Meet Robin Chalk, our local expert covering Wimbledon and surrounding areas. Robin was born in nearby Roehampton and has always called Wimbledon home. Studying at King's College and then heading to Edinburgh University to study Anthropology, Robin moved into the property industry around a decade ago and has worked as an estate agent in West and Southwest London since. As a resident, we asked Robin to share some of his local knowledge with us, as well as what makes Wimbledon such a fantastic place to live.
Discover more about the area….
Local attractions & points of interest
If you were to ask someone what comes to mind when you say “Wimbledon”, their most likely first response would be its link to the world’s most prestigious tennis tournament. Wimbledon tennis tournament is hosted annually every summer, attracting avid tennis fans and A-listers from around the globe. The grounds, owned by the England Lawn Tennis Ground, cover over 42 acres and hold a capacity of up to 42,000 spectators. When not in use for the tournament, the grass courts are used all-year round by club members and are often lent to a number of clubs and organisations for the staging of various events.
Tennis fans can also enjoy learning about the history of the championships at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. The museum gives visitors the opportunity to get up close to the Championship trophies and view the tennis fashion from the Victorian period, in the largest tennis museum in the world.
Whilst made famous by its links to tennis, Wimbledon has so much more to offer its residents, whether you’re a fan of the sport or not!
For those who prefer evenings spent immersed in a gripping theatrical performance, nights out at New Wimbledon Theatre can be thoroughly enjoyed in the area. As well as a year-round programme of top touring productions including musicals, comedy, dance and the annual pantomime, the New Wimbledon theatre also plays an important part of the local community, where new writers, comedians and producers bring the studio to life. If you have young family members who share your passion for the live stage, they will enjoy being located nearby the internationally renowned Polka Children’s Theatre. Exclusively for children, Polka aims to empower children to navigate their world through inspirational and creative experiences, supporting their learning whilst connecting children's families and communities through creativity.
If your love for shows extends to the big screen, you’ll be pleased to know that Wimbledon is home to both an Odeon IMAX and Curzon Art House cinema.
Many newbies to Wimbledon won’t expect to hear that the area is home to a Buddhist monastery, Wat Buddhapadipa Temple. This hidden gem is set within four acres of ground, including an ornamental lake, an orchard and flower garden. The Shrine Hall of the temple is a sacred site and place of beauty, with the four interior walls depicting the life of Buddha through a masterpiece of traditional Thai murals. You don’t have to be a tourist to enjoy visiting this top Wimbledon attraction.
From time to time, it’s always nice to take a break from the hustle and bustle in favour of time spent surrounded by green space and fresh air. For these moments, Wimbledon & Putney Common and Wimbledon Park are there to help you escape into nature. Are you a water baby at heart? If the answer is yes, you should check out the sailing lake at Wimbledon Park Watersports and Outdoor Centre. They run a wide range of activities on the lake such as canoeing, sailing and paddle boarding. If you feel more at home on dry land, Wimbledon Common offers 16 miles of horse riding trails, as well as a public golf course and is a firm favourite with walkers, runners and cyclists. Family days out picnicking here are also a big hit during warmer months.
Next to Wimbledon Common, is the wonderful Cannizaro Park, home to many beautiful and rare plants, granting the park its English Heritage Grade II status. Unsurprisingly, this piece of secluded paradise attracts both horticulturalists and garden enthusiasts who come to admire the many superb trees and shrubs making their home here.
Shopping & dining
Shopping in Wimbledon has everything to offer. For your high street shops, central Wimbledon offers a bustling shopping and cafe scene and Centre Court Wimbledon Shopping Centre gives its shoppers the choice of browsing over 45 shops, including retailers and food outlets from major high street names to supermarkets. Leafy Wimbledon Village on the other hand, is where shoppers head for a more independent experience, lined with upmarket boutiques where you can find one-off treasures and unique finds.
Elys Department store, which has been a staple for shoppers since 1876, was the area’s first department store and now offers Wimbledon residents and visitors a place to find everything under one roof, from designer fashion to beauty and everything else you could ever need!
The Wimbledon food scene is packed full of flavour with Wimbledon Village a great place for independent restaurants and cafes, and Wimbledon town bursting with choice from new innovative restaurants to established favourites. If you’re looking for a good pub scene, head toward the Common where there are many well-loved pubs to choose from for a drink or relaxed bite to eat.
Education
For families living in the area, there is an exceptional choice of local state and private schools in Wimbledon and surrounding areas, including one of the top independent schools in the country, King's College School being located in Wimbledon.
For aspiring Thespians looking to pursue a career in the creative arts, Wimbledon College of Arts, formerly Wimbledon School of Art, is a highly regarded college of the University of Arts London, specialising in theatre, performance and screen art.
Transport
Wimbledon Station is on the District tube line and also has mainline services every few minutes with Southwest Railways into Waterloo in around 17 mins, via Clapham Junction, and also out of London into Surrey and further Southwest. You can access the Northern Line tube into the City of London from South Wimbledon. Wimbledon also has excellent bus routes to nearby Putney, Wandsworth, Tooting, Clapham, Kingston and New Malden.
Road routes also give excellent fast access into Central London and out to the countryside with quick access to the M25 via the A3, A24 or A217.
Postcodes to live
SW19 is a highly desirable postcode and covers most of Wimbledon. The Village has long been one of the most desirable (and expensive) places to live in London, but there are still some deals to be had and better value options available in areas such as Colliers Wood, Raynes Park, Morden and Southfields.
Advice
Think long term and outside of the box. Wimbledon has everything you could want for a fulfilling, active and cultured lifestyle, with quick easy access to both central London and the countryside so the general area will inevitably remain desirable long term. Don’t focus too much on being located on specific streets or specific areas as there may be excellent deals to be had just a few roads away.
If Wimbledon is on your search list, check out the homes we have on the market right now.
If you’re thinking of selling your home this year and would like further advice from our local experts, get your virtual or in-home valuation booked now. Let’s get you sold shall we?
*Britain’s biggest estate agent brand claim based on independent research from Twenty-CI, see purplebricks.co.uk/terms for full details.