The world's biggest music stars come to Wimbledon
Plus: Wimbledon Village crowned the 'best high street' in the UK
Good morning, Wimblers — I hope that everyone enjoyed Halloween and watched enough scary movies to fill their boots until next October. I watched Weapons on Friday evening, which gave me nightmares. But I suppose that’s the point… Anyway, we’ve got a big edition for you this week!
Wimbledon International Music Festival (WIMF) starts this month, and for the next three weeks leading international artists, rising stars, and local musicians will come together to bring world-class music to SW19. This week, The Wimble sat down with Anthony Friend, Artistic Director of WIMF, to talk about the festival’s mission, the highlights in the calendar, and why the festival has earned the title of a “jewel in London’s cultural crown” (Independent).
We’ve also got plenty of recommendations, another beautiful property of the week and news snippets to keep you informed.
Happy reading!
News snippets 🗞
🎉 Wimbledon Village has officially been recognised as the best high street, according to the estate agents Knight Frank! Wimbledon Village topped the list and was praised for its blend of urban convenience and village charm. This should come as no surprise for an area that is often referred to as the place where “town meets country”. The list highlights the top ten premium high streets nationwide. Click here to read more about the competition and why Wimbledon Village emerged victorious.
🍻 The Trafalgar Pub in South Wimbledon has been given the chance to secure its future after months of uncertainty. According to the Standard, The Trafalgar has been offered the opportunity to buy the freehold of the building for £600,000. The lifeline follows a year of insecurity surrounding fears that the developer Linea Homes might win an appeal to replace the pub with flats and a café. Speaking to the Standard, landlord Oli Carter-Esdale said that the pub still faced an uphill battle: “We are never going to raise £600k. You would need six hundred local people spending £1,000 each. We are not in the wealthiest area, but I think you could get 300 people putting in £500.” Plans for fundraising have not yet been outlined, but keep an eye on The Trafalgar’s social media to see how you can help.
🍄 While it may be getting chillier, that hasn’t stopped The Rooftop Farm’s mushrooms from growing like crazy. This week, they’re selling them in The Fire Station Cafe for a reduced fee of £3.95 per punnet.
⚽️ AFC Wimbledon Community Foundation has launched a new series of walking football sessions for those living with Parkinson’s in Wimbledon and the surrounding areas. These sessions will take place every Tuesday from 12pm–2pm, with the first hour focusing on football and the second focusing on socialising with teas and coffees. The sessions are to be held at Cherry Red Records Stadium, SW17 0NR. To find out more about the new walking football sessions, contact Chloe Turner on 07923 234 051 or email chloe.turner@afcwf.org.uk.
🚨 A 17-year-old was rushed to hospital last Thursday after a stabbing on Armfield Crescent, Mitcham. Officers were called at 9.10pm before the boy was taken into emergency care. The victim’s injuries were later found to be non-life-threatening. Police are still hunting for the suspect. If anyone knows anything or could be of assistance, contact the police on 101 and quote CAD 7646/30OCT25.
🚆 Wimbledon MP Paul Kohler has written an article in the Wimbledon Guardian about his quest to “improve the District line and South Western Railways”. The article comes just a year after Kohler was appointed the transport spokesperson for the Lib Dem frontbench. In his article, Kohler highlights the “woeful state” of Wimbledon’s branch of the District line. It seems Kohler has had more luck with SWR than TfL, who have agreed, at Kohler’s request, to turn a dead area of Wimbledon station forecourt (where the telephone box used to be) into a “permanent display chronicling the station’s importance in the history of rail”. Read the full article by clicking the link above.
Property of the week 🏡
This semi-detached property is a little smaller than our usual features, but it certainly has character. That space grey exterior gives it a sort of bachelor pad-cum-evil villain feel. I’m particularly a fan of that open-plan living room with the bike hanging on the wall. While this may not be a “family home”, it’s great for those living with a partner and wanting more space. But what’s the damage? Well, this two-bedroom “apartment” will set you back £695,000. Check out more info on Rightmove.
The Wimble’s to-do list 🖌
🔮 Colour, sound, speed — Italian Futurism: Join guest lecturer Jacqueline Cockburn as she takes you through the history of Italian Futurism. In 1909, Tommaso Marinetti launched Italian Futurism with his manifesto in Le Figaro. At the time, it was seen as an assault on traditional art forms. This lecture will trace its striking rise, its contradiction and contrasts with traditional art, and discuss its wide-reaching development and influence beyond painting, sculpture and photography. Grab your tickets here.
