Public meeting on Wimbledon Stadium tomorrow night

Given the surge of interest in the proposals for the stadium, Merton Council, who will have the final decision on the planning application, have announced a public meeting. This follows the one organised by Wandsworth Council on 2nd February.

They say:

"Merton Council has organised for a public meeting to give Merton residents the opportunity to hear directly from applicants, AFC Wimbledon and Galliard Homes, about their proposals for a new 11,000-20,000-seat football stadium, retail and residential development. Residents will also be able to ask the applicants questions they may have about the proposed development of the Plough Lane site.

The meeting will be as follows:

Date: Wednesday 11 February 2015
Venue: Ricards Lodge School main hall, Lake Road, Wimbledon SW19 7HB
Time: 7pm-8.30pm

The meeting will be chaired by Merton Councils’ head of sustainable communities James McGinlay. 

Merton Council  has taken the decision to host these meetings given the huge public interest in such a major development in the borough.

The planning application and associated documents are available on Merton’s website (reference 14/P4361)."

Brings the Dons home wants you!

Bring the Dons Home is a campaign run by supporters who want to bring the Dons back to Plough Lane in a 'community stadium'.

Planning permission for the club to return to the stadium has been submitted to Merton Council and the campaigners are looking for support for the application. They say:

"The new stadium will bring these benefits to Wimbledon:

• Boosting the local economy in Merton and Wandsworth
• Revitalising a neglected area
• Coaching and educating local children
• Extending award-winning community schemes
• Securing the future of Wimbledon’s football club

The development will also provide 600 new homes and leisure and commercial opportunities as part of the regeneration of the old greyhound stadium site at the east end of Plough Lane."

They have set up an online form for people to submit comments.

Where to watch the World Cup in Earlsfield

It's a safe bet that you won't be short of options for watching the World Cup in SW18. Our notoriously sporty neighbourhood has a host of places to watch the big matches - or to hide away from it all.

You can get your football fix at:

• The Wandle, who have games in HD on two big screens and five plasma screens
• The Leather Bottle, where you can also book a private beach hut
• The Halfway House, for your straight-from-the-station fix
• By The Horns brewery tap, which is showing Thursday, Friday and Saturday games on their big screen.

And if football's not your thing, you can escape at Graffiti Bar, who are staunchly sport-free, or Bar 366, who are also offering a cocktail-based escape from World Cup fever.

Getting fit in Earlsfield

Now that the weather is finally improving (or, at the very least, the days are longer), lots of people seem to be out pounding the pavements in Earlsfield. But what other options are there for getting out and active? You might be surprised at the range of activities on your doorstep.

If your club or class is missing, please leave a comment and I'll update the page.

Classes and activities

 

From golf to kickboxing to pilates, you can find it all in Earlsfield. Many of the gyms and clubs offer classes too, so be sure to check them out!

Active Lifestyles 50+ programme - run by Wandsworth Council
Central London Golf Centre - located on Burntwood Lane
Fishing - in the southern basin of the Wandsworth Common lake
Fit For a Princess - 13 classes a week on Wandsworth Common including cardio pilates and kickboxing
Grove Pilates - a range of classes and activities and you can book online
ProPhysiotherapy: located in a studio off Garratt Lane, morning and evening classes, plus men's pilates on Saturdays, antenatal and post-natal pilates, and post-natal circuits with free baby-sitting, book on enquiries@prophysiotherapy.co.uk
MA&Y - yoga and martial arts in Earlsfield library on Monday and Thursday evenings.
Wildflower Yoga - in the same studio as Grove Pilates, Monday and Tuesday evenings book as above
Jiva Health (formerly Anoushka's Yoga) - yoga classes in St. Andrew's Parish Hall in Waynflete Street
whYoga - classes in Earlsfield Library
Visit Wandsworth Council's website to book a sports pitch or tennis court on council grounds. Find out what sports activities the council offers at which venue.

 

Gyms

 

There are gyms for all budgets and tastes in Earlsfield and surrounds.

Crossfit Bold - strength and conditioning in a warehouse on the Haslemere industrial estate
easyGym - opening autumn 2014 in Southside but accepting memberships now
Nuffield Health - in King George's Park
Pure Gym - on Wandsworth Road at the top of Garratt Lane
Switch Gym - women-only gym near Burntwood Lane
Virgin Active - in Southside Shopping Centre
Wandle Recreation Centre - run by DC Leisure on behalf of the council

Clubs

 

Battersea Ironsides - on Burntwood Lane for rugby, cricket, and football
Earlsfield Amateur Boxing Club - a long and proud Earlsfield history
Heathfield Club - a bowls club on Sandgate Lane
Magdalen Park Bowling Club - on Magdalen Road
Magdalen Park Lawn Tennis Club - with bookable facilities, coaching, and tournaments
Run Club - on Tuesday and Thursday evenings
South London Bowling Club - established in 1900
The Spencer Club - based in Fieldview and supporting hockey, cricket, tennis, lacrosse, and squash
TYGA Earlsfield Martial Arts - based at Beatrix Potter Primary School
Wandilea Bowls and Social Club - Lawn bowls sports club playing within Surrey County Bowls Association
The Wandle Runners - open to all runners looking for a group to train with. Follow them on Twitter for the latest news or visit their website.

Green spaces

 

If you just want to get out of the house, Earlsfield is home to some great parks and green spaces. Some of them have running tracks and other facilities too. Visit the websites for more information.

Garratt Green - including playground
Garratt Park - including basketball court and playground
King George's Park - including part of the Wandle Trail
Wandsworth Common - a range of spaces and facilities