Category Archives: Useful to know

The Christmas Forest is back on Lavender Hill… and are expecting record sales this year

After a gloomy year, expectations are that Christmas tree sales will break all records as we all try to make the most of spending even more time at home rather more than we usually would be. Sales have already got … Continue reading

Posted in Retail, Useful to know | Leave a comment

The Queens Arms in Battersea is back! A rare reopening of a long-closed neighbourhood pub.

It’s been closed since March 2017, and at some points we wondered if it would ever return – having seen major building works to add flats on the roof, a distinctly architectural new house built in the yard, and a … Continue reading

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A new cycle lane – and less car parking – on Lavender Hill

The Coronavirus is changing travel habits – with a steep drop in bus & train use, and a similarly steep increase in journeys by cycle or in cars. And our roads are being adapted to this. Lavender Hill has always … Continue reading

Posted in Transport, Useful to know | 4 Comments

In pictures: A charming Book Swap on Shirley Grove, Battersea

This lovingly designed and remarkably well-stocked book swap is on Shirley Grove – at the very south eastern corner of the Shaftesbury Estate. There’s a note – “During the COVID period please feel free to use the bookswap for other … Continue reading

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In pictures: A quiet morning in Battersea’s Shaftesbury Estate

We’ve tried to capture, in 60 photos, a typically quiet weekday morning on the Shaftesbury Estate – the maze of Victorian cottages occupying the low lying area north of Lavender Hill. Unusually the text isn’t ours – but instead, it’s … Continue reading

Posted in Street by street, Useful to know | 5 Comments

Coming soon, to a lamp post near you: Electric car chargers

Something unusual’s happening to all the lamp posts on Clapham Common Northside. You may have seen it yourself – what usually happens is a gentleman in hi-viz digs holes about two feet deep, throws in a big copper grid, wires … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Transport, Useful to know | 1 Comment

Classic Ealing comedy The Lavender Hill Mob, which gave our street some fame, is showing on BBC2

Friday 10th (Good Friday), 4pm, BBC2, and then probably on Iplayer for a while. Staying in on Easter Friday?  Aren’t we all! Luckily the BBC has come to the rescue, with another showing of the vintage 1951 Ealing Comedy that … Continue reading

Posted in Useful to know | 1 Comment

Retail takeovers explained… why squatters now target empty shops rather than flats

Mrs Le’s Banh Mi, at 178 Lavender Hill, is unusual in that it’s the only shop on the street that is currently in use as a temporary home! Here we explore, for our readers’ curiosity, the occasional phenomenon of shops … Continue reading

Posted in Housing, Retail, Useful to know | Leave a comment

Lavender Hill’s local businesses are still open, and need our support! Here’s a list of restaurants and shops offering delivery, takeaway & collection.

Mid-June update: This was our most-read & most-shared post ever. Following the reopening of ‘non essential’ shops the content is now a bit out of date – many more of our local traders have reopened, and the range of services … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Food & drink, Retail, Useful to know | 3 Comments

Sendero Coffee has opened a second branch on Queenstown Road

One of our first ever posts, three years ago, featured then then-imminent opening of Sendero Coffee at the junction of Lavender Hill and Queenstown Road.  The combination of quality coffee sourced directly by the team, comfortable sofas, pastries and light … Continue reading

Posted in Food & drink, Retail, Useful to know | 3 Comments