Before the arrival of the railway in the 19th century, Sutton was just a series of farming land and small villages south of the capital. While the railway links have brought business and housing opportunities to this suburban area, Sutton is still a quaint borough of South West London. This location and living environment makes the borough, and especially its principal town, an attractive destination for people looking to move away from congested streets in central London.

1. What Makes Sutton Unique?
2. Things To See In Sutton
3. Nightlife In Sutton
4. Sport In Sutton
5. Food In Sutton
6. Shopping In Sutton
7. Culture & Entertainment In Sutton
8. Cost of Living In Sutton
9. Transportation In Sutton
10. Explore The UK From Sutton

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1. What Makes Sutton Unique?

Top schools

One of Sutton's biggest draws for families is its outstanding schools. In 2011, this borough was the top performer in GCSE examinations. Top secondary schools in Sutton include The John Fisher School, Sutton Grammar School, and Glenthorne High School, while Westbourne Primary School, Barrow Hedges Primary School, and St Mary’s RC Junior School are among the best primary schools in London.

Innovation

Despite its tranquil and sometimes sleepy impression, Sutton is also known as a centre of excellence and innovation. The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), the largest comprehensive cancer centre in Europe, has a site in Sutton.

Affordable house prices

Detached and semi-detached houses are both in good supply at affordable prices in Sutton - a major attraction for first-time-buyers. Residents of Sutton also benefit from one of the lowest costs of living in London.

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2. Things To See In Sutton

• Sutton Heritage Mosaic: Located on the High Street, this is one of the largest murals in the country. This 5-meter wide and 9-meter high artwork was created from 100,000 ceramic tiles, representing many periods in Sutton history.
• BedZED: One of the UK's first large-scale sustainable communities. The housing, community spaces, and offices at BedZED are combined and put together in an ecologically sustainable way.
• Nonsuch Park: A popular place to enjoy green space for the locals. This park also has large open grounds for families, a grade-II listed mansion, and a beautiful flower garden.

3. Nightlife In Sutton

Sutton is where you can run into some of London's most loved pubs, especially independent places where you enjoy all kinds of drinking occasions.

The Winning Post on Sutton High Street, formerly known as The Red Lion, is a classic country pub with an extensive range of food. It carries a family-friendly atmosphere thanks to the lovely beer garden. This is where The Rolling Stones played their music before getting spotted by Giorgio Gomelsky in 1963. Gomelsky was in the audience and immediately recognised their talent and later would become the manager of this legendary band.

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The Treasury is another great choice on High Street, offering a great selection of ales and burgers in a modern setting. Sports fans can watch important matches on their big TV screens while chilling at outdoor tables.

The Hope is an award-winning pub just 30 minutes of walk away from Sutton's town centre. This community pub has always held a special place in the heart of the locals. The Hope was close to a shutdown in 2010, but it was rescued by a group of loyal customers and has become a pub run by beer drinkers, for beer drinkers.

There is a little gem on Greyhound Road called The Little Windsor, where you can expect several home-cooked food choices and live entertainment in addition to their extensive ale selection. The venue also has outdoor seating options in the summer.

4. Sport In Sutton

The biggest football club in the borough is Sutton United FC. They play their home matches at Gander Green Lane, where Sutton Common Rovers - a local semi-professional club - also share the ground.

Sutton United currently plays in the National League, the fifth tier of English football. During their history, the club has enjoyed several successes, including two FA Amateur Cup finals and a FA Trophy final in 1981.

In nearby Cheam Road is the home of Sutton Cricket Club. Founded in 1857, the club has introduced many players into county and even national cricket teams. It has also won several Surrey Championships, including the inaugural 1968 season.

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This southern London borough offers a wide range of fitness facilities. This includes both branches of well-known chains (like Nuffield Health Fitness and Wellbeing, Virgin Active, and Fitness4Less) and council-run services (such as Cheam Leisure Centre and Westcroft Leisure Centre). People practising yoga or pilates in Sutton also have many choices, including some small boutique studios.

Sutton School of Gymnastics is one of the most acclaimed gymnastics centres in South London, where you can access high-quality classes offered by qualified coaches. The centre was established in 1910 as the SASSARC Gymnastics Club. Lee McDermott, the gymnast that represented England at the 1996 Summer Olympics, was a former member of this centre.

For a different experience, move further south and pick one from four golf courses along the boundary of Sutton, all of which are set in a hilly and peaceful part of the borough. The Oaks Golf Centre is the only public one while the rest of them are private facilities.

