Oh yes people, it’s that time of year again – Clapham festival time! Love Clapham is going totally gaga thinking about the massive partying ahead of us this summer. With Orbital, Super Furry Animals, Eric Prydz and The Human League all paying a trip to Clapham Common to headline, you lovely Clappers are totally spoilt for choice this year. But why choose when you can go to them all?! Read on for Love Clapham’s definitive guide to Clapham’s 2009 festivals.

Clapham is getting quite a name for itself as party central. Scrap that, with a 20,000 person venue (hello Clapham Common) it already is party central. Londoners will pour into our cosy little suburb for music and drinking gallore with no less than eight festivals on Clapham Common in 2009. And what the hell, we’re gonna join them!

Festival essentials

We’re in touch with all of the festival organisers and this page will be updated regularly with loads of useful tips and info related to Clapham’s 2009 festivals, so be sure to save it and visit back often.

• Clapham Common Guide: for info about travel to and from festivals.
• Clapham events: for other events to the big festivals.

Festival schedule

South Africa, New Zealand and Australia all have a healthy serving of residents living in Clapham, so it will come as no surprise that Toast Festival 2009 is a three day festivalathon to cater for all three nations. With Polo, music, mayhem and more it’s a brilliant event. Throw in BBQ’s and wine tasting, and we’re there!

Gay + Clapham = hand-in-hand and as a celebration the local gay Clapper community put on a song and a dance every year on the road next to Kazbar. Drag queens and tonnes of celebs usually turn up to entertain between music and drinking. Plus it’s free, just pay for the booze and enjoy. [More info coming when we're sent it!]

Super Furry Animals are the headline act for the first day of Ben & Jerry’s Sundae on the Common festival. As usual there will be music, frollics, drinking and ice cream, possibly in reverse order (and then repeated).

You love icecream, we love icecream, most of London loves icecream – let’s go back for second helpings at the second day of Ben & Jerry’s Sundae on the Common festival. Tickets have sold out already, but if you nabbed yourself a ticket, you’ll be lucky enough to see the Human League performing.

Probably Clapham’s best known gig, South West Four has a steller line-up this year with Eric Prydz and David Guetta headlining. Yummy.

With a line-up as long as your arm, Get Loaded in the Park is the last Clapham festival of the 2009 season – so you better get your skates on, buy tickets and get us a pint ready when you’re there.

Get Loaded in the Park brings even more festival goodness your way on Bankholiday Sunday 30 August. With no work on Monday there really is no excuse to miss headliners Orbital, Röyksopp and the rest of the acts.

You can still buy tickets from TicketMaster for a mere £35, or opt for a weekend pass to get you into South West Four (SW4) the day before too.

Get Loaded in the Park Line-up

Stonking line-up this year with headliners, other acts and DJ sets below:

• Orbital
• Röyksopp
• Carl Craig Presents Innerzone Orchestra
• Roni Size Reprazent
• Laurent Garnier // Peaches
• Sneaky Sound System // Freeland
• Booka Shade // Miss Kitten & The Hacker
• Magnetic Man feat Skream & Benga
• Esser // Trip // Marina & The Diamonds // Devils Gun

DJ Sets:

• Felix Da Housecat // Pendulum // Crookers
• Chase & Status // Rob Da Bank // Krafty Kuts
• The Count & Sinden // Steve Aoki // The Bloody Beetroots
• Eddy Temple Morris // Junior Sanchez

Visit the Get Loaded in the Park website for further information.

The Ben & Jerry’s icecream machine has gone into full swing for the Ben & Jerry’s Sundae on the Common festival. Tickets are now available to buy for Saturday 25^th July with the Super Furry Animals and Teenage Fanclub headlining the stage. Icecream and fairground rides are also present to help the day along.

Supporting acts include I am Kloot, King Creosote, Marina and the Diamonds, Tommy Reilly and Telegraphs. If the Sunday is anything to go by (which has already sold out), the Saturday tickets won’t be around for long. Tickets are £8.95 plus postage and you can buy them visit from the Ben & Jerry website.

