Wimbledon's tennis expansion plans get the green light
Plus: Spain comes to Wimbledon Common
Good morning, Wimblers – welcome to this week’s edition of The Wimble.
This week we’ve got a big update on the AELTC’s expansion plans, the rest of your news snippets, a very dashing property of the week and some fantastic recommendations for the days ahead.
Our main feature this week is the Spanish Supper Club at the Fox & Grapes, which I attended a few weeks back. Spoiler: it was delicious and has left me with a hankering to return to España.
If you have any ideas or leads, then do drop me an email: zak@thewimble.com.
Other than that, happy reading!
News snippets 🗞
🎾 The AELTC’s £200m expansion plans have been given the green light after Save Wimbledon Park’s (SWP) challenges were dismissed by a High Court judge. The proposal which had previously been approved by the Greater London Authority (GLA) will see the Wimbledon tennis site nearly triple in size and will include 39 new tennis courts and an 8,000-seat stadium. Lawyers for SWP told the High Court earlier this month that the plans were unlawful on three counts. The first was that the legal status of the land was in dispute. Sacha White KC, for Save Wimbledon Park, told the court that, “You could not have a more protected piece of land in London.” Secondly and thirdly, SWP argued that the decision breached the government’s National Planning Policy Framework in regards to “heritage assets” and “sports and recreation”. Mr Justice Saini dismissed all three arguments.
Sir Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said, “This is welcome news that will cement Wimbledon’s reputation as the greatest tennis competition in the world and London as the sporting capital of the world.”
However, SWP has vowed to fight on. The Director of SWP, Christopher Coombe, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the group was “obviously disappointed” but that “there’s a long way to go” in its fight against the expansion plans.
Read an in-depth account of what happened and what comes next in The Standard.
🦺 Merton launches new Safer Streets Team to crack down on anti-social behaviour. The team began their deployment in the first week of July, patrolling neighbourhoods and providing a visible police and community safety presence. Councillor Ross Garrod said: “[The team] will be patrolling every neighbourhood, every week, including on evenings and weekends, to prevent crime and work with the police and council staff to tackle street drinking and drug use, and enforce the law and issue fines.” Read more about it in Merton’s press release.
♿️ Merton Council is helping improve accessibility in Mitcham town centre by providing local businesses with portable ramps. The initiative was developed in collaboration with Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL) and their Access Champions – a group of local deaf and disabled advocates. The initiative was funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – a government initiative aimed at building pride and supporting local communities and businesses across the UK. Read more about it here.
🎉 Hotel Chocolat opens this Friday in Wimbledon Quarter. The first 50 customers to walk through its doors will receive a goodie bag (if you spend over £25).
Property of the week 🏡
What’s better than one balcony? That’s right, you guessed it: two balconies. But this two-bedroom flat has more than balconies. Just look at those beautiful arched doorways and windows. This might be one of the most elegant properties we’ve featured in The Wimble. There’s something of an Old World charm. And for £725,000, it could be yours! Check out more photos here.
The Wimble’s to-do list 🐴
🎭 War Horse at the New Wimbledon Theatre: Based on the beloved book by national treasure (yes, he is a national treasure) Michael Morpurgo, War Horse really is an unforgettable theatrical experience. It’s a powerfully moving drama if you haven’t seen it already. But perhaps it’s the astonishing life-size horses by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company that really make this production worth watching. Grab your tickets here.
Where: New Wimbledon Theatre
When: Tuesday 5 August – Saturday 16 August
🖌 Sip and Paint at the Dog & Fox: Sip and Paint is really all about relaxation. Join Beki Wills to paint ‘Ocean Bloom’ alongside other local creatives and artists. Tickets are £35, though drinks are not included. Tickets can be bought here.
Where: The Dog & Fox
When: Tuesday 5 August, 7pm
🎤 Live music at The Old Frizzle: Dance your heart out this weekend to some classic bangers as you enjoy a pint, a cocktail or a glass of wine (or a soft drink!). Expect everything from indie ballads to country classics.
