Inside Wimbledon's most extraordinary modern home
Plus: A charity ball, forest bathing on Wimbledon Common, and the Grammy-winning musical coming to Wimbledon
Good morning, Wimblers — and a very good morning it is. We’re emerging from winter, and things are seeming brighter by the day. I’ve been replying to all of your emails these past few weeks, so please keep them coming: zak@thewimble.com.
We also hit 6,000 subscribers last week, which is incredible. Thank you to everyone who has subscribed! Please do share our newsletter with your friends, family, colleagues and whoever else you can think of.
This week, our featured article is a little different. Rather than having an interview with a person of interest or a local business / project, we’ve opted to feature one of Wimbledon’s most interesting homes. Scroll down to see what can only be described as the mother of all architectural statements. Drop a comment below to tell us what you think, and be sure to let us know if someone you know has a property that the Wimble should feature.
We’ve also got news about a recent fire in South Wimbledon, updates on the Save Wimbledon Park campaign, and a brand spanking new art exhibition hitting the streets of Wimbledon next week.
News snippets 🗞
🔥 A flat fire on Haydons Road in South Wimbledon saw four fire engines and 25 firefighters tackle the blaze last Wednesday. Though a small part of the second floor was damaged, no injuries have been reported. Control Officers received a call at 6:00 PM and then mobilized crews from Wimbledon, Tooting, Wandsworth and Mitcham. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. Check out the London Fire Brigade for more details.
🎾 Save Wimbledon Park announces that they need £200k in order to stop the AELTC’s proposed expansion. In a recent press release, the campaign also announced two upcoming public meetings in which they will “explain the current legal situation”, “put the AELTC plans into a wider context”, and show how others can support their campaign. The first meeting is on March 26 at Sacred Heart Parish Church, 7:15 PM - 9:15 PM, and the second meeting is on March 31 at Barnabas Church, Southfields, 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM.
🛣️ Merton Council will be introducing new road closures in a bid to reduce traffic. The intention of the council is to limit motorised travel between Merantun Way and Merton High Street. This means there will be road closures at the junctions of Pincott Road/High Path and Abbey Road/Station Road. These closures will not be physical and will instead be enforced by Automatic Number Plate Recognition. It’s important to note that access for the emergency services will not be restricted. These measures will be introduced at the beginning of something called “the consultation period”, which will last from 14 March 2025 to 15 September 2025. Read more about the plans here.
🚨 Police are on the hunt for a man who sexually assaulted a teenage girl on the Northern Line between South Wimbledon and Stockwell. The assault took place on the 19th of February at 11:15 AM before other passengers intervened and the assailant exited South Wimbledon station. For an image of the man, click here. If anyone has any information, they should get in touch with the British Transport Police by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40 with the reference 20 of February 19.
🍝 A new Italian restaurant opens in Wimbledon! Salvo’s — which is located off The Broadway at 138 Merton Road — opened just a few weeks ago. The restaurant is said to pride itself on using “traditional recipes and high-quality, locally sourced ingredients, ensuring that each dish reflects the heart of Italy.” Check out the menu here.
Property of the week 🏡
Here we have a superb 1930s end of terrace “Blay house”: a name given to the interwar properties built by developer George Blay in Raynes Park, South London. And though it’s clearly been modernised since then, it still retains some of its beautiful original structure. I’m a huge fan of that fireplace and the upstairs bedroom with an ensuite. Is it pricey? Yes, this slice of history will set you back £975,000. Is it worth it? Also yes. Check out more photos on Rightmove.
The Wimble’s to-do list 🌸
🌺 Exhibition: The Language of Flowers: Ad Lib Gallery’s new exhibition presents works from a trio of artists: Nay Bellamy, Katy Eccles and Fi McDougall. These artists will be showcasing works that explore the beauty of botanicals through a variety of mediums. The exhibition will run for ten days, though there is a private viewing on Thursday 27 March which you can attend by following the RSVP button on this link.
Where: Ad Lib Gallery, Wimbledon
When: Thursday 27 March - Sunday 6 April
♟ Wimbledon Chess Rising Stars: This junior chess club is run by expert coaches who are passionate about developing young talent. Each session offers a mix of lessons, games, and a prize tournament. The group is aimed at children 6+. Sessions cost £35 and can be booked here.
Where: William Morris House, The Broadway
When: Sunday 23 March, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
🍾 The Mayor of Merton’s Charity Ball: It’s party time! This year’s annual ball will raise funds for The National Brain Appeal and Christian Care. The evening promises to feature a three-course dinner, entertainment, dancing, an auction, and a raffle. Tickets are £100 per person and can be booked by emailing mayor@merton.gov.uk.