Cian Ciaran of Super Furry Animals comments: ‘We’re looking forward to playing sweet songs from our new album Dark Days/Light Years to the masses at Ben & Jerry’s festival Sundae on The Common!”

What does “more than meets the eye” actually mean? I’m sure we’re about to find out because the Transformers are back with a sequel that appears to put the special into special effects. Transformers 2 opens this week at Clapham Picture House and Love Clapham is all set to relive childhood memories. If the above trailer is anything to go by, this is a more epic (and hopefully better written) film than the first. Let’s hope for less comedy and more destruction this time around. Full listings for Clapham Picture House in the rest of this post.

CLAPHAM PICTUREHOUSE LISTINGS
19th June – 25th June

NT LIVE: PHEDRE
Thu only: 6.45 (Thu)

ROBERT PATTISON DAY:
TWILIGHT (12A) 11.30 (Sat)
HOW TO BE (15) 2.10 (Sat)
LITTLE ASHES (15) 4.15 (Sat)

SUNDAYS WITH BOND: GOLDFINGER (PG)
Sun only: 3.00

TRANSFORMERS REVENGE OF FALLEN (12A)
Daily except Sun: 12.00 3.00 6.00 9.00
Sun only: 11.00 2.00 5.00 8.00

LOOKING FOR ERIC (15)
Daily except Sat & Sun: 1.00 3.30 8.50
Sat only: 8.50
Sun only: 12.00 8.20

THE HANGOVER (15)
Fri, Mon, Tue, Wed: 1.40 4.10 6.40 9.10
Sat only: 1.25 3.55 6.40 9.10
Sun only: 12.40 3.10 5.40 8.10
Thu only: 4.10 6.40 9.30

TERMINTOR SALVATION (12A)
Daily except Sun: 6.10 8.40
Sun only: 5.10 7.40

STAR TREK (12A)
Daily except Sun & Thu: 6.05
Sun only: 5.30
Thu only: 1.30

ANGELS & DEMONS (12A)
Daily Except Sat & Sun: 12.40 3.25
Sat only: 2.45
Sun only: 11.40 2.25

KIDS CLUB: BEDTIME STORIES (PG)
11.45 (Sat only)

Northcote Road market is the prime example of why the Clapham lifestyle is one of the best in London. Where else can you find super-sexy people, buy a globe, a second hand wet suit and a decent lunch? It’s a bizarre bubble of a place born out of its disproportionately young residents with disproportionately high levels of disposable income. They expect quaint and quality in uber fashionable portions. The result is a fabulous and unique market with trinkets, produce and market stall owners you’d expect to find in Harrods. This is a high class market at surprisingly reasonable prices. 

An event, not just a market

Love Clapham probably hasn’t paid enough attention to Northcote Road’s market recently, yet on the weekend it draws in the crowds in their droves. Strolling across Clapham Common to Northcote Road is idyllic on a summer Saturday, especially when you know what’s waiting when you get there. Unlike shopping chores, visiting Northcote Road feels like entertainment.

So what’s the appeal? We’ve picked a number of highlights to remind local residents of what’s on their doorstep and to encourage people that haven’t been to go. It isn’t just about the stalls though, it’s the atmosphere that makes it an enjoyable place to spend a couple of hours.

Food, glorious food!

Food. That’s what gets Love Clapham to walk the mile or so from Clapham North to Northcote Road on a weekend. Trade has definitely picked up on Northcote Road and the kind of stalls you’ll find are similar, if far fewer, to those you’d expect in Borough Market.

Whether it’s an immediate snack or ingredients for a later meal, you won’t be disappointed. One of the largest stalls sells fresh pizza, pastries and bageuttes. All of which is delicious, reasonably priced and served by friendly faces. Love Clapham bought a generous slice of ham and mushroom pizza for around £3.

