Love Clapham website is the local guide for residents and visitors of the Clapham area, London. This includes Clapham Common, Clapham North, Clapham South, Clapham Old Town, Clapham Junction and the surrounding areas of Battersea, Balham, Stockwell, Vauxhall and more.

WIN! Exclusive Inglorious Basterds merchandise

Inglourious Basterds competition

Courtesy of those awesome guys at Clapham Picture House, we’ve got our grubby Clapham mitts on some exclusive Inglourious Basterds merchandise. Inglourious Basterds is the new film by Quentin Tarantino starring Brad Pitt. Out on 19th August, Inglourious Basterds is a film set in France during World War 2 with the usual Tarantino gory humour and action. We’ve got the above poster, cap, t-shirts and bag for you to win by entering our competition. Read on to enter. Continue reading

Clapper of the Week: Clapham Common ice snorkel

Clapham Common ice snorkel

Yes, you’re right. That is the most amazing picture you have ever seen in your life. As if a man in a wet suit breaking through the ice of a Clapham Common pond wasn’t brilliant enough, a goose decided to honk along and make the picture approximately 1 MILLION TIMES more amazing. Taken on Clapham Common in the winter, John Forbath who runs the Big Squid Dive Centre, donned his wetsuit, cracked open the ice and had a little paddle. Bonkers! This can definitely be filed under ‘don’t try this at home kids’ and ‘only for experts’. John Forbath is one of the nominees for our Clapper of the Year award in the Clapham Awards 2009. More photos in the rest of the post. Continue reading

Clapham Cinema: The Yes Men Exclusive

Anyone else a little disappointed by Harry Potter? Love Clapham was. It was still great, but didn’t hit the mark like the other films for us. Nevermind! There are loads of films showing at Clapham Picture House at the moment including G.I. Joe, Coco Before Chanel, The Proposal and Bruno. Then, next Tuesday 11 August at 8.30pm is an exclusive showing of the feature documentary of The Yes Men Fix The World with a satellite Q & A (trailer above).  Read the week’s listings in the rest of this post. Continue reading

Clapham Awards 2009 – VOTE!

Clapham Awards 2009 - Start Voting!

Vote for your favourite bar, pub, restaurant, shop, events and people in the Clapham Awards 2009! Over the last month you’ve been nominating in your hundreds and one thing’s pretty obvious: with 19 pubs and bars nominated, Clappers like to drink! Vote now to decide who will win the coveted “Best of…” in each category and will receive a Love Clapham certificate to prove it. Read on to complete the form. Voting closes on 1st September 2009. Continue reading

Windmill Drive to close to cyclists and pedestrians?

Windmill Drive Clapham Common

Fantastic news in Love Clapham’s opinion, Lambeth Council is proposing the permanent closure of Windmill Drive on Clapham Common to traffic (the road that cuts across the common next to the Windmill Pub). We’ve nearly been mown down numerous times crossing this road and, highlighted by the above picture of the childrens playground, this is hardly ideal for a park that attracts thousands of families with children. Keep reading and tell us what you think. Continue reading

Aquum

Aquum Clapham High StreetAfter a successful opening in 2009, Aquum has quickly established itself as the place to see and be seen in SW4. Offering a cool and chic feel, this interchangeable South London haunt is spread over three floors, spoiling you with plenty of room to relax throughout the week over a bite to eat with friends, and ample space to get your groove on at the weekends with resident sounds from Stereo Sushi and Bargrooves.

Address: Aquum, 68-70 Clapham High street, London, SW4 7UL
Phone: 02076272726
Opening times: Mon – Thurs 11am – 2am, Fri – Sun 11am – 4am Continue reading

Clapham news: muggings, shootings, drugs and the Human League

Clapham donkey

Bits n’ bobs of Clapham News fluttered into Love Clapham’s inbox today, so here’s a quick round-up. The Ben & Jerry’s Sundae on the Common festival marked the half-way point for Clapham’s 2009 festivals and reports called it “one of the best value for money festivals in the country” and an “extravaganza“, while some felt the rain dampened Sunday a little. Continue reading

Big Squid Dive Centre, Clapham North

Big Squid Dive Centre Clapham NorthBig Squid is a PADI 5 star dive centre located in Clapham North Arts Centre just off Voltaire Road by Clapham High Street train station. It offers dive equipment (it’s a shop too) and dive courses run at their dive centre and at Clapham Manor baths just a 2 minute walk away.

Address: Big Squid, UNIT 2F Clapham North Arts Centre, 26-32 Voltaire Road, Clapham SW4 6DH
Phone: 020 7627 0700
Mobile: 07950 252 548
Email: info@bigsquid.co.uk Continue reading

MilkInIt frozen yoghurt on Clapham High Street

Milk In It Clapham High Street

Favourite new Clapham shop alert! MilkInIt is a cute little frozen yoghurt shop that’s just opened opposite Clapham Common tube on the Starbucks / Iceland side. Not only are the ladies that run the place incredibly friendly, the yoghurt is amazing too. Which is a good thing given that’s their primary product. Toppings of fresh fruit through to cake and chocolate make these healthy treats incredibly delicious.

Weekend watch: Ice cream commeth

Clapham Ice cream

What’s your idea of heaven? Part of LoveClapham’s idea of heaven includes endless supplies of ice cream. Thanks to Ben & Jerry’s Sundae on the Common festival this Saturday and Sunday, we’re going to have heaven on earth… on Clapham Common to be specific. Not only are the Human League (the blinkin’ Human League!!) and the Super Furry Animals performing at the festival, there will be non-stop supplies of ice cream too. But that’s not all that’s going on in Clapham this weekend, keep reading for your chance to win a £500 bar tab for The Loft. Enter quickly ‘cos LoveClapham’s got our eye on THAT prize! Continue reading

How to: Going it alone in SW

Young entrepreneurs?

I’m Amy McCulloch – a 24yr old entrepreneur living and working in the centre of the universe: SW. 18 months ago, my friend and I were having a drink in The Calf (Clapham Old Town) after finishing work at the publishing company we both worked at (not in Clapham, so not important). Usual post-work chat soon turned into a conversation about the future. Several bottles of deliciousness later we were coming up with company names – pretty standard booze related ramblings then. Continue reading

What do you think of the local press?

Local newspapers

I’m all for local press (obviously!) and for using it to hold local organisations to account when necessary, but I’ve always seen local newspapers posted through your door as nuisance junk mail rather than a helpful resource. Nevertheless, today I picked the one stuck in my letter box out and read the first page. The lead story opened with the words “Tight fisted Wandsworth Council…” and later went on to use one resident’s quote that included a blanked out swear word. Continue reading







1. Le Petit Boulangerie, Abbeville Road 1. Lack of waffles on sale in cafes
2. Gastro, Venn Street 2. Too many Sainsbury's
3. Clapham's new Leisure Centre 3. Rainy weekends :o(
4. Venn Street Sat market 4. Rubbish shops on the High Street
5. Costa in Clapham Junction station 5.