SOUTH-WEST LONDON’S LEAFIEST RIVERSIDE NEIGHBOURHOOD HAS IT ALL: PRIME PROPERTIES, GOOD SCHOOLS, A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND A RICH, OUTDOOR-FRIENDLY LIFESTYLE
All eyes are on Putney at this time of year. This leafy corner of south-west London offers not only a top spot to watch the start of the annual University Boat Race, but a neighbourhood where you can put down roots.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
“We end up seeing the same families gradually upsizing and then downsizing when children have flown the nest as people who move here don’t tend to leave; they just move within Putney,” says Daniel Mitchell, associate sales director, at Chestertons.
The area offers a lively community, rich in sports clubs, from tennis and gold to rowing and cricket, with commons for dog walking, a Saturday farmers’ market, cafes, restaurants and many new independent businesses, from bike shops to gift boutiques.
“There’s always been a buzz of activity along the river but since the closure of Hammersmith Bridge, the towpath is now a busy thoroughfare of pedestrians, runners, cyclists and dog walkers alike,” notes Sally Playfoot, West Putney sales branch director at KFH.
Charlotte Mantle, sales manager at Knight Frank’s Wimbledon office, is a Putney resident . “Putney feels like a country living in a city, a calm oasis yet less than 20 minutes from Waterloo station.’’
Alex Howard Baker, head of Savills Putney office agrees. “In a nutshell, Putney has it all. Located on the water’s edge, yet host to an abundance of green space- a far cry from the hustle and bustle of London’s city centre.’’
The area has multi-generational appeal too, with Baker noting it offers “a slightly slower pace of life to its Wandsworth and Clapham neighbours. Putney is also favoured among downsizers and those looking to make a move out towards the countryside, but not wanting to give up the lifestyle London living offers.’’
A DAY OUT
9AM
Natural meander
A popular area for dog walkers, Putney is home to Putney Heath and Putney Common. Give your canine chum space to explore. Bird nesting takes place until 1 August, so dog walkers are asked to keep dogs on leads around all pond areas and to the mown paths. For those without dogs, it’s still the ideal backdrop for a morning stroll.
11AM
Scandi breakfast
Via Hotham Road, walk to Blåbär – Swedish for blueberry – on Lacy Road. Celebrating all things Nordic via its interiors and food, you’ll find a selection of fika treats, such as cinnamon buns, that are widely considered to be the best in Putney.
1.30 PM
Pull a pint
A Putney trip would be incomplete without a riverside stop. Lower Richmond Road is full of pubs with panoramic views and good dining. The Duke’s Head, is the quintessential London local with quizzes, Sunday roasts and more. A prime spot to watch the annual boat race, you can celebrate World Beer Day here too.
3PM
Love all
Improve your racket game or settle some old scores at the Putney Lawn Tennis Association on Balmuir Gardens. The PLTC season runs from 1 April to 31 March, so with five different types of memberships available and Wimbledon 2023 coming up soon, why wait to don your tennis whites and start the Grand Slam training?
5PM
Sail away!
As the starting point of The Boat Race between universities Oxford and Cambridge, rowing is synonymous with Putney. The Putney Town Rowing Club celebrated its centenary in 2022 and isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
To learn the ropes, register your interest by emailing menscaptain@putneytownrc.co.uk or womenscaptain@putneytownrc.co.uk. If yachting is more your speed, the Hurlingham Yacht Club, on Deodar Road also has a history stretching back 100 years and is always looking for new members.
ASK A LOCAL: MATTHEW LORD
Matthew Lord, company secretary at Hurlingham Yacht Club: “I love Putney. I’ve lived in the area for nearly 23 years, so for me it’s home, and a place that’s very special. Just a short tube ride from the city centre, it has a very relaxed feel: the perfect blend of city and suburb.
The vibrant high street has a great range of local and chain stores, and the river path and parks are great for walking my dog with a friend. When it’s time for a break, there are some fantastic pubs, such as the Spotted Horse on the High Street, or The Half Moon closer to the common.
Socially, it’s a very inclusive neighbourhood with a number of rowing clubs – The Putney Social Club, Putney Dive Club, and the Hurlingham Yacht Club, to name just a few. I wouldn’t live anywhere else.”
