walk/tour
Tooting Bec underground station, SW17 9AH
what3words: damp.ever.limp
Discover Tooting’s transformation from rural village to vibrant town. Starting at Tooting Bec and following the ancient Roman Stane Street, this one-mile tour contrasts historic views with today's high street. Explore iconic building facades, changing shops, and post-war migration. See how planning has shaped the area and what the future holds for this evolving neighborhood.
Tooting Bec
Balham
155, 219, 249, 315, 355
Meet: Ouside Tooting Bec station on corner of Stapleton Road. End: Tooting Broadway Underground. Nearest train stations Tooting or Balham.
There are plenty of cafes and restaurants in the area for you to enjoy lunch after the tour. Toilets available at Tooting Market.
There are some uneven pavements on route. The area can be noisy due to emergency vehicles going/from to St. George's Hospital.
Walking tour
11:00–13:00
How to book
Bookings will open at midday on 19 August. You won't be able to book a ticket before then.
This tour is led by a participant of Open City’s Golden Key Academy – a course training up insightful and engaging guides dedicated to explaining London and bringing its many stories to life. It is part of a wider collection of tours created by Golden Key Academy guides for the Open House Festival celebrating their conclusion of the eight month course. Further information on the Golden Key Academy can be found here https://open-city.org.uk/golden-key-academy If you would like to attend this tour, please ensure you have booked a ticket before turning up.
Tooting: Places, People and Planning
A brief walk through time
Step into the past and trace the evolution of Tooting. Prompted by a recently acquired collection of vintage postcards, this tour invites you to consider historic views of the high street with the bustling streets of today. See which iconic buildings have survived, which have been reimagined, and discover the stories behind them.
Beginning at Tooting Bec and concluding near Tooting Broadway, our one-mile route follows the ancient Roman road, Stane Street. Together, we will explore Tooting’s dramatic transformation from a rural Surrey village into a vibrant London town.
The changing streetscape
Trace the evolution of local shops, from small independent traders to multinational chains, and discover the adaption of early cinemas into carpet shops and modern bingo halls.
Culture and Community
Tooting’s story is defined by its people. We will see the profound cultural impact of post-war migration, how the Windrush generation and arrivals from the Indian subcontinent, East Africa, and West Africa established the independent retail businesses that give the area its unique character today.
The Future of the High Street
We examine the forces shaping our surroundings - how planning has influenced the high street, and what does the future hold for this evolving London neighbourhood.
