Common Ground Cafe

What’s in a name? This place is set in the grounds of Wandsworth Common, surrounded by a playground, a bowling green, tennis courts, and a lake full of ducks and swans and such like. Even though the Common is inevitably emptier during winter months, this remains a firm favourite with local mums and their children.

 

Why? It makes the transition from being ‘child-friendly’ to actually making families their main clientelle. The cafe is spacious enough to accomodate a few pushchairs, but most people feel safe to park theirs outside. There are toys and books for the children and magazines for the grown-ups; adequate baby changing facilities; and to top it off, there are many baby and toddler-specific activities on during the week, such as Amanda’s action kids and a baby music class.

 

On  the adult menu, there are a variety of sandwiches and light meals, whereas the kids’ features all-time favourites such as fish fingers and baked beans, or dippy eggs and soldiers. There are also a variety of cakes and ice cream on offer. The coffee is inoffensive and in theory you can order wine and beer(though I still haven’t seen it happen – more on this later).

 

The service isn’t the warmest ever, but the staff do the job. There are children running around everywhere, after all. This place is guaranteed to be filled with mums and nannies. And while it most certainly hits the mark on child-friendliness, sometimes I personally find the whole ‘mummyness’ of it a bit cloying. I have never dared to have a beer in here, although maybe that’s just me. In saying that, it’s perfectly pleasant and extremely convenient for using the amenities of the common, so I come here all the time! If you can get past the drooling infants and debates on the merits of macrobiotic baby food, it really is a lovely place to meet up with friends while being confident that you won’t be frowned upon for parenthood.

 

Address: Wandsworth Common

Nearest Station: Wandsworth Common, no steps.

Baby Changing facilities: Yes

Licence: Yes

The Hope

The Hope sits rather nicely at one end of Bellevue Road so that it is popular all year round as a watering hole for the people of Wandsworth Common. The presence of Michelin-starred Chez Bruce only a couple of doors down belies the fact that this is actually Tooting(something I am certain the smartly dressed residents would like to see overlooked). Yes, we are in Nappy Valley, but that is just why there is so much around this area that you can do with kids.

Bellevue Road itself is adorned with its fair share of toy shops and a Blooming Marvellous, and all sorts of smart outlets with posh and poshly priced home furnishings. Wandsworth Common is a wonderful place to come and feed the ducks, or make use of several playgrounds(including an adventure playground), or simply let the kids run wild with a football. Everything around here is so kiddy-friendly it might give a parent starved of adult company the heebiejeebies and the desire to sink a few beers.

 

This is why the Hope cuts such a nice balance. While it is very family-friendly, it is not vomit-inducingly so. It is a place where you can come with friends and a child or two before the watershed of 6pm and enjoy a wide selection of artisan beers and ciders, an extensive wine list, and an affordable, tasty menu. The crowd varies from young trendy things, older businessmen, locals, families, or sunkissed beauties in the summer who come in for a pint of Fruli.

 

There have been a couple of occasions when I have been there during the week where it’s been pretty empty and yet the service hasn’t been quite as prompt as I would have liked, but it is a solid contender. There is an outside area but it is precariously erected on the edge of a busy road, so it might be worth considering staying inside. Some may consider the decor a little insipid and gastropubby, but I like it. It’s pleasant. Nice wallpaper. Pretty Chandeliers and artfully worn down furniture. Room for the children to run around in during less busy times.

 

There is no Kid’s Menu but I find that there are always child friendly options in this well-loved local gastropub. It is a very popular venue for Sunday lunch,  with a wide selection of roasts and delicious high quality sausages, so it’s worth booking a table in advance.

 

Address: 1, Bellevue Rd, London, SW17 7EG

Nearest Station: Wandsworth Common (Overground, no steps)

No baby changing facilities, and a lot of steps to the Ladies’ from the main bar.

Welcome!

This blog has arisen from my frustration in trying to find suitable venues for daytrips with my son. While there are websites dedicated to children’s activities in the Big Smoke, there is no concise guide for the parent who wants to enjoy life and London without losing their mind. Say you want to meet a friend for a coffee and a beer and a spot of shopping on the other side of town. Where can you go, toddler-in-tow, relax and enjoy good food?

This kind of knowledge is generally passed from parent to parent through word of mouth. But what if you want to go somewhere you don’t know and the word of mouth is not available? Well, then you come here!!!

I will continually review places I know and hope that they come in use. Please send your reviews to professionalhousegirlfriend@yahoo.com. Any published reviews will be duly credited.

 

You might like to include some of these pointers in your review:

Baby Changing Facilities

Healthy food options

Whether there are escalators or lifts in the local tube station

Address

Outside Space

Whether there are any playgrounds and such like nearby.

 And yes, while the focus of this blog is utilitarian, it should still be pleasant to read. So have a little fun, be creative!

I look forward to reading your reviews and recommendations.