The Clooper Guide To Clapham
Full of urban charm, bustling nightlife and an unmistakeably lively vibe: Clapham is extremely popular with young professionals and students alike.
While Clapham may be a little chaotic for families, it certainly does well with its young populace. This district is divided into four: Clapham Old Town, Clapham Junction, Clapham Old Town and Clapham North. If you’re looking for a family-oriented place to live, have a look at our Crouch End area guide here.
AN EXCITING LIFESTYLE
Residents of Clapham vouch for its ability to stave off boredom. Especially when you’re on the high street! Clapham High Street boasts a variety of venues: bars, pubs, clubs and cafes alike. Its traffic really amps up on the weekends. However, it’s common for locals to nurse their hangovers together on a Sunday, so you’re guaranteed at least a quiet morning!
Folks travel from all over London to get a taste of this districts nightlife. You’ll be spoilt for choice for trendy bars, artsy cocktail lounges, pubs sporting live music and a variety of other venues. Specifically, there are some venues that stand out. One such venue is Windmill on the Common. This quintessential pub claims to have the biggest beer garden in all of London! There’s also the added bonus of having a hotel attached, so you can stay and enjoy some lovely pub grub in the morning. Clapham is certainly the perfect home for the party animals among us.
PROLIFIC PICTURE PALACES
Partying isn’t the only attraction that Clapham has to offer. The district also appreciates its art, specifically cinema. Clapham Picturehouse is one such cinema, an arthouse cinema to be exact, which exhibits blockbusters and independent films alike. It even sometimes hosts musical evenings where you can kick back and enjoy some jazz!
Clapham is also home to, reportedly, ‘one of the best fringe theatres in London.’ A fringe theatre is, simply put, a theatre that specializes in non-traditional smaller productions. The Landor Theatre is one such theatre, one that could be at your very doorstep.
COUNTLESS AMENITIES
Clapham locals are grateful for its bounty of amenities. With four sections to this urban village, you’d be hard-pressed to run out of places to go or supermarkets to shop in. In particular, the Venn Street Market stands out as a unique way to get your groceries. This market offers quality food and produce, even offering quality scallops! While there are of course endless restaurants to choose from, it’s always a delight to enjoy a home-cooked meal, so this market comes as a great boon to the home chefs in its community.
You can also find reputable butchers, quirky cafes, high-quality restaurants and much more. Clapham is also home to more than a few supermarkets. As well as this, it has its own leisure centre, a variety of gyms and a library and health centre combined.
WIDE OPEN SPACES
Though Clapham is certainly more esteemed for its nightlife, its wildlife is something to admire also. Clapham Common is one of Londons largest open spaces in the entirety of London. This park is popular with dog walkers, sun-seekers and fitness fanatics alike. It boasts a children’s playgroup, paddling pool, numerous playing fields and sports fields. The Common even has its own community group that tends to it and plans events. You can find out more here.
HANDY TRANSPORT LINKS
Part of the reason that Clapham is so popular with young professionals is its excellent links for transport.
There are three Tube stations to choose from, Clapham North, Common and South. These are all in Zone 2 on the district line, meaning you could reach the West End in as little as 15 minutes. There are also links to Canada Water, Shoreditch High Street and therefore Liverpool Street, Clapham Junction and Highbury and Islington. Clapham Junction is also a major rail interchange that leads to Victoria and Waterloo in only around ten minutes.
If you’re more partial to bus journeys, there are many options there too. You can catch a bus to Wimbledon, Richmond, Aldwych, Putney Bridge and Shoreditch. A large number of buses are also 24-hour services, accompanied by nightly bus routes that lead to Camden and Tottenham Court Road.
