What’s New & Happening in Fulham

What’s New

Affordable Tutoring

TopUp Education, a brand new small business offering affordable tuition, launches at Fulham Boys School on Saturday 1 May. The founders, both mothers and working teachers, got in touch with Urban Village LDN to tell us more about their company, it’s ethos and what they offer. With a passion and a belief in quality education for all they founded the company to provide reasonably priced lessons for those who may not be able to afford the cost of private tuition.

Zainab and Michelle have lived and worked in LBHF all their lives and told us that they firmly believe that every child should achieve regardless of social class or background. TopUp Education offers affordable expert lessons by qualified teachers and their ethos is simple; “every child should have access to learning outside of the classroom, if needed, to access their full potential”. Furthermore, Zainab and Michelle told us that they believe all children have an innate desire to learn. They have a holistic approach to learning and said children who attend their lessons enjoy them and develop socially as well as academically.

Their Saturday study sessions for 7-16 year olds cost £15 per hour / with discounts for siblings and lower income families and are run by qualified teachers. TopUp Education told us that the lessons are fun, engaging and tailor-made to meet pupil's individual needs with a high level of 1:1 support. The focus is on Maths, English, Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar but TopUp can also offer homework support, prep for 7+ / 11+ and qualified teachers for private tuition. Alongside teaching their social media pages on Instagram and Facebook keep parents and students up to date with the latest news and debates in the education sector as well as offering study tips. This parent, whose daughter recently graduated and passed her retake Year 11 Maths GCSE wrote a glowing testimonial “I just wanted to say thank you so much for the support, warmth and kindness you showed my daughter while she attended the tutoring sessions. You helped to build her confidence with her work and helped her to learn to speak to adults she was unfamiliar with. She passed her Maths GCSE so can now concentrate on her Biology L3 BTEC and Art A level”

TopUp Education are offering Urban Village LDN subscribers a 20% discount code for a half terms lessons (6 weeks). If you’d like to take advantage of this get in touch on topupeducation1@gmail.com and quote the code URBNLDN20 when making an enquiry or booking through their website. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/topupeducation/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/topupeducation/

Boki Coffee

Boki an independent coffee company, established in 2015 have just opened at One World Parsons Green. This new store is their third in London, the others are located in Aldgate and Wembley, and we know we’re biased but we think this has to be the most special of locations. We ventured down recently to investigate, any excuse to visit One World’s showroom, where we always enjoy a spot of browsing sound tracked by the rumble of the District line trains overhead. We enjoyed an alfresco lemon and ginger tea in the recent Spring sunshine, parking ourselves in a perfect spot with a view of Parsons Green tube (of course we love an urban view) where we could watch the hustle and bustle of Parsons Green Lane.

Boki Coffee’s founder Kim Hargreaves told Urban Village LDN “We have a passion for quality food and drinks, customer service and design and all three are on full display within One World. We are currently offering takeaway coffee, cakes, smoothies, juices, bagels and toasties and will expand our menu and offering in line with Covid restrictions easing. There are outdoor tables and a lot more have been ordered with parasols so customers can enjoy the outside space. Our vision is an all day cafe with 15+ seats indoors and 30+ more in the garden outside. A space where local residents can come to relax, work or shop and enjoy the beautiful design of One World alongside our specialty coffee”.

The company name Boki is a combination of the two founders name Boris and Kim and it all began when they opened a pop up coffee bar within the Urban Villa hotel in West London, they followed this with a stand alone store in Covent Garden 2017-2010. In 2019 they opened Boki Coffee at the new Boxpark Wembley and Boki @ 1CP at One Creechurch place in Aldgate. All three locations have been created as all day venues. Their Boki blend coffee (filter and cold brew) is roasted by the Gentlemen Baristas from La Marzocco machines which is also available from their online shop. So if you like what you sip at Boki One World you can have their coffee delivered straight to your door for a home brew. Find them on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/bokicoffee/

FENN

This seasonal British restaurant, from the team behind the Nest restaurant in Hackney, reopened as FENN last month; previously Harlequin. In the same location at 194 Wandsworth Bridge Road the renamed FENN opened their outdoor terrace in April and are now gearing up, data permitting, to fully open on 18 May. Inspired by Fulham’s proximity to the Thames, FENN takes its name from the old English word for ‘low-lying wetland’.

