Putney
Overview
Putney is a thriving commercial centre with a very active evening economy, making it a great place to do business, go shopping and relax.
With an unusually high proportion of generally affluent 25 to 45 year olds the town provides a wide variety of distractions and has a truly remarkable range of pubs, bars and restaurants.
The development of Putney Wharf has opened-up the riverside area significantly, with plenty of places to eat, drink and relax by the water. The new Brewer building is being developed next to historic St Mary's Church and will provide a focus for local community activity. The church already provides the rehearsal-home for Wandsworth Philharmonic Orchestra.
 The area has a strong riverside tradition that goes back hundreds of years. In addition to the Oxford and Cambridge boat race a variety of other races are also held each year including various Head of the River races and The Great River Race.
Putney Bridge provides the starting point for the annual Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. www.theboatrace.org
Putney Music Festival
Consolidating its musical tradition, the hugely popular Putney Music Festival was held again this year over the Boat Race weekend Friday 28th to Sunday 30th March 2008. The festival featured live and DJ presented music and events throughout Putney's great selection of pubs, clubs and restaurants. Organised by us and now in its eleventh year, it has grown to become a key London event with excellent support from Putney venues and businesses.
This years event had everything from opera to rock, Latin to folk and traditional to Indi-pop in twenty one venues thoughout Putney. Here's the programme for 2008.
www.wandsworth.gov.uk/putneymusicfestival.
Other useful information
www.putneysw15.com is the community website to visit for details of everything going on in Putney.
Putney Town Centre Partnership Board
The body responsible for helping to channel developments in Putney is the Putney Town Centre Partnership Board. This body comprising members of local businesses, the Putney Society, Wandsworth Council and other local representatives. The objective of the body is to help co-ordinate, develop and improve the commercial, residential and environmental aspects of Putney in a sustainable way. If you would like more information on the Putney Town Centre Partnership Board please download the most recent meeting minutes or the agenda for the next meeting:
 Putney TCPB Minutes (47Kb)
Putney TCPB Agenda (74Kb)
Town Centre Management initiative (217Kb)
Putting Putney First - Putney Business Plan 2006 - 2009 (68Kb)
Putney Town Centre Managers Review 06-07 (113Kb)
 Putney shopping
Putney provides an attractive shopping destination with a good selection of chain stores and independent shops. Shops such as Marks & Spencer, BHS, Sainsbury's and Boots have a strong presence on the High Street. The Exchange shopping Centre is at the heart of the town and includes shops such as Waitrose, Next, Gap and Argos. It also has a multi-storey car park with 250 parking spaces. Other pay-and-display parking is located throughout Putney, mainly in side roads.
 A wide selection of retail shops line the High Street, as well as the Upper Richmond Road, Lower Richmond Road and Putney Bridge Road.
In addition to the normal run of shops and stores Putney is remarkably well geared-up to cater for the needs of mums and toddlers. Whether its relaxing over a cup of coffee with friends or buying kids clothes and toys there is an amazing range of shops catering for toddlers such as Gap Kids, Next, Early Learning Centre, Toystop, Domat Toys and several kids shoe shops Other services include Gymboree Play and Music and Putney Arts Theatre kids group.
Mums'n toddlers businesses in Putney (8 kb)
Evening and nightlife
As the daytime economy of Putney draws to a close, so the evening economy springs into life. Putney provides a playground of pubs, bars and restaurants to enjoy. Whether its fun-food or high quality dining a range of excellent restaurants, pubs and bars can be found in and near the High Street, river and Putney Wharf. There's even a late-night club to keep you going 'till the early hours.
The Odeon multi-screen cinema is centrally placed in the High Street and has special membership arrangements available for cinema-goers, including weekday deals for the over 60's.
Putney amenities
Putney benefits from a number of valuable amenities which help to ensure a very active local community.
- Putney Library (Disraeli Road)– Need free Internet access? Try the library! Well used and equipped library with a prestigious meeting room available for a small fee. Very well supported and the gallery has an 18 month waiting list. Find out more
- Putney Arts Theatre (Ravenna Road) - a very busy arts theatre set in the intimate atmosphere of a refurbished church. Groups representing all ages stage regular performances. Find out more
- Putney School of Art and Design (Oxford Road/Disraeli Road) - located not far from the High Street this Art School has brought delight to hundreds of local people, teaching in all styles of paint-technique and offering family sessions at weekends. Find out more
- Odeon Cinema (High Street) - Actively engages with the community in a number of ways; great films. Find out more
- Putney Leisure Centre (Upper Richmond Road) – Looking for a good local gym, swimming pool, fitness classes or heated baby pool? Putney Leisure Centre offers all these and more (including creche). Find out more
- St Mary's Church – The new Brewer Building at St Mary's church will provide facilities for the community, church, arts and education along with coffee shop, library dedicated to the Putney Debates and a full-time nursery school. Find out more
 History
There has been a ferry at Putney possibly since Roman times as the river is restricted in width at this point, enabling easy crossing. A wooden toll bridge was built by the Kings carpenter in 1729 and this lasted until the opening of the new stone bridge in 1886, which was later widened in 1933. Today it is one of the busiest of all the Thames crossings. St Mary's Church, by Putney Bridge, is very old and contains brasses dating from 1476.
During the Civil War, the headquarters of Cromwell's army was briefly located at Putney. In 1647, meetings of the Army Council were held in the then Chancel of the church. These discussions on the future government of the realm were published as the "Putney Debates". Although their contemporary impact was modest, they are seen as foreshadowing the arrival of Parliamentary democracy, and may have influenced the American Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States of America.
Transport
The town has excellent transport links; with two Underground stations at East Putney and Putney Bridge, as well as Putney mainline station at the top of the High Street. It also has good bus connections including No's : 14, 22, 39, 85, 93, 270, 74, 220 & 424 buses.
Maps, Parking, Diary, Planning Data
Map of Putney
Putney Controlled Parking Zone
www.wandsworthdiary.com
www.wandsworth.gov.uk/planning/info
 Putney Town Centre Manager
Stephen Wallace is your Putney Town Centre Manager and he can be reached on:
Putney Town Centre Managers Office,
1st Floor, The Exchange,
Putney SW15 1TW
Tel: 020 8785 0374
Email: sdwallace@wandsworth.gov.uk
Visit the Business Support home page for information relating to council services to business, business advice and support, business premises, Battersea Power Station, regeneration, business improvement scheme, town centre grants, sources of finance, publications, voluntary sector employment and training.
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