Is this the hardest workout in Wimbledon?
Plus: The Vatican Embassy in SW19, locally-sourced supper clubs, and a famous landscape artist comes to town
Good morning Wimblers — I hope that everyone is having a lovely day. Welcome to this week’s edition of The Wimble. I was incredibly excited to see the engagement with last week’s feature with fireman Bob.
A particular mention goes to Colin Edmonds, who commented on last week’s post:
“Loved reading Bobs Story! I am a current firefighter at Wimbledon for over 15 years and [it’s] always lovely to read about stories of past serving people especially the same area! Having grown up in Wimbledon I feel the same connection to this town as Bob”
It was also great to see so many of you commenting and getting in touch about the e-bike cycling bays. It turns out the issue is so hot that the Daily Mail decided to feature it this week with interviews from locals.
In this week’s edition, we’ve got news about the Vatican’s embassy in Wimbledon, an update on how many local kids are getting into their first choice of school, and all our usual recommendations and tips for the week ahead. Plus, someone convinced me to try Pilates…
Keep getting in touch with your ideas and potential features. Email: zak@thewimble.com. I think that’s it for now. Happy reading!
News snippets 🗞
✝️ Did you know that the Vatican’s embassy in Great Britain — correct term: Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See — is in Wimbledon? I didn’t. The mansion, purchased by the Vatican in 1938, overlooks Wimbledon Common. After the passing of Pope Francis this week, the Wimbledon-based embassy will be particularly busy. Read this interesting account of the building’s history by ianVisits.
🎓 New figures show that 87% of children in Merton receive an offer to their first choice of primary school. In a press release by the council, it was also revealed that 95% of children in Merton received an offer from one of their top three preferred primary schools. Parents are reminded that they need to respond to their acceptance letters by April 30 in order to secure their places.
🎭 Acclaimed local author and actor Sudha Bhuchar is bringing her show Evening Conversations back. Residents will know Sudha from her previous works Balti Kings, The Trouble with Asian Men, My Name Is as well as her numerous performances on stage and screen. Speaking to Sudha this week, she told me that her show is ‘inspired by my banter with my sons and is a warm hearted monologue about my life as a middle class, middle aged, multicultural mum of mixed heritage millennial/Genz sons, living a 'squeezed middle' life in Wimbledon’. The show is just around the corner in Barnes and will be performed on May 24. Grab your tickets here.
🚨 A woman has been sexually assaulted in Morden Hall Park, and the police are urging anyone who saw something suspicious or unusual to get in touch. The incident, which took place on Monday 14 April, has seen a 16-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of serious sexual assault. If anyone saw anything, they can contact the police on 101 and by quoting 01/7379934/25. Read more about the situation here.
Property of the week 🏡
There are nice houses and then there are houses like this. This Georgian pattern book terrace, built over five floors, is almost too nice. Just look at that beautiful garden. Close your eyes and imagine afternoon tea or a glass of Pimm’s in the summer sun. The restoration on this property was done by a Housing Design Award-winning architect — and you can tell. If only I had £3 mil lying around. Check out more photos on Rightmove.
The Wimble’s to-do list
🖼️ Exhibition: Mark Johnston, Wind & Tide: Mark Johnston is a well-established and highly regarded British landscape painter. He has held exhibitions at Wimbledon Fine Art for many years, each time bringing new and exciting work to SW19. This year, you have the chance to meet Mark at a private viewing on April 27 from 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM. And if that’s not enough, there will also be champagne. The exhibition will then run for two more weeks.
Where: Wimbledon Fine Art
When: Sunday 27 April - Sunday 11 May, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
🍄 ‘Sourced and Found’ Supper Club at the Fox & Grapes: This one is for the foodies. There will be welcome drinks with gin made locally, canapés and a dinner that focuses on local produce and suppliers. Tickets are £45 per person and can be booked here. See you there!
Where: Fox & Grapes, Wimbledon Village
When: Thursday 1 May, 7:30 PM - onwards
🧗♀️ Kids Fun Session at The Boardroom Climbing: I got into climbing way too late in life. I had no idea how fun it was until I visited The Boardroom a few months ago for a feature. So, if you have children and can’t find a new activity for them, The Boardroom is your place. Each session is one hour and there are two classes: one for ages 7-11 and one for 12-15. Book a spot here.
Where: The Boardroom Climbing, Wimbledon Quarter
When: Sunday 27 April, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
👪 Webinar: The first steps to understanding your child’s autism diagnosis: We try our best to feature events that aim to help the community of Wimbledon, so when something like this comes along it’s very important that we give it the platform that it deserves. This webinar, led by expert clinical psychologist Dr Zara Rahemtulla, is for those parents and guardians whose child has just received an autism diagnosis, focusing on children aged 5-12 years old. It’s completely free and online, so it can be watched from the comfort of your home. Register for the event here.
Where: Online
When: Monday 28 April, 11:00 AM
🏆 Pub Quiz at The Crooked Billet: It’s that time of the week again … pub quiz time! Gather your smartest friends and compete at The Crooked Billet’s rather competitive quiz. Prizes include vouchers, a bottle of wine and a round of free drinks.
