
Best for singles:
Tequila Mockingbird
Who says Valentine’s Day has to be about relationships? Well, most of the world does, actually … but that’s not the point! Head down to Tequila Mockingbird for their Traffic Light Party and get mingling this Valentine’s Day. Think drinks deals, dancing singletons and lots of colourful outfits. Head to their website for more details.
Photo of the week (mystery solved) 📸
Last week, I featured this photo submitted by Marcus Knight and asked our readers what this pen on Wimbledon Common was. Thank you to all who commented and got in touch! Sarah Murton, Conservation Ranger of Wimbledon and Putney Commons, kindly emailed to say this:
“I can confirm [it’s] a cattle pound:
There are two cattle pounds on the Commons; one at the junction of Cannizaro Road and Parkside known as the Southern Pound (which is the one photographed in your newsletter), and the other on Putney Heath near the Green Man. Although the timbers have been renewed over the years, they originally date from the time when sheep and cattle grazed on the Common lands. They were not only used to house cattle which had strayed but to also impound those seized in payment of debt.
I have attached a photograph from 1912 showing the Southern Pound in use which features in A History of Wimbledon & Putney Commons edited by Norman Plastow.”
Question of the week 🔍
Last week I asked who the oldest tennis player to win the gentlemen’s singles title at Wimbledon was. 28% chose Arthur Gore, 5% chose Gardnar Mulloy, 28% chose Roger Federer, and 38% chose Arthur Ashe. The answer: Arthur Gore.
Q: Which of these famous comedians was born in Wimbledon?
You’re up to date 👋
That’s everything for now! Thank you for reading, and please keep sharing the newsletter. Don’t forget to redeem your £15 AFC Wimbledon tickets here with the code “WIMBLEDONS” — a lucky pair of readers will also be upgraded to the 1889 lounge. Comment below with any ideas, and get in touch if you have stories or questions: zak@thewimble.com. Have a great rest of the week and see you next Thursday!