27th June 10am - 4pm

Balham Leisure Centre, Elmfield Road, Balham, SW17 8AN

Free Gym sessions along with MOT health checks

Free swim including Kids fun session

Face painting

Bouncy castle

Free taster classes including belly dancing, Hoopla, Street dance for kids and adults, pole dancing

Raffle with prizes from Bertie and Boo, Starbucks, Tagine and others

Visit from the local police safety team and fire station

We will be collecting money for St Georges Hospital on the day

Please call reception for more details and timings.

Tel: 020 8772 9577

A number of new businesses have recently opened in Balham including:

Locale (Italian restaurant)

225 Balham High Road
Tel: 020 8682 3553

http://www.localerestaurants.com/

Meze Kitchen (Modern Greek restaurant with a twist)

37 Bedford Hill
Tel: 020 8772 9772

Kuno Tierra (Boutique urban retreat)

14 Bedford Hill
Tel: 020 8772 0502

www.kunotierra.com/

Also Chadwicks Organic Butchers are moving to 109 Balham High Road (opposite Waitrose)

The next Balham Business Evening will be held on Wednesday 8th July at 6.30pm in Balham Bowls Club, 7-9 Ramsden Road (opposite the entrance to Waitrose Car Park). As part of the evening GLE oneLondon will be running a 20 minute “Refocus your business” seminar, which will cover business development, marketing and promotion and financial planning tips. There will be presentations on the Balham Town Centre Improvement Scheme and the new Go Green Plus project. Representatives from Liberata will be on hand to answer any questions you may have on business rates. There will also be plenty of opportunities to network with other Balham businesses.

Balham Business Evenings are free for Balham based businesses and are part funded by the Balham Town Centre Partnership, European Regional Development Fund and London Development Agency.

To book your place please RSVP:
Kim Bellringer, Balham Town Centre Manager
Tel: (020) 8767 4082 Email: kbellringer@wandsworth.gov.uk

The 11th June Wandsworth Business Forum at the Bedford was a great success and was attended by over 150 business people. There were presentations on the Balham Partnership, Wandsworth Council’s response to the recession, the new Go Green Plus project and free staff training opportunities. Much business to business networking took place.

I have just had confirmation that the Le Marche Francais Authentique will be returning to Hildreth Street Market this Friday 5th and Sat 6th June.  There will be a range of french stalls as well as the regular market. 

London Buses is seeking the views of local residents and bus users on proposals to extend bus route 255 from Streatham Hill to Balham Station. The route currently operates between Pollards Hill and Streatham Hill.

The extension would provide a bus service to the Hyde Farm, Weir and Molly Huggins estates and would provide residents with bus links to Balham High Street, Balham, Streatham Station, Streatham Hill Station and Pollards Hill.

A public exhibition outlining the extension and the proposed changes to road layouts and parking will be held at the Weir Centre on Saturday 6 June from 11:00 to 13:00 and on Thursday 11 June from 17:00 to 19:30. TfL and Lambeth Council officials will be available to discuss the plans and answer questions relating to the route extension.

Single deck buses would run every 10-12 minutes on Mondays to Saturdays, and every 20 minutes in the evenings and on Sundays. The service would operate between around 06:00 and 01:00.

The consultation will run from Tuesday 26 May 2009 until Friday 17 July 2009. Those who wish to respond to the consultation can do so via the TfL website http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/networkandservices/busrouteconsultations/11640.aspx or by contacting London Buses Customer Services on 0845 300 7000.

Himalaya Indian and Nepalese Take-away on Balham High Road is currently running a special offer- 15% off any order over £10 until the end of June. Himalaya, 15 Balham High Road also offers free delivery to orders over £10 and within a 3 mile radios. To order and for further information Tel: 020 8675 8486

Congratulations to Vicky Stothard, Director or independent minbodysoul, who won the Entrepreneur of the Year Award at Wednesday nights South London Business Awards.

After living in Balham for ten years and getting fed up with the commute to the West End to find good quality hair and beauty establishments, Vicky left her job in the City and decided to start her own business. She opened her first independent mindbodysoul salon at 87 Balham High Road in 2005 and has recently opened a second site at 20 Ritherdon Rd.

Vicky’s philosophy is to offer unparalleled service in luxurious surroundings using the highest quality products for hair, health and beauty. Independent mindbodysoul has won several Wandsworth Business Awards and has been voted a Top 50 salon by Timeout magazine in London

I was lucky enough to get an invite to the awards ceremony on Wednesday night, which was very well attended. We had a delicious three-course meal in a lavish marquee on the pitch of Selhurst Park, home of Crystal Palace Football Club. Following dinner the ‘Oscar’ style award ceremony was held. There were 11 award categories with up to 6 finalists in each. The awards were presented by David Jensen, who has presented on Heart, Radio 1 and Capital Radio.The winning businesses were announced in turn and following the ceremony a disco was held until late.

A Walk Along the Thames for Charity
The 2009 Nightingale Walkwill take place on Saturday 23 May 2009. It will start at 9am from Walton-on-Thames station. It would be great if as many walkers as possible could assemble at that time.

Walk Registration Now Open
If you are interested in taking part in the Nightingale Walk 2009 then please pop along to the Nightingale Public House, 97 Nightingale Lane, Balham, London, SW12 8NX and ask at the bar. If you don't want to walk but would like to help out in some other way then please pop along to the pub and speak to someone behind the bar.

For further information please visit www.nightingalewalk30years.org

Hildreth Street market was buzzing in the sunshine on Saturday. Four new stalls have started in the past couple of weeks including ‘Airstream Tacos’, a 1950’s style diner selling homemade soft tacos and ‘Inner Green’, run by a lovely couple selling beautiful plants, potted herbs, grow your own and more.

The new stalls join regulars such as ‘The Vintage Venue’, a cool vintage clothes stall, ‘The Dessert Deli’, which sells scrumptious home-made deserts and old favourites the Tucker’s flower stall and Mick Pryke’s fruit and vegetables stall.

Hildreth Street Market is open Monday to Saturday, with Saturday being the busiest day.

People interested in taking up a pitch at Hildreth Street Market should contact Sharon Wright on (020) 8871 8558