What’s New & Happening in Fulham

What’s New

The Skin Studio

Blush and Blow has a sister! Have you noticed the double pale grey and white striped awnings at 197 - 199 New King’s Road? The Skin Studio opened its doors a week ago after Blush and Blow’s offer expanded and the business outgrew their space.

We spoke to founder and Fulham resident Bridget Hannon who told Urban Village LDN. “We started six and a half years ago with a much simpler offering, one that changed as a result of customer requests and became a ginormous menu of treatments we didn’t originally intent to offer, taking a more clinical direction which included injectables and facials. We were running out of space, physically bursting out of it with the big machines needed for these treatments as well as continuing to offer beauty treatments: waxing lashes, threading etc. We were looking pre Covid for a site and when next door came up it was the perfect opportunity to expand and create a separate space, one that could stand out on its own and offer medical grade treatments. The Skin Studio is a balance of the warm and friendly nature of Blush and Blow but with a more minimalist clinical feel to it”.

All The Skin Studio treatments can be booked in one place on the Blush and Blow website (link below) and these range from facials, peels, laser resurfacing, Intense Pulsed Light and injectables. You can also follow them on Instagram @skinstudiolondon

Good Things Snacks

We love these nut mixes recently launched and brought to you by Fulham Resident Jeremy Jaffe and the Good Things Snacks team. “Sweet & Salty” is our favourite of the trio (salted cashews, caramelised chilli peanuts and roasted corn) incredibly moreish and such a delicious combination of ingredients.

We appreciate that might not be everybody’s cup of tea, a Sweet & Salty combo is always a bit of a marmite thing, other options in the range include “Smoky & Spicy” and “Nicely Salted”; each of the flavours include a mix of different nuts almonds, cashews, peanuts and complimentary ingredients.

Packaging is fully recyclable and this UK based business has plans to work with UK charities and to become involved with tree planting to remediate their impact on the social and physical environment. Good Things Snacks are vegan, powered by plant protein, fibre & there is nothing artificial in them whatsoever.

Jeremy told Urban Village LDN “Good Things was created to provide delicious, high protein and fibre snacks that fill the gap between meals. Always baked, never fried! Better tasting, better for you and better for the planet”. You can try Good Things and order from their website for home delivery, free of charge.

There is a minimum order of 3 packs but we have no doubt you’ll chomp your way through those in no time and they’re perfect as a happy hour snack too. STOP PRESS we’ve just heard that Good Things Snacks will soon be on sale at Selfridges and we have no doubt there will be some wholesale stockists popping up in our urban village soon. We wish the Good Things team every success with the brand https://www.instagram.com/goodthingsgroup/

Bottomless Coffee

We wrote about Bishops Bar when it first opened on the Fulham Palace Road (399) in June 2020 and have been down since to enjoy an alfresco G&T or two. This month starting on October 10 they’re holding bottomless coffee mornings from 8.30am - 10.30am, Monday to Friday.

Perfect for pre/post dog walks, school / nursery drop offs, mums get togethers, class rep meetings etc and they’re dog friendly too which always goes down well with us at Urban Village LDN HQ. Added bonus is with each bottomless coffee you get a free Danish pastry!

It’s also a good opportunity to try a new brand of coffee called “Domluca”, Bishops Bar is currently the only London based cafe serving it and they’ve got their own bespoke blend. “Bishops Blend” is described as a “full bodied powerful espresso, nutty with high fruit notes and a persistent cocoa finish”. Domluca was started by Paul Ramsey, who has been in the coffee trade for over 30 years. Paul told us “our company was named after my two sons, Dominic and Luke. We pride ourselves on the relationship we build with our customers, helping them to achieve their goals through customer service that is second to none, while providing the absolute best quality coffee that is possible. “We don't just sell a box" is our motto, and we pride ourselves on the fact that only the coffee that meets ours and our client's rigorous standards ends up being provided. We are positive that our coffee and our personal service offer a refreshing change for London”. https://www.instagram.com/bishopsbarfulham

The Fulham Centre

Have you seen the transformation of the former Universal Music HQ opposite Whole Foods Fulham Broadway? We love how the new glass curtain walling has been glinting in the autumn sunshine and would give our hide teeth to visit their new rooftop garden with 360 degree views across our urban village and beyond. Imagine working here especially in the office that has two private terraces on the 2nd and 5th floors!

The building, approximately 32,000 sq ft of newly refurbished and extended contemporary office space, is as we know in a fabulous location with superb local amenities and great transport links, but we also found out that the transformation of this building includes an extended reception area, on site cycle store, shower facilities and of course must have super fast broadband.

Officially unveiled last month with BIMM London, the Fulham college, providing the musical entertainment (love that local collab!) we have to say we’re impressed by what we’ve seen so far; light filled space that looks onto the broadway, Vanston Place and North End Road. We’re also delighted that the iconic sculpture (pictured on our socials and website) entitled Clarion which was created in the early 80’s by the sculptor Philip King, who sadly passed away in July 2021, has been restored. The sculpture is also the key inspiration for the Centre’s branding which uses shapes from the sculpture and it’s red, black colours https://www.instagram.com/thefulhamcentre

What’s Happening

Sleep Out: Fri 7

From their Fulham base Glass Door coordinates a network of open-access services for people affected by homelessness; including those in the Fulham area. The Glass Door Sleep Out is an annual fundraising event that takes place on the first Friday of October every year. This year it’s taking place on Friday 7 October 2022.

