Our local pubs: “We are lucky to have such a good range of pubs. Both the traditional youngs pubs and also newer ones opening up. After work in Earlsfield Mark will sometimes go into the Leather Bottle. Nearer to Mark’s home, Mark is sometimes in the Bedford Arms or the Balham Bar and Social. Most of our campaigning events end with a quick drink in a bar like the Selkirk or the Nightingale or the County Arms.”
Our Commons: “Green spaces make Wandsworth stand out in London. I spent my childhood playing cricket with friends in Tooting Common and I have spent many a relaxing Sunday on Wandsworth Common. We must always protect them.”
Tooting Library: “I used to do my homework in Tooting Library. It was the quietest place around. I always found it a haven from the bustle of Tooting. I’m so excited about the huge refurbishment that the Council are undertaking there.”
Tooting Broadway: “The mix of the striking, art-deco station, with the beautiful statue of Edward VII against the backdrop of a vibrantly, colourful florists all make for a really dramatic and beautiful setting for our main town centre – especially when it is all lit up with the wonderful antique street lamps.”
Our local independent shops: Local traders are the lifeblood of any decent area. In Tooting we are lucky to have so many of them. My local shop on Ritherdon Road is run by the ever pleasant and helpful Shay Patel and his wife.”
Our curry houses: “The rich diversity of Tooting means that we are blessed with a plethora of outstanding curry houses. I remember well my very first curry with my parents which was at our local Tooting curry house, Sree Krishna. I’ve never looked back!”
Wandsworth Council: “We have the best public services in the Country (as rated by the independent Audit Commission) and the lowest Council tax in Britain – what’s not to like? Wouldn’t it be great if we had a Government as good as our Council?”
My Family: “My mother went to school in Wandsworth, my Aunts and Grandmother still live here. My mother lives here. I have lived in and around Tooting and Balham for most of the last 25 years. My family are tied up with Wandsworth and Tooting. I can’t imagine Wandsworth without my family.”
Our local public transport links: “Although we all know that the tube, buses and trains need to be better, I love the fact that it is so simple and (most of the time) quick to get into central London from anywhere in the Tooting constituency.”
Our trees: “Trees are the lungs of the earth. They give beauty to the local area but also play a part in compensating for the damage our industrial world does to the earth. We have so many of them in Wandsworth and we need to look after them as much as possible.”
The myths of Du Cane Court: “I have always been intrigued by the story that Luftwaffe pilots bombing Britain in the war used to turn left at Du Cane Court and head home to Germany. I would love to know if it is true or merely an urban myth.”
Our post boxes: “Red post boxes are always beautiful parts of our history but we are lucky to have so many antique ones in our area. Most parts of London have only the “E.R.” (Elizabeth Regina) modern post boxes. But our area has so much history that we have lots of “ERVII” (Edward VII Rex) which date back 100 years and even some “VR” (Victoria Regina) post boxes which were the original ones and are around 130 years old. You can see here some of Mark’s campaigning to keep them preserved.