Nest was started by three friends Johnnie, former chef at Michelin starred The Harwood Arms, Luke and Toby. Their Fulham restaurant follows the approach of their sister site, a commitment to serving locally sourced, British seasonal dishes and offers both an a la carte and set menu. Some of the dishes currently on the menu that caught our eye include: Carlingford Oysters, FENN Fried Chicken with Smoked Salt Mayo, Beef Tartare, Lamb Belly, Cornish Crab & Sea Herbs, Aged Yorkshire Beef, Nutmeg Custard Tart and Yogurt Parfait & Rhubarb. Sad to see Harlequin is no more but looking forward to trying FENN, we’re loving the new look and that, unlike Harlequin, you have a choice to opt in or out of their set menu.

The space has had a makeover with reclaimed antique French doors opening onto a heated and covered outdoor terrace, with copper tones , cooking pots and hanging plants a plenty. There is now a private dinning space in the wine cellar that can be booked and seats up to 16 guests who can savour a special feasting menu created by Head Chef Joe Laker, formerly of Anglo. FENN told us that a wall of wine dominates the room and that there is also a fully stocked antique cocktail cabinet “for those looking for a something a little stronger”. We’re excited by that, you know us and cocktails! FENN told us that when their doors fully reopen guests can enjoy their “30 seater dining room centred around a single hand carved ash wood table with additional tables surrounding it. Focused around the use of natural materials, all materials have been sustainably sourced and carefully restored by founder Toby Neill, in keeping with FENN’s ethos of local is best”.

Founder Toby Neill said “It has been a really tough and frustrating few months for us but we are thrilled that our opening is now within touching distance. We can’t wait to start showcasing all that we’ve been working on and bring a taste of what we do at NEST to West London”. Co-founder Johnnie added “We’ve worked so hard to create great relationships with farmers and local producers over the past four years and it’s been so tough to see how they’ve struggled this last year. I can’t wait for FENN to open to be able to showcase what we, and they, do best.” Well count us in - we can’t wait either! To make a booking click on the link below or get in touch hello@fennrestaurant.co.uk https://www.instagram.com/fennfulham/

Rolling Pin Bakery

We just love the name of this new bakery that opened last month at 770 Fulham Road not to mention the actual rolling pins hanging from the ceiling. As well as all your favourite and classic baked goods, bread, croissants, pain aux raisin etc, there are other items on the menu that caught our attention Soho Buns (anyone - we need to investigate) and their “over stuffed” sandwiches sound delicious as do their selection of cake slices which also look oh so tempting.

Rolling Pin Bakery are a small family business and their ethos is simply to create “something welcoming for our lovely guests. We believe that freshly baked goods combined with a great coffee can make your day. We will always try new things - because standing still won't be our thing”. Sounds like we need to stay tuned for new menu additions and add the Rolling Pin Bakery to our list of Fulham spots to visit properly from 18 May.

Follow them on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rollingpinbakeryfulham/ or find out more here https://rollingpinbakery.co.uk/

What’s Happening

Spring cleaning  

It’s that time of year when despite the chill that’s been in the air we’re starting to think about putting heavier coats, winter woolies, winter tog duvets and blankets away. If you’re looking for a new dry cleaner or laundry service consider giving Citylaundryapp a try. Based on 514 Fulham Road Adil got in touch to tell Urban Village LDN about their range of dry cleaning and laundry services including household items such as curtains and rugs, tailoring, repairs and service washes: Large Wash (10kg) £15 /Small (6kg) £12. Citylaundryapp offer free delivery and collection and if you book in by 11.30am they will guarantee same day service. So if you’re having a spring clean or making the seasonal switch and want to give them a try they’re offering 25% off orders to all customers using their service for the first time.

You can find a full price list and run down of their services on their website alternatively give them a call to find out more on 0207 371 8056.

Have you heard?