Where: The Crooked Billet
When: Wednesday 30 April, 7:30 PM - until the booze runs out
🍷 The Friarwood Live Show: Last year, the Wimble interviewed the head wine buyer of Friarwood, Auriane d’Aramon. Now Auriane is back with a “live sociable shopping event”. Join her and Salvatore Castano (award winning sommelier) for a live tasting of four different wines and your chance to purchase some delicious vino. This event is entirely online and can be watched via Insta, YouTube, Facebook, and Friarwood’s website. Check out more details here.
Where: Online
When: Wednesday 30 April, 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
The hardest workout of my life: A morning at Strong Pilates 🏋🏼
Founded in Melbourne, Australia by Michael Ramsey and Mark Armstrong, STRONG Pilates made a name for itself by offering untraditional Pilates classes. After finding success Down Under, STRONG Pilates burst on to the UK scene with studios across the country. In January this year, STRONG came to Wimbledon, and a few weeks ago, I went to check out. It turns out Pilates is no walk in the park … just ask my thighs which are still burning today. Check out their Insta and website for more details and a full backstory — and scroll down for an exclusive Wimble reader discount.
I’m standing outside the STRONG Pilates studio in Wimbledon Quarter. It’s 9:00 AM on a Monday morning. I’m waiting alongside a group of Pilates enthusiasts. I look around and realise that I might be slightly underprepared. I haven’t even brought a water bottle.
David Black, Studio Manager, is leading our class today. He’s been here since 5:45 AM and the 9:15 class is his third of the morning. He greets us at reception and then we head into the studio. It’s not a huge space but it’s decked out with equipment, and that equipment looks state of the art. There are 15 “beds” as well as the erg machines (rowing machines and exercise bikes). Each person gets their own bed and erg. I’m on the bike today. The class I’m taking is called “BODY” and is divided into six blocks: three on the bed (strength) and three on the erg (cardio).
David leads the class with a head-worn microphone. He later tells me that he has a background in the performing arts: “I started on the stage and fitness was just a way of keeping fit, but now it’s a part of my everyday life. Most people in the fitness industry seem to have come from an acting or dancing background.” It makes sense. To lead a STRONG Pilates class, you need to have stage presence, and David has it in spades. “You have to play the part,’ says David. “It’s your job to lift the room. People come in here and they’ve had a terrible day and a rubbish week. Our job as coaches is to be uplifting.”
We start with the first block, which for me is on the bike. We go at a continuous pace at 80% of our capacity to reach a set metres goal. The burn in my legs is instant. I’m probably one of the youngest people in the class, but I’m by far the least adept. I’m also the only man in the class. David later explains to me that whilst there are plenty of men who attend STRONG Pilates classes, their demographic certainly has more women. “I think it’s also important that we understand Pilates is not just for women,” says David. “Especially at STRONG. This is not your average slow-burn Pilates where you don’t grow muscle. We have loaded classes with weights and high-intensity classes. Although our demographic is predominantly women, that doesn’t mean it needs to always be that way.”
After the first block, I’m slightly regretting my gung-ho approach. I’m definitely regretting not bringing water. We move on to the beds and start with something called the “strapped mermaid crunch”. If you don’t know what that means, don’t worry; just know that it puts your body to work. The class runs for 45 minutes. I’m back on the bike, then I’m back on the bed. I’m racing to burn calories in one moment and then I’m bicep curling in the other. All the while, I am sweating beyond belief. I’ve always been a fairly active person, but I have never experienced a workout quite as intense as this one.
When the session is over, I lie on the bed, defeated. The rest of the class seems to be fine. Each of us wipes down our own station with cleaning equipment provided and then David hands out eucalyptus towels. I don’t know if any of our readers have used a eucalyptus towel before, but it’s a game-changer. I went from sweaty mess back to semi-composed journalist in minutes.
Once the rest of the class has left, David and I sit down for a chat. I don’t want to admit that I found the session hard, though I’m sure he knew — it was written all over my face. I ask him what it’s like to be a STRONG Pilates instructor. “I guess you end up sharing your life with people,” he begins. “I think working out can be quite a vulnerable thing. It’s important as an instructor to make those good relationships so that we can trust each other.”
As a novice in the world of Pilates, I ask him what sets STRONG apart. “We take that reformer basis you see in Pilates, and we intersperse it with cardio and training. We like to say that it’s ‘Pilates inspired, cardio infused, high-intensity, low-impact.’ What also sets us apart is that our workouts are tailor made in Australia by our fitness and movement team.”
I thank David for the session and hobble back to the office. I’m exhausted, but it’s a good kind of exhaustion. I know that tomorrow will be plagued by lactic acid, but I don’t mind. The first session is always the hardest. Now I just have to go back.
STRONG Pilates are offering all Wimble readers 10% off memberships and packs. Just email wimbledon@strongpilates.co.uk and mention that you’re a Wimble reader. It’s also worth noting that not every class is as high-intensity as the one I took; there are classes for everyone — just get in touch. And don’t forget to check out the Insta and website.
Question of the week 🔍
Last week, I asked you what year The Beatles played at Wimbledon Palais. The answer: 1963.
Q: Keeping the music theme going: What year did The Rolling Stones first play at Wimbledon Palais?
You’re up to date 👋
Thank you for reading this week’s edition. If you have any scoops or local insights, do let me know: zak@thewimble.com. Other than that, have a great weekend and see you next Thursday.