Where: The Sacred Heart Church
When: Wednesday 12 November, 7.30pm
🎺 Jazz evening: Effra: A BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, bassist and composer Misha Mullov-Abbado brings his celebrated jazz collective to Wimbledon as part of the Wimbledon International Music Festival (WIMF), performing music from his acclaimed 2025 album Effra. If flowing drinks, good vibes and great music are your thing, then this even is for you. Grab your tickets here. (Scroll down to read our interview with Wimbledon International Music Festival’s Art Director, Anthony Friend.)
Where: Upper Hall, Sacred Heart Church, Edge Hill SW19 4LU
When: Friday 14 November, 8pm
🎆 “Remember, remember the 5th of November.” This year, Wimbledon Park’s Bonfire Night fireworks will take place this Saturday at both 6.45pm and 8.30pm. Tickets can be bought here.
Where: Wimbledon Park
When: Saturday 9 November, 6.45pm and 8.30pm
🎄 Macmillan Christmas shopping fair: Yes, I know it’s a little early to start thinking about Christmas, but planning ahead is a good way to avoid last-minute panic purchases. This is a great opportunity to get ahead on your shopping while also supporting Macmillan Merton in the process.
Where: Dog & Fox, Wimbledon Village
When: Friday 14 November, 10am–4.30pm
🖼️ Wimbledon Art Fair: Step inside over 180 artists’ studios… all under one roof! Find thousands of original masterpieces, from sculpture and ceramics to jewellery and paintings. But even if you’re not in the market to buy some art, you can always just pop along for free. Click here to book your tickets and to check timings.
Where: Wimbledon Art Studios, 10 Riverside Yard, SW17 0BB
When: Thursday 6 – Saturday 9 November
🎖 2025 Service of Remembrance: This year’s service will be attended by Deputy Lieutenant Robin McNeill Love, the Mayor of Merton (Cllr Martin Whelton), civic representatives and the Wimbledon branch of the Royal British Legion.
Where: Wimbledon Village War Memorial
When: Sunday 9 November, 10.40am
🍻 Pub quiz at the Fire Stables: It’s cold, it’s dark and it’s getting rather bleak… Why not cheer yourself up with a good old pub quiz? You know the score: bring your smartest friends, grab a pint and battle it out for the top spot and a £50 bar tab.
Where: Fire Stables
When: Sunday 9 November, 7-10pm
🐴 Wimbledon Village Stables open day: The Stables is once again inviting locals to come along, meet the horses and see how everything runs behind the scenes. It’s also a great opportunity to learn about membership options, see the Equicise horse simulator and meet Mr Fudge, the nicest pony that ever did live.
Where: Wimbledon Village Stables
When: Saturday 8 November, 2–3pm
From Baroque music in pubs to Spanish guitar in your local wine bar, meet the man behind Wimbledon’s biggest music festival 🎻
Founded by Anthony Wilkinson in 2009, the Wimbledon International Music Festival (WIMF) has brought world-class classical music and jazz to Wimbledon for over 16 years. Earlier this year, Wilkinson decided it was time to hand over the reins. Through a rigorous selection process, Anthony Friend was appointed as the new Artistic Director. Anthony has had an extensive and notable career as a clarinettist, with his performances being described as ‘delicious’ by The Times and ‘energised and raunchy’ by The Telegraph. But alongside his career as a performer, Anthony has also spent a great deal of time as an organiser of live music, not least during the Covid-19 pandemic when concerts were being cancelled and venues were being closed. This week, I sat down with Anthony to talk about this year’s festival, the incredible line-up of artists, Wimbledon’s unique creative flair, and the importance of a festival meeting people where they are. I also asked Anthony to pick out some highlights from this year’s itinerary (those events that aren’t already sold out).
The Wimble: For our readers who aren’t familiar with the festival, what are its aims? What does the festival hope to bring to Wimbledon and how does it work?
Anthony Friend: I think one of the amazing things about London is that it functions as a global capital but also as a network of towns and villages, and Wimbledon is an example of one of those villages. Wimbledon has its own gravitational centre while also being a part of the wider London network. I feel quite strongly that within London there are these local communities, and that viewing London just as a metropolis with a sole centre in the middle doesn’t really speak to how people live their lives here.
So the festival, for me, and this is certainly true of how it operated in the past, exists to bring fantastic music to the local residents within Wimbledon and the wider Merton area. But it also exists to provide opportunities for education and participation where, perhaps, local authority-run services aren’t able to. So, for example, we partner with Merton Music Foundation for our music education and community projects, and we offer the foundation things that they can’t normally do within their budget. In return, they offer us a really rigorous way of making sure we’re reaching the right people. But beyond that, I also see the festival as having a pull of its own for people that aren’t from Wimbledon.
Where are these concerts and more intimate events held?