Where: All England Lawn Tennis Club, Church Road
When: Saturday 22 March, 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM
🌳 Wimbledon Common Forest Bathing: No, this doesn’t mean stripping down and shivering in one of Wimbledon Common’s freezing ponds. Forest bathing was actually developed in Japan in the 1980s, and quite literally means “taking in the forest atmosphere” or “forest bathing under the trees”. Join guide Nigel Grimes for a mindful session of breathwork and meditation. Tickets are £35 and can be booked here.
Where: Windmill Tea Rooms, SW19 5NQ
Saturday 22 March, 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
🎭 Dear Evan Hansen: The Olivier, Tony and Grammy-award winning musical comes to Wimbledon! “Meet Evan: an anxious high school kid who wants nothing more than to fit in. The thing is, on his way to fitting in, he didn’t tell the whole truth. And now must give up on a life he never dreamt he’d have. As events spiral and the truth comes out, Evan faces a reckoning with himself and everyone around him.” If that’s not enough to excite you, check out some of the reviews here. Tickets range from £13 to £103 and can be booked using this link.
Where: New Wimbledon Theatre
When: Tuesday 25 March - Saturday 29 March
Welcome to Wimbledon’s most contemporary home 🏡
Wimbledon is in no short supply of stunning properties. But every now and then, I stumble across a Wimbledon home that makes me stop and think: My God, who lives there? This is one of those homes. Designed and executed by architecture studio McLaren Excell, this might be Wimbledon’s most “contemporary home”.
Love it or hate it, this house is certainly eye-catching. Scroll to the bottom of the piece to have your say on whether this house takes your fancy. But first, let’s take a look inside:
The team at McLaren Excell has turned a once run-of-the-mill 1970s property into a contemporary 4,000 sq ft “fortress”. Built on a sought-after Wimbledon road — the exact location is not public knowledge — this striking and unusual property is a far cry from your classic Wimbledon home.
Luke McLaren, co-founder of McLaren Excell, described the house as a “bold, inward-facing structure”, and called it a “calm oasis that invites conversation and offers a unique architectural statement”. And a statement it is. The building may look like a fortress, but with ceilings as high as that, you’ll never feel locked inside.
This house is like something out of a cyberpunk novel — and I mean that in a good way. The exterior exudes privacy, whilst the interior integrates natural light to create these wonderful open spaces; in fact, the structure of the home was designed to follow the sun’s path throughout the day. But as much as I like all of these open spaces, I’m a fan of a home with a few more doors … but hey, that’s just me.
All of the rooms in the home revolve around a “central axis”. The ground floor is a combination of formal and informal living spaces, according to McLaren Excell’s website; I can only assume that “formal” and “informal” spaces refers to rooms that we — those without a learned architectural vocabulary — might understand as the living room, kitchen-dining room, lounge, and study. But I suppose it’s up to the owner to define their own surroundings. If they want to call their living room an “informal space”, then that’s their choice! My living room is also an informal space, in the sense that I like to slump on my sofa scrolling through Instagram before falling asleep and being rudely awakened by the sound of binmen at 6:00 AM.
The large, deeply set windows are designed to frame the beautiful surroundings whilst also emphasising a sense of solidity within the property. I do wonder if it’s possible to get any work done with a view like that. I’d be staring out the window all day if that was my home office. There are five ensuite bedrooms in this home: four on the first floor and one on the second floor which also features a terrace, an outdoor fireplace and a bathroom decorated in Viola honed marble (so the second floor is already bigger than my entire flat).
But what’s our verdict, Wimblers? Do we love this home? Would we want to see more contemporary houses like this one on our streets? Or are we fans of more traditional homes? I think it’s a striking and rather beautiful property, but I can understand if it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Let me know what you think in the poll below.
If any readers have seen or own a property that they think should feature in the Wimble, please get in touch.
McLaren Excell is co-directed by Luke McLaren and Robert Excell and works predominantly on private residential and commercial projects. The practice was established in 2010 and has built a reputation for producing buildings which have a “calm authority” and “nuanced sense of place”, as highlighted on their website.
Question of the week 🔍
Last week, I asked our readers which pub (out of a list of five) was the only one considered truly independent. 18% chose the Hand in Hand; 50% chose the Fox & Grapes; 4% chose the Dog & Fox; 21% chose the Fire Stables; 7% chose the Rose & Crown. The answer: the Fox & Grapes.
Q: Which of these famous TV shows has a scene featuring the New Wimbledon Theatre?
You’re up to date 👋
Thank you for reading this week’s edition. I hope that you enjoyed our longer feature on one of Wimbledon’s most unique properties. Please do get in touch if you have any projects, people, places or ideas: zak@thewimble.com. In the meantime, enjoy your weekend, take it easy, and I’ll see you next week.