Where: The Old Frizzle
When: Saturday 26 July, 9pm
🥂 Wine tasting: spotlight on sauvignon blanc: This grape variety needs no introduction. It’s stocked in practically every pub and bar in the country. But how much do you know about its complexity? Would you be able to tell the difference between a New Zealand savvie versus a sauvignon blanc from the Loire region? If the answer is no, then head over to Jeroboams next Friday to taste a wide range of varieties accompanied by some delicate cheeses. Tickets are £30 and can be bought here.
Where: Jeroboams, Wimbledon Village
When: Friday 1 August, 6-7pm
🏃♀️ Wimbledon Common Parkrun: If you’re feeling particularly healthy, then this one is for you. It’s a free, fun and friendly 5k run through Wimbledon Common – and don’t worry if running isn’t your strong suit; participants can choose to jog, walk or just spectate.
Where: Wimbledon Common (meet near the Windmill car park)
When: Saturday 6 July, 9am
¡Viva España!: Wimbledon gets a taste of Spain’s culinary delights 🇪🇸
What do you think about when you think about Spain? The Costa del Sol? Benidorm? Ibiza? What do you think about when you think about Spanish food? Patatas bravas? Padron peppers? A bit of chorizo? The point I’m making is that the majority of Brits have only scratched the surface when it comes to Spanish culture. Spain is a vast, beautiful place. From the verdant hills of the Basque Country to the arid Tabernas Desert (which was often used as the filming location for Spaghetti Westerns), Spain cannot be defined by one image. And its food cannot be defined by one dish. (Sorry to the Padron peppers superfans.)
A little over a month ago, the Fox & Grapes announced a new supper club: Spanish Night. If it wasn’t obvious already, I’m a huge fan of Spain and Spanish food, and any opportunity to try new dishes and flavours will be grabbed immediately. Cesar Garcia was announced as the guest chef. Garcia has been cooking authentic Spanish cuisine for over 20 years and was also the executive chef of Iberica, a Spanish restaurant with locations in Marylebone, Farringdon and Canary Wharf. Translation: I knew I would be in safe hands. In fact, I knew I would be in for a treat. So sit back and let me take you through my wonderful meal.
It’s the end of June. Wimbledon is poised for the Championships. There’s an air of nervous excitement about the town, not least in its restaurants, bars and pubs, which will have their busiest two weeks of the year in less than a few days.
Wandering in to the Fox & Grapes, I’m immediately greeted by a member of staff. “Nice to see you back again. I hope you enjoyed the last supper club,” he says. For a second, I think he’s talking to someone else. I’ve only been to the Fox & Grapes a handful of times, so to be remembered leaves me feeling rather chuffed. It just shows how much the staff here really care about their customers.
On arrival, every diner is given a glass of sangria de verano. It’s a delicious sangria (though aren’t they all?). The only problem with sangria is that you can have half a dozen glasses of the stuff without it touching the sides. It’s real go-go juice. And for that reason, it’s dangerous. For me, it’s just as dangerous as Pimm’s. And when I say dangerous, I mean irresistible and delicious.
There is a leg of jamón ibérico sitting on the bar top. A member of staff is delicately slicing off glossy sheets of meat from the pig leg. If you’re not familiar with jamón ibérico – and I don’t envy you if that’s the case – it’s a Spanish cured ham that comes from black Iberian pigs or black Iberian pigs that have been crossbred with another breed of pig. Never confuse jamón ibérico with jamón serrano. It’s a real faux pas. (Which is why it was such a scandal when the Spanish prime minister did exactly that in 2019.)
The jamón ibérico is delicate, salty and delicious. Members of staff walk around with plates of the cured meat in one hand and trays of pan con tomate in the other. Pan con tomate is a great example of why Spanish food is so special. A simple fresh tomato pulp spread over a crusty piece of bread with the essence of garlic rubbed into the base – and yet it tastes beautiful every time. Spanish food’s simplicity at its best.