This year, in particular, I’ve focused on venues that are easily accessible by Wimbledon’s brilliant transport links. This week, for example, we have the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment bringing their ‘Night Shift’ to the Old Frizzle, which is only a stone’s throw from Wimbledon station. What’s also great about that event is the fact that they’re playing baroque music in a pub, which is where baroque was originally heard — the music predates concert halls. We’ve also got four of our big concerts being played at Wimbledon High School and some intimate Spanish guitar and French harp music being played at Friarwood Wines up in the village. I think we’re serving the people of Wimbledon well, but I also think we’re making the festival accessible for people who live outside of London or farther away in the city. You’d normally have to go to a 2,000-seater venue to see the majority of the artists we’re booking. We’re offering a much more up-close and personal experience than that.
With the International Music Festival, BookFest and the International Film Festival, it seems Wimbledon is quite the creative and cultural hub. Why do you think that is?
I think in places that have quite a transient community — where there’s a high proportion of renters and people generally in their 20s and 30s — then there’s a real vibrancy, and that’s fantastic. But Wimbledon isn’t one of those transient places. Wimbledon is one of those areas with quite deep roots in its communities, and you need a place like that for a festival like ours to flourish. Wimbledon is the sort of place where a family might stay their entire lives, and that makes it much easier to establish yourself as a festival and create these strong personal connections where people feel involved over many years and build up a sense of loyalty.
I see you have an event called PlayFest in your calendar. What is that?
This is where we invite members of the local community to perform on stage. It’s a very important event in our calendar, and that’s largely because most amateur musicians don’t get the chance to perform live like this. A lot of the education or community work in music is focused on children and trying to offer them a way into the art form. We also focus on that to a large extent, but I think it’s really important to recognise that a significant portion of our audience is made up of practising musicians, at least in an amateur capacity.
The amateur scene in the UK is absolutely thriving despite the dwindling numbers of people being offered the chance to learn an instrument. There is an abundance of people who play for pleasure. This year’s PlayFest is already booked up, but I really encourage as many people to come along and watch as possible. Performing on stage, especially if you don’t do it regularly, is incredibly nerve-racking. All of the support we can offer them is much appreciated.
What do you think the role of a festival like yours is in today’s world?
I think it’s about changing people’s perspectives. Classical music and jazz are often seen as existing in quite lofty institutions. Think of the visual arts and you think of the National Gallery and the Tate Britain, and classical music is no different. But actually, the grass roots is where a lot of these art forms are happening.
Another important thing to bear in mind is that travelling into Central London just isn’t possible for some people. There are huge swathes of the population who will never get the Tube. We must also consider the elderly or those who are unconfident and can’t make a trip into the centre of London. Serving people in their area is a really powerful thing. Our festival’s format means that everything is within reach and at reasonable prices. I think it falls on a festival like ours to meet people where they are.
And finally, which upcoming events are you most excited about?
Well, quite a few have actually sold out! Oh, there’s a brilliant event tonight (Thursday 6 November) with the Italian-Australian pianist Jonathan Ferrucci performing Bach’s Goldberg Variations. A lot of people who aren’t regular fans of classical music will recognise Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The event is also particularly exciting because it features a photographic exhibition with the pianist, Ferrucci, as the subject. The 32 variations are paired with evocative photos of Ferrucci creating different yoga forms because Ferrucci is also an avid practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga.
We’ve also got a brilliant jazz night on Friday the 14th. We’re really lucky to have Misha Mullov-Abbado, a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, performing his new album. This event should be really fun and relaxed, with drinks flowing and conversations being had. This is definitely one for those looking to chat and socialise and who would prefer not to sit in silence all evening — which is fair enough!
The Wimbledon International Music Festival ends on Saturday 22 November. Click here to see all of their remaining events and to grab your tickets. Check out their Instagram and give it a follow to receive updates about future events and next year’s festival (tickets do sell out quickly).
Question of the week 🔍
Last week, I asked in which year Wimbledon won the FA Cup. The answer: 1988
Q: Which famous architect built the house 22 Parkside in Wimbledon?
You’re up to date 👋
Thank you for reading this week’s edition of The Wimble. I hope you enjoyed our interview with Anthony Friend. Do make sure to get yourself along to as many of the events and shows that haven’t sold out yet. Keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming Christmas edition, which is being printed as I write this. Collection points will be explained in a future edition of The Wimble. Other than that, have a great rest of the week and we’ll see you next time!
Reading about MP Paul Kohler reminded me that he was interviewed on radio 4’s programme “Life changing” yesterday morning at 9am. It’s available on Sounds: really interesting account of his experience when he was attacked at his home in Wimbledon back in 2014 and the effect on him and his family.