Although the main Sleep Out takes place in Chelsea’s Duke of York Square, Glass Door hope to encourage people who live in Fulham to take part either in Chelsea, or remotely, whether that be a garden or a school hall.

Jo Carter, interim CEO of Glass Door, is looking forward to taking part in the Sleep Out for the first time. “I am excited to be part of the Sleep Out and look forward to sharing the experience with my colleagues and with our supporters on what will be our 10th edition of the event. I know that there will a huge amount of camaraderie as people give up their beds for a night to raise essential awareness and funds. To be without a home is to be without safety, security, comfort, and peace. The funds we raisethrough the Glass Door Sleep Out, will enable us to continue to provide vital support for people at risk or experiencing homelessness.”

Over the last ten years, Glass Door told Urban Village LDN that an estimated 2500 guests have taken refuge in their winter emergency accommodations. A guest who stayed at Glass Door’s single room accommodation in central London in the winter 2021-22 says: “I am happy and grateful to Glass Door. I don’t think I could have reached safety without them”.

The current cost of living crisis is putting significant amounts of people at risk of losing their home who may not have been vulnerable previously. Many now have to choose between rent, food, and bills and it is a choice no one should have to make. We expect that we will continue to see increasing numbers of people accessing our services who are at risk of homelessness alongside those already experiencing it. This year, Glass Door hopes to raise £200,000 to help people who are at risk of, or are experiencing homelessness. For this, the charity encourages those who want to give up their bed for one night, to help give others a roof over their heads.

Fabric Sale: Sat 8

Are you a fabric junkie? A quilter? Are you someone who just can’t resist the lure of cloth? Then the Couture Collective Fabric Sale is for you! This Fulham creative collective’s HQ is chock a block with fabric and it’s time for a clear out. The team told us that there are some great bargains to be found on fabulous fabrics - remnants, swatches, and whole lengths all available - so they’re inviting everyone to come and have a rummage at 659 Fulham Road.

The Couture Collective is a creative collective of Hammersmith & Fulham residents who design and make haute couture clothing, occasion wear, homewares, artwork, fabric bags and storage baskets in their shared workspace and shop. The current members who have workspaces in the collective are Antonia Pugh-Thomas, haute couture womenswear, https://www.antoniapugh-thomas.co.uk, Margaret Doyle, Bledsoe Bags handmade fabric bags https://bledsoebags.com, and Regine Siekman, My Classic Inspiration homewares.

The Daisy Trust Fair: Mon 10

The Daisy Trust Fair takes place at The Hurlingham Club on Monday 10 October (9.00am- 5.00pm). There are over 100 stallholders, predominantly independent brands, taking part and showcasing great gifts for women, men and children. Making a purchase at this event has a real feel good factor as all stallholders kindly donate 10% of their sales to The Daisy Trust which in turn supports their beneficaries within Hammersmith and Fulham. Early bird tickets are now available on line at a cost of £8 (see link for tickets below).

The Daisy Trust objectives are to prevent or relieve poverty, advance education, advance health or save lives, advance citizenship and community development and relief for those in need by reason of youth, age, health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage. They celebrated 40 years working for beneficiaries in the Borough in 2021 and the trust is entirely made up from volunteers.

Two Fulham beneficiaries told Urban Village LDN how the support given by The Daisy Trust has helped their organisations. Caroline Ground the founder of The Daisy Trust had previously started SEAPIA Manager Julie Cavanagh, who benefitted from SEAPIA herself as a child, told us “The Daisy trust has supported SEAPIA for many years, providing funding for much needed equipment for our young people to enjoy enriching activities, In addition The Daisy trust have always supported our Big Give campaign where funding provided is match funded. During the pandemic the trust provided much needed funding to enable us to continue and provide a safe delivery of our project”.

Jamie Hilton, Director of Fulham Good Neighbours told us “The Index for Wellbeing in Later Life findings are clear that Creative & Cultural participation is the single most impactful factor in positive wellbeing as we age! Our partnership with The Daisy Trust enables us to deliver such activities with our twice weekly art sessions, also delivered online for the housebound, and weekly reading and craft clubs. We believe it is essential for our beneficiaries to engage in these activities as part of their community; it is also why all our projects are FREE. Over the last two years, we have developed an annual FGN art group calendar, which is now sold in three local stores. At the Parsons Green Fair this summer, we ran our first gallery auction – eight of the member’s works were sold, and donated back to FGN. On December 2nd, we will run our second exhibition”. https://www.instagram.com/thedaisytrust

Great Taste Award

Congratulations to the team at Bridge Baker whose ‘Snickerdoodles’ have won a 2022 Great Taste award. Gluten, diary free and vegan these treats are made with almonds, oats, coconut oil, brown sugar and are priced at £4.55 for a pack of 5. The judges at the Great Taste Awards said “these delicious cookies deserve a Great Taste Award on flavour alone. The fact that they are also gluten-free & vegan makes them exceptional”.

Recognised as a stamp of excellence the Great Taste Awards, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, value taste above all else. All products in the line-up for judging are blind-tasted: every product is removed from its packaging so it cannot be identified, before entering a robust, layered judging process. This year, the judging took place over 90 days across two judging locations (Dorset and London) with a panel of more than 500 judges. This year’s line-up saw food and drink products submitted from a staggering 110 different countries from across the world. https://www.instagram.com/bridge_baker