Northcote Road market has something for everyone

On top of the bakery stall you’ll come across a fish monger and vegetable stalls as well as local art, clothes, antiques, flowers and more. Everything is sourced as locally as possible and the quality is greater than the local chain supermarkets.

Of course, all around the market you have cafes, restaurants and shops to pop into as well. This combination of local shops and market compliments one another and helps make sure you don’t leave without something you need.

Find your own sparkly gem of a bargain

Eat Me Cakes is the prime example of something for everyone, and our personal favourite. It has such a range of vividly coloured muffins and cup cakes it will please even the most discerning cake eater clubs (of which Love Clapham is a guilty metaphorical member).

The stall owner told us that Will Self recently wrote about the cake stall asking what it must be like in the world of someone that runs it. Considering the stall resembles a treasure trove of a cupboard on wheels Love Clapham can’t help but ponder the same question. Fairy dust adorns the homemade muffs and icing with fresh fruit and candy. At £1.50 for a large, Starbucks should be grovelling in shame. Delish!

Northcote Road market runs every Monday to Saturday at 9.00am – 5.00pm and while you’re not stall hopping, you can enjoy the cafes, bars and restaurants that sandwich it in. Visit the Northcote Road website for more information.

This page has information about housing and accommodation in Clapham for renters and buyers, direct from people who have already rented or bought here in the past. Whether you need to know about Clapham’s Council Tax, the best places to find somewhere to rent or buy or simply the nicest areas, we’ve got it covered.

• The rise and rise of Clapham… and its housing cost
• Clapham housing areas
• Clapham Council Tax explained
• Renting in Clapham
• Buying in Clapham
• Clapham Council / local authority housing

The rise and rise of Clapham… and its housing cost 

Clapham housing and accommodation, either renting or buying, does not come cheap. The term ‘up and coming’ is overused in London, but Clapham genuinely deserves it because it has transformed over the last ten years to become one of the most desirable locations to live, driving up the cost. What it lacks in affordable accommodation, it makes up for with its superb local amenities and access to central London.  

Clapham is incredibly sought after, increasingly so as the years go on and investment continues to pour into local shops and amenities. This of course has sent the cost of renting and buying a property in the area sky high, but given the current economic situation, now might be a good time to pick up a Clapham bargain.  

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Clapham housing areas

Like the rest of London there is housing all over Clapham, but for the purposes of breaking the area down for newbies Love Clapham tends to split Clapham into four distinct locations. All four of these areas have nice streets and not-so-nice streets so we’ll try to give some idea of what they are like with some generalised descriptions below.

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Clapham Council Tax explained

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Renting in Clapham

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Buying in Clapham

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You may have gathered that here at Love Clapham, we love our breakfasts. With such a variety of cafes and restaurants in Clapham offering full English breakfasts, pancakes, muffins and more, Claphamites are certainly spoilt for choice – no wonder we’re breakfast obsessed! Of course, there are also some breakfast bloopers out there, so to help sift through the barrage of bacon we’ve listed our current Top 5 favourite breakfast cafes in Clapham. Which is your favourite?

1. The Pavement (Clapham Old Town)

For us, no where does a better breakfast in Clapham than The Pavement cafe on the corner of Clapham Old Town. It’s a cosy little venue overlooking the Holy Trinity Church on Clapham Common. Food quality is top notch, and the service is the best we’ve come across with a truly friendly team who always have a smile on their faces no matter how busy the are. Of course, the food is what counts. It may not be the most adventurous but it is tasty, cooked perfectly, quick and excellent value for money.  The perfect all rounder.

2. The Boiled Egg and Soldiers (Northcote Road)

When it comes to quality of the highest order, all the King’s men make it happen at The Boiled Egg and Soldiers restaurant on Northcote Road. The menu is totally dedicated to small but perfectly formed portions of breakfasts of many different varieties. It’s one of the more expensive of the breakfast venues, but you won’t leave disappointed. Tea fanatics will be happy because they really understand how to make the perfect brew. It’s clearly run by breakfast lovers and we love the fact that you can go here for proper boiled eggs.