First to come is the tapas course. We’re treated to chorizo croquetas, fried squid with aioli, lamb pinchos morunos, ensaladilla rusa (Spanish potato salad) with tuna belly and some gilda (olive, piparra and anchovy on a stick). Gilda is one of my favourite Spanish dishes. I was in the Basque Country a few months ago and practically survived off the stuff, with glasses of txakoli – slightly sparkling wine – to accompany.
The tapas course is great. I think the UK has a long way to go when it comes to understanding tapas culture, especially London. A lot of tapas restaurants in the capital serve brilliant food, but their prices don’t reflect the nature of tapas itself. Tapas is all about familiar cooking. It’s often cheap and it’s often served fast. It’s not about spending £19 on four measly prawns. But it seems the Fox & Grapes know exactly what they’re doing when it comes to authentic tapas. Here, the size, variety and price reflect the true nature of tapas.
Chatting with Paul Merrett – chef director of the Fox & Grapes – he said, “I told Cesar that I would rather this meal feel like a family celebration at your gran’s rather than a trip to El Bulli. We’ve got some great Spanish chefs working in the UK, but a lot of them are high-end. But the idea with this Spanish night was to have that family feel, so that’s why we’re using these family recipes.”
Next up is the seafood course. This is a plate of Spanish red prawns with garlic and chilli and a side of Galician sourdough. What can I say? Juicy prawns in a garlic sauce with crusty bread… I don’t think I can add much to that. They were brilliant – anything else I write feels superfluous.
The main course is a dish that I’ve not heard of before (though I think I may have tasted it). It’s called lagarto ibérico, also known as Iberico pork “lizard”. Don’t worry, it’s not actually a lizard. It’s a thin, elongated strip of pork that has a delicate outer crust sear. Cesar Garcia serves it with caramelised peppers, a mojo sauce and some incredibly thin patatas fritas.
Later in the evening, I ask Paul how he came to meet Cesar. “I run this event called The Great Street Feast at 195 BAFTA Piccadilly. I invite loads of top chefs, and it just so happened that one year I invited Cesar. He did it a couple of times and we just became friends. He’s just a really nice guy – and having a great Spanish chef as your mate is always useful. Who doesn’t love Spanish food?”
Paul is right. Who doesn’t love Spanish food? And that’s because Spanish food is one of the most varied cuisines in Europe. It just takes a talented chef like Garcia for some of us to realise it.
The dessert is as classic as it can get: churros and a chocolate sauce alongside caramelised bomba rice pudding. I’m not a rice pudding person (shock horror), but this particular incarnation is pretty convincing. The churros and chocolate sauce are as you’d expect: fantastic. You can’t go wrong with churros – they’re hot dough pastries covered in a sweet sauce. It’s like going wrong with a doughnut: impossible.
Cesar Garcia comes out and personally speaks to each table. We have a chat, and I tell him about my recent venture to Bilbao, San Sebastián and the lesser-known villages of the Basque Country’s coastline. I leave the Fox & Grapes full, happy and with a burning desire to return to Spain this summer. If any Wimblers have any suggestions about where to go, please do drop a comment below. I’ve got a real craving for some tapas and pintxos.
Keep your eyes peeled for more supper clubs on the Fox & Grapes’s website. They really are great value for money. The Spanish Supper Club cost £55 per person, which is a bargain when you consider the London culinary scene’s eye-watering costs.
Question of the week 🔍
Last week, I gave you a list of musical artists and asked which one had not performed at Wimbledon Palais. The answer: The Smiths.
Q: Which is the most expensive street in SW19 (to buy)?
You’re up to date 👋
Thanks for reading this week’s edition of The Wimble. I hope you enjoyed our feature on the Fox & Grapes. Do check out their website for upcoming supper clubs and events. Get in touch if you have any ideas or leads: zak@thewimble.com. Other than that, have a great week and we’ll see you next time.
There is no green light but an appeal and 2 more important legal processes to go through. This article is biased and incorrect. Pls pull it and rewrite and issue an apology. Have sent you some info.