There’s a new summer festival playground coming to West London. If Underbelly doesn’t mean anything to you perhaps a purple upside down cow may jog your memory. This UK-based live entertainment company runs several festivals and events across the country and has recently announced that the former site of the Earls Court 2 Exhibition Centre will be the new venue for London Wonderground. Previously held in South Bank the new site, which is free to enter, will feature a 1000 seater big top, city beach, bars, street food and vintage fairground rides from 15 July - 26 September.

Earls Court has a rich history for exhibitions and events: first used as a showground in 1887, hosted the Great Ferris Wheel of 1895. We think it’s great news that traditions of festival and events are carrying on here and that the site is being used whilst plans for development, housing etc are still being worked on following various issues. There will be live music, DJs on the Wonderground bandstand and shows will include a Best of Edinburgh Festival, family and circus performances in the upside down purple cow tent. The programme will be announced in May, so stay tuned for the line up, ticket sales and more on this collaboration between Underbelly, Hammersmith & Fulham Council and the Earls Court Development company.

There will also be a new temporary public space opposite Earl’s Court Underground Station on Warwick Road, where the entrance to the former exhibition centre was, curated by the Kensington and Chelsea Festival alongside Underbelly; more alfresco space post lockdown can only be a good thing.

Urban Village LDN Turns Two

Time has flown and we can’t believe we’re celebrating our 2nd Birthday this month! What a second year it’s been but we are grateful that we had our first year under our belt and were in a position to adapt the website, support local more than ever at a time when it was truly needed.

We’ve met some incredible people, local businesses and brands along the way. Our support has been appreciated, we don’t expect it but love it when we receive excited messages about our stories / features and we can’t thank subscribers, followers enough for their support. What started as a small seed of an idea in early 2019, in essence: there are so many amazing Fulham things, people, ideas to talk about and showcase why isn’t there a magazine style platform for this? Our website isn’t for profit it’s self funded, that may change one day when we all get back on our feet a bit more post pandemic but that’s not what’s important to us. What is important is that we have loved, excuse the cliche, the journey, we’re excited to see what’s next and we couldn’t have done it without you. Spread the word, stay tuned and thank you!

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Made in Fulham

It never fails to surprise us what a talented bunch you Fulham folks are. Each month Urban Village Ldn introduces you to THe Fulham face behind an idea, product or business and asks them what they love about being a local resident. This month we talk to Daisy CLARKE & Joe HUGHES Founders of Take One Stage and Screen AcADEMY

How long have you called Fulham home? We have lived in Fulham (Sands End) for 3 years now and we absolutely love it! It was really important for us to find somewhere that was still so close to central London but wasn't quite as busy! 

Tell us a bit about yourself We are both actors who set up the company Take One Stage And Screen Academy. We’ve been involved in television and theatre for the last ten years and have appeared in shows on platforms such as the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Netflix and Amazon Prime.

What’s your favourite local haunt and why?  Ohhh it's a tough one. It has to be The Sands End pub as it's the closest thing to the vibe of a  country pub we have found in London, everyone knows your face and wants to chat to you. 

What is your slice of Fulham heaven and why? The area of Wandsworth Bridge Road where all the shops and cafes are like Bridge Bakers, Fishers Kitchen, bonbon etc on a hot summers day, it's a really nice vibe!

What have you missed about Fulham life during lockdown? The pubs and restaurants!

What local shop/service/business has helped make life easier during the pandemic? bonbon has kept us going with their coffee and trust me, we need coffee!

If you could do one thing to improve Fulham what would it be? Better transport links...the District line is a nightmare!!

Tell us about Take One Stage and Screen Academy and how it came to be As actors we both grew up with youth theatres that taught us confidence, how to act and most importantly introduced us to some friends for life. We always wanted to create something like that and when we moved to Fulham we realised that there wasn't really anywhere to go that was teaching people acting for screen. Since starting up we have worked with actors all over the world and people on all different levels from complete beginners to more professional actors. We offer 1-1's, group sessions, workshops and courses with casting professionals, directors and agents.  Our goal is to help create opportunities for actors who may not have gone down the traditional route - we want to prove that if you are passionate enough and work hard, you can achieve anything. 