3. Bon Bon (Abbeville Road)

Bon Bon breakfasts smack of fresh and high quality ingredients. It isn’t one of the most expensive places, in fact, it’s good value, but it is slightly more expensive than The Pavement and with fewer options. However, it is, in Love Clapham’s humble opinion, the best breakfast you can buy on Abbeville Road. If there’s one thing to say about Bon Bon, it’s that the flavours in the breakfasts make an impact. You will leave satisfied. The restaurant is a good size, so you will always find a seat even when it’s busy.

4. Perfect Blend (Clapham Park Road)

Opening in late 2008, Perfect Blend is a new contender to the breakfast circuit and while it doesn’t hit the perfection of the quality and choice of the above restaurants, it is extremely good value for money, has friendly staff and a great chilled out environment. It’s easily overlooked being situated on Clapham Park Road, so make sure you go to the effort of popping by here one day. You’ll enjoy it and it won’t put a dent in your wallet.

5. Breads Etcetera (Clapham High Street)

What can we say about Breads Etcetera that hasn’t already been said? It was single handedly responsible for the breakfast renaissance in Clapham when it opened, fast becoming one of the most famous eateries in Clapham. Its bread is second to none, the novelty of the toasters on tables never tires and the selection of breakfasts remain high quality. However, it has become a victim of its own success with queues spilling out onto the streets every weekend. They have to be applauded for their success, it’s just a shame that it has become such a mission to get a table, and even when you do it can feel too busy inside. Despite this, once you’re in you will love every minute, but it is now the most expensive breakfast venue. A nice treat to impress the parents when they’re in town, but too popular to be a regular.

So Love Clapham readers, where would you recommend?

Clapham isn’t just a great place to live, when you’re sitting on Clapham Common you sit on ground steeped in history. We’ve listed ten of the most interesting facts about Clapham that we’ve come across. If you live in Clapham you may have heard of some of these facts, but hopefully it’s still an interesting look into the area’s past. Help Love Clapham take this list up to a mighty fifteen by adding them at the foot of the page.

1. Sainsbury’s on Clapham High Street is a time capsule

Not only is Sainsbury’s one of Clapham’s biggest supermarkets, it has a fascinating history. In fact, even since its launch in 1996 you can see how it has changed from its original multi-coloured look with a tree in the entrance and a twenty panel picture display. Now of course the colours have gone, the tree removed and the screens have become a huge window. Before the site became a Sainsbury’s it saw many different uses. It began life in 1885 as a horse tram depot before being converted for electric trams in 1904. In 1910 Clapham’s first cinema, called the Globe with 130 seats, was opened on the site but that closed just five years later. In the Second World War the site was largely destroyed but rebuilt for busses in 1950, then used by the Museum of British Transport. In 1979 it was yet again used for busses before closing in 1987 to be used as an indoor go-kart track. While Love Clapham would have loved to play around on go-karts, Sainsbury’s does seem to be its most successful use yet. 

2. Clapham Junction isn’t Clapham

Shock horror! Our precious claim to fame “Britain’s busiest railway station” isn’t actually part of Clapham, it’s Battersea. There had been a Battersea station on the site for many years, but in 1863 a junction was added to cope with the growing number of lines and it was named after the perceived more popular village of Clapham a mile away. There’s a petition to change the name back to Battersea, but here at Love Clapham we disagree. If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, has been a duck for over a hundred years and is called a duck, it’s a duck. More seriously, Clapham Junction is situated around Clapham Common and there’s a definite connect between communities around this park. 

3. Clapham air raid shelters

You will no doubt have spotted the above buildings on your travels around Clapham. They are the entrances to deep level air raid shelters, a lasting reminder of the Second World War’s impact on Clapham and London. There are actually eight of these shelters across London with three of them found at Clapham North, Clapham Common and Clapham South. Neighbouring Stockwell has one too. Each shelter is vast and as deep as the tube network. They came equipped with huge tunnels for sleeping bunks and then side tunnels for toilets, medical posts and tubes for pumping air in and out. Sadly, these sites are now all used for private storage or development plans so there is absolutely no way of accessing them. At least they are being used. Visit the Underground History site at the foot of this page to see a photo tour of the Clapham North shelter before it was taken over by a private company.