Putney: Food and Drink
SOFFICE
236 Upper Richmond Road
Opened only in 2022, the authentically Sicilian Soffice has fast become a local favourite. The artisan gastro-bakery is a new culinary concept in the UK. Using ingredients from Sicilian suppliers and other Italian regions, find classic favourites to new-age kitchen inventions that will transport diners with an indulgent culinary experience.
COPPA CLUB
29 Brewhouse Lane
Perched along the riverfront, dine in an igloo any time of the day. From small plates and sharing platters – including Loch Duart salmon carpaccio – to house classics grilled marinated chicken and rare seared yellowfin tuna, you have plenty of options. Whether meeting for brunch or for birthday celebrations, Coppa Club’s extensive menu will suit any occasion.
The TELEGRAPH
Putney Heath
The cosy and self-described ‘country pub’ is set in the leafy Putney Heath, is named after Admiralty Telegraph, a shutter station that stood from 1796-1848. All are welcome at The Telegraph, including four-legged friends after a long walk round the heath. The menu has a mixture of classic pub favourites such as pies as well as more adventurous offerings.
GAZETTE PUTNEY
147 Upper Richmond Road
This Gallic bistro favourite has a real je ne sais quoi. The changing menu has French classics poulet Breton, Moule-frites, cuisses de grenouille (frogs’ legs) and French onion soup. Join Gazette Putney for daily food rituals, from Monday to Thursday, and if you’re serious about desserts, any day is a good day to dine at Gazette, where you can find a unique take on the ‘upside down’ apple tart.
KASHMIR
Lacy Road
Headed by Chef Rohit Razdan, Kashmir is the only Indian restaurant in London to serve regional plates from Kashmir Valley. Serving vibrant and delectable plates, the cuisine is made up of fragrant dishes such as gushtaba, kabargah, choq wangan accompanied with raitas and chutney.
PUTNEY SCHOOLS
“With Ofsted-rated outstanding primary and secondary schools, Putney naturally attracts a lot of families,” says Daniel Mitchell at Chestertons. Charlotte Mantle of Knight Frank notes that West Putney’s school offering is particularly attractive “due to an array of excellent local nurseries and schools such as Noddy’s nursery on Gwendolen Avenue, Putney High and St Paul’s”.
For busy working parents, Noddy’s Nursery School offers opening hours of 7.30am-6.30pm for ages three months up to five, 51 weeks a year. Putney High School is an independent school for girls aged four to 18 and one of the strongest performers in the capital: dynamic, modern and high-achieving.
The school has impeccable green credentials with biophilic classrooms, inset, and its own ecologist in residence. Jo Sharrock will be taking over as head from Suzie Longstaff in September. For boys, St Paul’s and St Paul’s Juniors offers an outstanding education and high-flying environment – competition for places is amongst the highest in London.
PUTNEY: ON THE MARKET
ASK AN AGENT: CAMERON BELL, HEAD OF SALES, HAMPTONS
“Putney continues to be a favoured area for buyers looking to settle in south-west London. With fantastic green spaces, such as Putney Heath and Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park in the neighbouring borough, it fits well with the continuing demand for more space – a theme we’ve seen boom since the pandemic.
The River Thames and embankment on the northern boundary offers a wonderful community in itself. Due to the wide range of housing stock, the area is ever popular with young professionals, while the family market is often upsizing from the local area or further afield, with a focus on schools and green space.
Whether a period conversion flat, modern riverside apartment, Victorian townhouse or detached home – the area offers some of the best opportunities within the south-west London market.”
DOVER PARK DRIVE
An impressive detached family house, in a prominent position on the corner of Dover Park Drive and Putney Heath Lane. This immaculate six-bedroom four-bathroom house is arranged over four floors, and boasts 2,880sq ft. of living accommodation and a 77ft private rear garden. £2.95m. Agent: hamptons.co.uk
HALDON ROAD
This magnificent four-bedroom family residence in East Putney boasts generous room proportions throughout and benefits from a 47ft private rear garden. £1.395m Agent: kfh.co.uk
HOTHAM ROAD
In desirable West Putney with its popular local schools, this four-bedroom family house comes with no onward chain and a new completed garden room. £2m. Agent: chestertons.com
© 2024 