What advice would you give to someone who's thinking about starting a career on stage/screen? If you really want to do it, trust yourself and take the first leap. Even if that just means taking that first class. The best way to get better at something is to keep doing it and if you really love it, it won't ever feel like hard work. Reach out to people in the industry. At Take One we run classes for people at all levels and also just offer general advice so don't be afraid to get in touch if you want to: info@takeonestageandscreen.com

You can find Take One on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/takeoneuk/?hl=en or Twitter https://twitter.com/TakeoneUk

Spotlight 

URBAN VILLAGE LDN SHINES A LIGHT ON A DIFFERENT FULHAM BUSINESS EACH MONTH. IN THIS ISSUE WE TALK TO the Team behind bonbon Deli on Wandsworth bride road

We recently caught up with the team behind bonbon Deli, who first opened their doors in August 2009 and chatted with Erin their business manager. No body who lives close to Wandsworth Bridge Road could have failed to notice some changes to this longstanding Fulham gem including a recent expansion and Erin told us the story behind the business and how it came to be.

“We have lived in the borough for most of our lives and I went to school here in Fulham, so I always knew the area very well. When we decided to open, we wanted to find a nice residential spot. At the time Wandsworth Bridge Road was dominated by furniture shops and there weren’t any places with good coffee and artisan products. So we decided to introduce this to the neighbourhood. It is a family run business and we are all involved in some way. My parents Ella and Tim live in the borough too and are the backbone of the business. They are known and loved by our local customers”.

bonbon originally started off bringing specialty foods such as pasta, cheese, cured meats, wine and olive oil from organic or low intervention farms in Europe. Erin told us more. “These were from the places we discovered on our travels and with whom we struck special relationships as we saw the love and craft that went into the products. Since inception, 12 years ago, we continue working with all of these producers to this day. For example, the wine comes from a centuries old winery in North East Italy and it is exclusive to us in the UK. The olive oil is Sicilian and it is cold pressed and organic, unrefined with a very low acidity level and a winner of countless awards”.

We asked Erin about the name behind the business, and if the family had any prior experience prior to starting the company. “As far as the name goes, we wanted something snappy, not necessarily related and which would also allude to the fact that we sell and serve good, simple food. The word ‘bon’ is a derivation from a Latin noun which means ‘good’ and we thought this could work well and it stuck! We did not come from a hospitality background, but we are a family of huge foodies and we always love to discover the best of everything and are passionate about healthy eating. The idea was to open more of a deli and also serve great coffee. However, this evolved over time to us cooking with the products we were selling and the customer response was incredible so we continued building on that. My mother is an unbelievable cook and always prepares everything with fresh and seasonal ingredients so it was only natural for her to bring her passion and skills to bonbon”.

Noticing changes afoot last autumn we’ve been in touch with bonbon about their expansion, renovation plans and had some nice exchanges during lockdown. We asked Erin about their expansion and the reasons behind it. “We really saw an overwhelming response from local customers within the first few years and before we knew it, the small store we had was constantly full and we struggled with space. So when the shop next door became available, a few months before lockdown, we couldn’t pass on the opportunity. The new corner space has huge windows and is airy and bright. We also wanted to start serving dinner and with the new premises we could create a bit of an atmospheric division of the place with the front being more of a bright café/brunch place and the ‘old’ part of bonbon to be a bit more dimmed and suitable for dinner. The renovation is still not 100% finished, but we are almost there”.

We talked about lockdowns and how bonbon had faired, kept busy and adapted as many local businesses had to do. “During the first lockdown we actually closed, as the health and wellbeing of our staff was a priority and no one knew really how dangerous things would get. During the second lockdown we implemented all the safety measures and focused on take away. We also went back to our roots and reverted back to more of a deli. We sourced some really lovely new products primarily from London producers: Lucocoa chocolate, La Latteria cheese, Husk & Honey granola and porridge, organic jams from a local resident who started a great brand (The Frenchman) and so many more. It worked really well as during the daunting restrictions people were really looking to have a treat in the form of great coffee and some delicious products to take home and enjoy”.

