Streetlife

"Meanwhile for 2 weeks, in Southfields business is dead"

Really? I think the local food shops who are up their eyes during the fortnight would probably disagree... And it puts SF on the map. I for one also enjoy the vibe. The tennis and squash club benefits from it by renting ground giving members of the club great facilities all year round. Etc.... etc....

Really? come and have a look! the shop are definitely not overflowing with business! except possibly Starbuck who benefit from the tickets touts that use it as a base

Stop being so miserable! The tennis is great for the atmosphere and businesses in the village. The tennis was here long before you were unless your are well over100 year's old!!

Maybe you should market whatever it is you sell to the incoming crowds in a better way then you too could prosper from the added attention southfields gets each year,

I hope we don't get the same negative postswhen the Olympics are here in southfields too as this will be a summer to remember in London!

Do we leave on the same planet?  there is no atmosphere in Southfields, people are herded to thge tennis court by bus for an extortionate fee, excssive restrictions are in place to concentrate all the business and sale of foods, drinks, and souvnir to the tennis court, and regular clients are avoiding  Southfields like the plague.
whenever it's the hairdressers, the vet, newsagents ad most of the shops in southfields, they are down in business, this is not compensated in anyway by a significant increase for foods and drink shop as people do not get the chance to stop. It only pu the tube station on the map ,and it was there before.

I have been a resident here for 25 years.The vibe and atmosphere is dead.Front yards and gardens used to sell teas,breakfasts.etc. t shirts and souveniours.
Now spectators are herded like cattle in the park so locals cannot use it.Before one queued on Church rd(both sides of the club) and Somerset rd.
This was too much for Millionaire residents who did not want the riff raff outside(let Southfields have them) as they have membership.
Regarding trade it has got worse apart from the one pub and Starbucks and now Sainsburys.AELTC would love to have a tunnel between the station and stadium so spectators have to buy their Strawberries and Cream at inflated prices.
Also Merton Council do not help.A Trading Permit for one week in the Park is £1500 with restrictions.
Merton get all the benefits and Wandsworth get all the hassle.
Lastly why are the Mini cabs turfed out for the temporary buses,which create a traffic jam and road rage.Sport is being promoted,a 15 minute walk won't hurt and will save you money.

I agree with Sunny P, it's nothing like it once was. My personal Bugbear is with the Slash and Burn attack on Southfields station to place a huge advertising hoarding there. Surely one of these corpoartions could afford to sponsor a permant planted space alongside the platforms which have holes to place Advertising scaffolds once a year? People argue that it's scrub land and that it doesn't matter, well it's only scrub land because Fed Ex and IBM do this every year!

I agree with what's been said Ive lived in Southfields for over 50 years and the atmosphere has completely changed over that time, parking even more difficult, traffic problems.  With all the money it generates the AELTA it should put more into the community infrastructure.

Rose tinted memories I think?

Things change and usually the things you remember are an amalgamation of 25 years of memories.

Maybe instead of being negative and moaning on streetlife you should get involved and bring the experiences you remember back so we can all enjoy them?

How many local residents buy the souvenirs etc sold on the front gardens anyway?

It's great that the restaurant's put. Tables on the pavement and the fishmongers and fish and chop shop have decked their frontage and are now offering great food that's different to the normal burgers and hotdogs you get offered when approaching other sporting events!

We should support those in the community who have positve things to add

I think the tennis brings a real vibe to Southfiields. My cousin is a local trader and his business has been booming all week,and after all,it's only for 2 weeks. Why are so many people so negative ?

One of the Indian restaurants addressed the lack of traffic on their end of Replingham Road by  handing out menus to passers-by near the pub.  Both Olive Garden and Thai Girder had long queues at the time, so it's likely that the east end of Replingham Road got a bit more traffic due to someone taking action. 

Seems logical that local businesses having regulars who are staying away would take advantage of the crowds to find some new customers by handing out flyers or business cards, hanging a few posters, chatting with people at the pub, etc.  A bit of effort and creativity stands a better chance of increasing business than posting on internet message boards.

We are enjoying the Wimbledon buzz and will continue to support our local shops and restaurants as usual while the tournament continues!

Is it being negative to say that wimbledon and Merton get all the benefit from the tennis, and Southfields and Wandsworth all the inconvenience?
No it is a statement of fact

Yes

The fact that some Southfields businesses are receiving benefits in the form of above-average receipts makes your blanket statement regarding Merton benefits/Wandsworth inconvenience factually incorrect.  The emotional context in which you made your statement makes it appear negative.  Simples.

I coming up there tonight from Garrett Lane so I will be interested to see if its any different from normal.
My personal strategy is to smugly stuff my backpack with food and drink from the village (thanks Greggs!) before heading down to the park, hence avoiding the eye wateringly expensive stuff inside. It amazes me why everyone is not doing the same!