4. Slave trade abolished thanks to Clapham Sect

A group of Evangelical Christians who worshipped at Clapham Common’s Holy Trinity Church were instrumental in the abolition of the slave trade. They led a campaign that resulted in the Slave Trade Act 1807 and the abolition of slavery itself in 1833. 

5. Clapham was devastated by bombs

During World War Two Clapham, like many places, was hit by numerous bombs (some locations of which can be seen in the portion of map above). Clapham Junction and Battersea was particularly hard hit resulting in a lot of reshaping of the area after the war. 

6. Celebrity residents

Clapham has been home to many celebrities in its time, with some of the best known residents including Vivienne Westwood, Ainsley Harriott, Piers Morgan, Heather Mills, JK Rowling, Dennis Waterman, Vanessa Redgrave and Sarah Fergussen (formerly HRH The Duchess of York). Not to mention Love Clapham of course! It is also home to Brian Dowling of ex-Big Brother 15 minutes of fame (miaow!)

7. Clapham = Clopp Ham / Clopeham?

Clapham was once a much wilder place than it is now. Indeed the first Clapham settlement in the 9th or 10th century housed as few as 100 people surrounded by farmland. According to the Domesday book, Clapham began its existence as a Saxon village called Clopeham. Named as such after Cloppham which meant the village ‘ham’ by the hill ‘clopp’. Clapham really became popular after the plague and the great fire of London drove people out of the city and into Clapham’s waiting arms. The Holy Trinity Church became the parish church when it was built in 1776. By the end of the 18th Century, Clapham had not only grown to a substantial village, it began to attract wealthy Londonites who built the magnificent homes around Clapham Common that we see today. 

8. Clapham Common Bandstand is a community symbol

It’s a nice structure but you could be mistaken for thinking the Clapham Common Bandstand receives more attention than it really deserves. It was first built in 1889 after local residents petitioned the London County Council for a replica of the bandstands found in South Kensington. At the time it proved popular for weekly concerts up until the Second World War when it fell out of use. It fell into total disrepair, only used by pigeons and as a dangerous climbing frame for children. In recent years it faced removal, but local residents and groups petitioned Lambeth Council for its renovation. Thanks to local resident funding and a substantial National Lottery grant, Clapham Common Bandstand had a near £2million refurbishment. It seems like an astronomical cost considering the stand is still so rarely used, but actually it is the focal point of Clapham society and a welcome landmark in the heart of this busy town. 

9. Clapham loves cinemas

Clapham High Street has been home to not one, not two, not three but four different cinemas. Competition and changes in popularity caused them all to close down but Clapham Picture House remains one of the most popular entertainment venues in the area today. Interestingly this cinema was going to be at least three times the size with the entrance being the corner shop at the end of the street. Other previous cinema locations include Infernos, the night club, and part of the Sainsbury’s site.

10. There really was a windmill on Clapham Common

OK, so that isn’t 100% accurate. There genuinely were windmills in Clapham back in the days when the area was used for farming, but their exact location is unknown so they may not have sat exactly on the common that exists today. They would have been in the same area however and the Windmill on the Common pub was named after one of the two windmills of the day. The Windmill pub was built in 1665.

Sources

• J Sainsbury annual review 1997
• Clapham High Street
• Underground History
• Clapham Holy Trinity Church
• A brief history of Clapham
• London Garden’s Trust

Clapham Common is a vast park that is a haven during the summer months and a breath of fresh air for a stroll in winter. It’s one of the best public parks in London and it’s one of the most appealing reasons to visit or live in Clapham. This Clapham Common guide explains everything you need to have a great day out on the common.