We asked Erin what was next for bonbon, what their future plans were and what customers can expect when (data permitting) bonbon reopens fully. “We are trying to make the most of our current store as we’ve only started getting back into (partial) normality a few weeks ago and it has been great to welcome back our lovely local community. So far, the action has been taking place on the terrace only, but very soon we can also (hopefully) open indoors. Our plans to also focus on making cakes and some baked goods in-house have been going down very well!” Erin told us that there is a new dinner menu, which they’ve already been serving on the terrace, new cocktails and treats prepared in-house. “The menu is ever evolving depending on seasonality, so keep your eyes peeled for new dishes and desserts. Erin told us that there might be another location “if a suitable site turns up” that bonbon would like to roast their own coffee in the future and become a a ‘social club’ working with local artisans and craftspeople to display their work in store. “We would also like to intertwine health with food and possibly run classes such as Pilates and Yoga”.

We asked Erin what the ethos behind bonbon is. “Our motto is ‘Good food is a necessity’, it is a rule we live by and we really try to deliver that to our clientele. We have customers who have been coming since the day we opened and some of them have become good friends. They trust us and what we serve. We never take any shortcuts, and even if sometimes it means a bit of a longer wait time, we prepare everything from scratch. We never compromise on quality, but at the same time we keep good food affordable. I think people really see that and appreciate it. That is what makes us different. Quality, quality, quality. From the ingredients we source to the equipment we use. We aim to do everything at the highest level. We have the Ferrari of coffee machines and water filtration to brew the perfect cup every time, which is then served by our amazing, friendly staff.

You might not know that bonbon also cater “lots of local customers have come back again and again for sharing platters and salads for parties and celebrations. We can also provide customised cakes. Just ask in store or drop us an email”. https://www.instagram.com/bonbondeli/?hl=en

Beyond the Hood

You know we’re all about supporting local but there are times when we do venture out of the hood and into Central London. Our last meal before the first lockdown in March 2020 was at an iconic venue in Soho. Despite being a Londoner through and through, having tripped happily and maybe a little unsteadily through the streets of Soho on numerous occasions shockingly we’d never frequented The French House before.

We’ve walked past this pub on Dean Street so many times but we had no idea about the bijou dining room upstairs. Actors, writers, artists have rubbed shoulders with Soho locals and ordinary customers and there are legendary tales of Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon propping up the bar, a worse for wear Dylan Thomas accidentally leaving an early manuscript of Under Milk Wood underneath his chair and the dinning room upstairs is apparently where De Gualle wrote his rallying cry.

Although still a creative hub and “a firm favourite among some of the best known names in showbusiness” The French House is refreshingly the opposite of an uber cool media hang out like Soho House up the road. It has a village pub feel where locals, regulars, newcomers, young and old alike are all made to feel welcome. When we visited we didn’t feel as if there was tumbleweed bouncing down Dean Street as we opened the doors to head inside. We made our way through the lively bar area (remember those days?) and headed upstairs to the dinning room.

This space felt like a cosy, private affair, with lovely windows looking out onto the bustling, busy pre lockdown streets below; if memory serves there were no more than 8 tables; if that. The menu was simply unpretentiously elegant, beautifully presented, not silly money in fact value for money and we inhaled everything that was put in front of us including the creative vibes and waft of history that hung in the air.

The French House have had their struggles during lockdown and are readying themselves for serving dinner again and lunch indoors. They also have an on line auction that’s taking place on May 8 to raise funds with lots including a pint of Guinness drawn by Suggs, a painting of Francis Bacon propping up the bar, T-shirts, face masks and jewellery.

You can also support by paying them a visit for lunch or dinner, we promise you won’t be disappointed. Alternatively swing by for a pre theatre drink, The French House has a no music, no machines, no television and no mobile phones rule making it a great place for conversation and reconnecting post lockdown.

You can make a reservation by emailing frenchhousereservations@gmail.com

Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/frenchhousesoho/ or Twitter https://twitter.com/FrenchHouseSoho