I suspect most visitors don't know what's just around the corner and hence don't head down Replingham Road.

Majority of traffic and majority of Pedestrians pass through Southfields.Then why did Evian sponsor all businesses in Wimbledon Village(including Boutiques,Estate Agents,Dry Cleaners and other non retail outlets) by hoisting their branded flags outside each unit.
This should have been done for Southfields,but no Wimbledon should have the benefit.
Evian also hand out free water to the queue.This does not help local traders as there are other companies who do the same,eg Cadburys handing out large bars of chocolate.

John B: "the fact that some Southfields businesses are receiving benefits in the form of above-average receipts makes your blanket statement regarding Merton benefits/Wandsworth inconvenience factually incorrect."
Can you name businesses in Southfields that are getting above-average receipt? and how does that compare to all the business who have a significant below average receipt during the tournament: if your were running a business in south fields, you may find that the numbers do not add up for Southfields versus inconvenience caused.
Very simples

There will be some winners and losers. I believe there're more winners than losers. And for the losers, it's only two weeks!

Let's not bother with the Olympic either - what a lot of hassle! Let's all sit at home and do nothing at all with our sad lives.

I am just pointing out how the tennis bring little benefit to Southfields, this has nothing to do with with liking tennis or not, the various comment about "sad life" or "being negative" are inappropriate and beside the point. The Wimbledon tennis championship is now a well oiled machine, able to efficiently channel all the resources and benefits to its incredibly expansive outlets. as Sunny P and others pointed out, it is very different now than 10 or 15 years ago.
We  are left with all the inconveniences and none of the benefits.

As a Southfields resident of over 30 years and  family living here since the 1930s, I have to agree entirely with Cure by Nature.

The distruption caused by Wimbledon Tennis is a nightmare, not only to local residents, especially those of us who are here all day, but also to those local businesses and services who rely on people visiting their premises.

A one hour a day parking ban extended to 12  hours a day, buses, taxis and touts and courtesy coaches everywhere, with access to the Underground restricted, the 39s and 493s delayed or curtailed, and in the old days price in shops on Wimbledon Park Road increasing dramatically just for Wimbledon.

Anyone who has lived in Southfields for some time or who runs a business here will know what I mean. And this year we are in for a double dose!!  Three weeks after Wimbledon it all happens again in our second lockdown this year because of the Olympic Tennis at Wimbledon. 

And did you know that the original intention was that the parking restrictions were originally intended to run from the begining of Wimbledon to the end of the Olympic Tennis without a gap - some seven weeks!!

Funny how there is always a Grinch around when something genuinely pleasant is going on. You can always let your home, go away and make some profit as well...

I live extremely close to Wimbledon tennis, on Wandsworth side, and walked up to Southfields yesterday.  The atmosphere was terrific.  The shops were full with long queues.  The restaurants/cafés bursting at the seams.  The whole place was buzzing.  Ok the buses and traffic run quite slowly but the ambiance more than makes up for a little delay in our busy, busy lives.

Can I assume that those in Southfields/Wimbledon area who are complaining refused on principle to join in those events for the Jubilee which excluded local people (eg Battersea Park), or those affected by road closures.  I assume also that they have put in objections to the road alterations for the Olympics which mean that some people will have greater difficulties getting to their homes or will have to put up with increased traffic fumes, etc.

This reminds me of when we moved here 20 years ago and one of our neighbours commented about how dreadful it was during Wimbledon and what a terrible 2 weeks it was going to be.  I couldn't believe my ears! What is the matter with people? Of course there are traffic problems etc but you make the best of it.  My son has worked there twice (in the kitchens) we do B&B and meet wonderful people every year, you can walk to a major sporting tournament and if you are willing to queue, see brilliant tennis.   The local companies who make an effort - The Olive Garden, Thai Girder for instance must do really well. 
It is only for 2 weeks!! It will be over soon, cheer up! But then again being British you will always want something to moan about.

Without taking a survey we can't be sure but all the shops seem busier and the restaurants and pub are packed out every evening. I've lived in Southfields since the 1980s and have seen it improve over the years. I'm sure the tennis fortnight helps the process and without a doubt the relatively recent improvements to the station and the line itself wouldn't have been a priority without the tennis and Olympics. The parking has got better not worse as it's restricted to true residents and limits all other parking to proper passes that can no longer be forged which in turn makes spaces much more available throughout the period than in previous years.

I'm sorry some people find so little joy in the buzz around the area for a couple of weeks but I'm all for it and furthermore even happier we're getting an extension with the Olympics coming to our little corner of SW London.

Really? And when you moved to Southfields nobody warned you that there was a little local tennis club that has been pulling in a few visitors every year since, oh, at least a century ago. Probably best to go with the flow and simply enjoy it! Why not let out a room and pay for your next holiday?