• Clapham Common map
• Getting to Clapham Common
• Where to go on Clapham Common
• Food and drink
• Festivals and fairs
• Sights and history

Clapham Common Map

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Getting to Clapham Common

The easiest ways to get to Clapham Common are:

1. Walk or cycle!
2. Underground (Clapham Common or Clapham South)
3. Bus (various – see TFL guide)

There is very limited parking, so try not to drive. If you have to, you will need to park in one of the neighbouring roads because there is no car park.

For a more detailed map, routes and directions, go to Google Maps.

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Where to go on Clapham Common

Clapham Common is huge and you can easily spend an entire day here relaxing in the sun, walking past the woods and ponds, taking part in outdoor sports or simply stopping for a cuppa or pint at the surrounding cafes and pubs. Most people tend to gather at the corner closest to Clapham Common tube because of its proximity to Clapham High Street’s shops and transport.

This corner is also close to the Windmill pub (on the above map it’s the food and drink icon next to the public toilets), one of only a few businesses actually on Clapham Common itself. It’s also this area of Clapham Common that catches the sun into the early evenings, as such it is usually the busiest area.

If you want to escape the crowds you’re best off heading to the Clapham South corner of the Common because you are still close enough to local amenities. Alternatively, walk a little further toward the West side to escape to the quietest area, although you’ll be further away from shops and toilets.

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Food and drink

The Windmill pub serves fantastic food and provides drinks in plastic cups to take out onto the Common on the East side. There are also two small cafes, one smack bang in the middle next to the Clapham Bandstand and another by the skateboard park. Both serve a good selection of drinks and snacks.

Both the High Street and Clapham South have a number of supermarkets and other shops in case you need to stock up on food and drink for a picnic. Clapham High Street starts at the Clapham Common tube corner.

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Festivals and fairs

A number of events are held on Clapham Common. Primarily, Get Loaded in the Park and South West Four are two large festivals held in mid-summer. They all take place at the point market number 3 on the map.

The famous and free Clapham Common fireworks display is also held in this area in November. It gets spectacularly busy for all of these, so leave extra time to get there.

Clapham Common also has a regular fair that sets itself up at point number 6 on the map. It has various rides that seem to be reasonably priced for a London fair.

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Sights and history

The real sight is, of course, the park itself and its lush greenery which people began building houses around in the 1790′s. However, there are a few historic landmarks on Clapham Common that will be of interest to most people.

The Holy Trinity Church (1 on the map) built in 1776, was seriously damaged in the Second World War and is known as the home of the Clapham Sect who were instrumental in the abolition of the slave trade. For more information visit the Holy Trinity Church website.

In the centre is the Clapham Common bandstand, the most famous landmark in Clapham. It was constructed in 1870 and has since been restored with a massive £2 million restoration fund completed in 2006. Originally it was built to help bring the Clapham community together, but sadly, even after the restoration this structure is still rarely used.

Near Clapham South tube and just around the corner from Clapham Common tube are two of London’s World War Two air raid shelters. Now completely boarded up, locked and deserted, they remain as an eery reminder of what people must have gone through during the war.

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There are various shops sprinkled all over Clapham, with five main shopping areas to be aware of (although some are so close to each other, they’re practically the same place). This page explains each shopping area in Clapham and what they contain.

• Clapham High Street
• Clapham Old Town
• Clapham Junction
• Northcote Road (and Lavender Hill)
• Abbeville Road (and Clapham South)

Clapham High Street

Clapham High Street is marked by a bizarrely fronted Sainsbury’s supermarket. It’s not often a supermarket leaves a lasting impression, but this futuristic looking facade certainly does. Love it or hate it, it’s one of the main landmarks on Clapham High Street, and its biggest shop.

On top of two further supermarkets in the form of a Tesco Metro and Sainsbury’s Local, Clapham High Street has some decent shops on it including an excellent florist, book shop and card shop. Other than that, there’s a tiny amount of known high street shops like Superdrug and the high street is pretty much unremarkable as a shopping street.

Clapham Old Town is actually so close though, with its boutique shops, that it may as well be the same place – around the corner at the west end of the high street. All is not lost for Clapham High Street, however. It’s primary draw is its plethora of cafes, restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs.

Esca, Breads Etc, Brewers, Revolution, Infernos, The Clapham North, The Falcon and the brilliant, if expensive, Clapham Picture House Cinema are havens for socialites. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays can feel like an exclusive holiday resort in the summer months with people spilling out onto the streets.

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Clapham Old Town

Literally around the corner from the West end of Clapham High Street is the old market part of Clapham, Clapham Old Town. It’s immediately obvious that this area of Clapham is old because the buildings are grander, the shops are more boutique and everything feels like a little market town outside of London.

There aren’t hundreds of things to do here, but you can experience some of the best local shops, cafes and pubs. Notably, a fantastic local butcher is situated here, surrounded by trendy little gift and clothes shops. A couple of good shops that stock furniture, flowers and other household items with style are worth a look too.

Obviously, you couldn’t and wouldn’t want to spend an entire day here, but it compliments the High Street well and is a particularly good place to while away a quiet afternoon.

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Clapham Junction

Clapham Junction, proudly home to the busiest overground train station in Britain, may initially appear like a busy and off-putting part of Clapham, but give it a chance. It is home to Clapham’s big stores like Debenhams, TK Maxx, Lidl, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Asda, JD Sports, Currys, Waterstones, Jessops and a warehouse sized Boots. To name but a handful.

It also houses Jamie Oliver’s Recipease shop, like a giant kitchen that sells things! Clapham Junction is locally famous for the amount of charity shops it has too, which is many – and they’re all ace. There are a few cafes, restaurants and bars, but to experience the social part of Clapham Junction, you need to head to the south end of the High Street and the crossroads to Lavender Hill and Northcote Road for Yummy Mummy land (aka a great place to socialise, relax and shop).

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Northcote Road (and Lavender Hill)

Married? Just about to start a family? Then move near Northcote Road, everyone else does! Who can blame them, with its lovely surrounding houses, closeness to the trains and its overwhelming array of high quality restaurants, cafes, boutique shops and high end DIY stores. It’s perfectly equipped for young professional parents seeking a little bit of luxury in between the hard slog of raising a family and managing work life.

People that live near or enjoy going to Northcote Road will understand its quaint appeal. Like everywhere in Clapham, when the sun comes out, so do the people with Northcote road bustling on the weekend. This is largely thanks to an incredible weekend market with top notch snacks, meals, cakes, flowers, art and more – this isn’t your ordinary market.

On top of all of this there are some fantastic little cafes and restaurants to be found here, The Bread and Soldiers being a notable cafe. A bar called Babel sets the tone for other watering holes along the road with its classy atmosphere and excellent drinks.

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Abbeville Road (and Clapham South)

Abbeville Road and the surrounding area of Clapham South is as close to suburbia as you are going to get in Clapham. Abbeville Road must be the most sought after area of Clapham, with its quaint village life feel (its nickname is Abbeville village).

Shop wise, Abbeville Road has a couple of excellent villagey shops including Treohans which seems to stock everything you could ever possibly need – I’ve bought picture hooks, water colour paints, DVDs and jam from here. It’s all good quality too.

You’ll also find an antiques shop, a high-tech TV centre, pet shop, cafes, gift shops, the excellent Abbeville pub and our pick of the bunch, Cook. Cook is a shop that sells frozen homemade ready meals. Only marginally more expensive than a supermarket ready meal, Cook’s meals are well worth the money and one of the best things about Abbeville. You’ll also find some known names like Starbucks and Pizza Express strangely tucked away here.

We have to mention Clapham South and the area around the tube station. Right next to Clapham South tube is a Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury Local, a medium sized Tesco and best yet, a florist and fresh fish monger. Clapham South and the Abbeville Road area really does have it all without the busy London crowds. Fancy living here? There are plenty of estate agents to help you out.

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