With a 9-hole and an 18-hole course, a pro shop, and a 16-bay driving range, the Oaks welcomes players of all ages and abilities. The other three - Cuddington Park, Banstead Downs, and Woodcote Park Golf Club - are located in a mix of hilly parkland and downland. Banstead Downs is a more affordable option, while Cuddington Park and Woodcote Park are no less popular, often busy and with limited tee-off times on weekends.

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5. Food In Sutton

Sutton's town centre isn't just the heart of the town but also of the whole borough, where you can find its best offers of restaurants and cafes.

The Clink is one of the most unique restaurants in the whole capital. The venue is extremely popular among locals, consistently ranking as a top restaurant in Sutton - a success mainly coming from its amazing food and great service.

Founded in 2009 by The Clink Charity, all of the dishes served here are prepared by prisoners from High Down Prison, offering them an opportunity to gain accredited qualifications and work experience so they could find a job easier upon their release. If you love the idea behind this restaurant, which is to help someone on their way back to society while enjoying a tasty meal, there is hardly another place for you in London other than The Clink.

While technically a pub, The Grumpy Mole is also widely known for its food and dining experience. This is a group of family-run gastropubs with 5 locations across Surrey and Sutton. The closest venue to the town centre is The Grumpy Mole - Cheam on Ewell Road. With the cosy indoor setting in addition to many outdoor dining seatings in the summer, the Cheam pub provides all kinds of classic British pub food with some interesting international twists. The place also offers a separate vegan menu with a lot of plant-based options.

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Brasserie Vacherin on High Street should be the first place to visit in Sutton if you fancy some classic French cuisine. Run by celebrity chef Malcolm John with quality dishes like boeuf bourguignon, soufflé, and cassoulet, it will make you think you're currently on the other side of the Channel. On Friday and Saturday, you should try seafood platters - one of the specialities of Brasserie Vacherin.

Not just Mediterranean and British cuisine, Sutton can also bring a taste of food from various cultures. Heen's Restaurant on Mulgrave Road is one of the best Chinese restaurants in the area. The place serves classic Szechuan and Peking dishes, which is made from fresh, high-quality Asian ingredients, in a glass-fronted building with booth seating. Remember that Heen's is a bit pricier than Sutton's Chinese restaurants.

M.Manze on High Street is a common choice for Sutton's residents when they want a hot pie. The Sutton Shop is one of three locations of M.Manzee, usually considered the oldest pie shop in London. Its flagship is The Tower Bridge Shop, which was founded by Michele Manze in 1902. The place also offers mash, eels, and liquor in addition to its traditional pie options, all of which can be ordered through delivery service to anywhere in the capital.

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TazZa Coffee is the most famous coffee shop for the locals. Also on High Street, this little place has excellent coffee, fresh paninis, and plenty of cake choices. It has just gone through a renovation, where the pre-prepared salads and sandwiches have been removed. Now all the food is freshly prepared in place, including many vegan options.

6. Shopping In Sutton

With its mile-long High Street, Sutton is one of the busiest shopping hubs of South London, where you can do almost everything for your personal and family needs. This includes shops from Waterstones, Specsavers, and a new store from Sainsbury that has just been opened, bringing an additional touch into the northern end of this bustling street.

The town has two shopping centres, Times Square and Saint Nicolas, which host many popular high street names like New Look, Debenhams, and Primark. Various supermarkets can also be found across the borough, including Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda, and Morrisons.

One of the favourite independent venues of many locals and visitors is the fruit stall on High Street. The owner of this stall has been selling fruit and vegetables for more than 45 years, and if you count other people in his family prior to him, the stall has been there for more than a century.

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According to the Guinness Book of Records, Sutton is home to the oldest bike shop in the whole world - Pearson Cycles. Established in 1860 by a blacksmith from Cobham named Tom Pearson, it was originally a place that could fix anything metal, including penny farthings. The owner then predicted the boom of mountain bikes, which were to become more popular on roads and hills of Sutton. The shop is now run by the fifth generation of the Pearson family, offering excellent precision bike fitting and building.

7. Culture & Entertainment In Sutton

The local council's budget cuts had a dramatic impact on the entertainment scene of Sutton, when its two leading theatres, Charles Cryer Studio and Secombe Theatre, were forced to close their doors in 2016. The borough, however, still has plenty of other cultural offerings you may want to explore. This includes a branch of Empire Cinema and Vue Cinema, quirky museums like the Cockney Museum, Little Holland House, and the Honeywood Museum.

8. Cost of Living In Sutton

Along with Croydon and Bexley - its neighbouring boroughs in southern-eastern London, Sutton is among the most affordable places to live in the capital, particularly when you want to try getting on the housing ladder. According to Foxtons, the monthly rental prices of Sutton range from £231 to £462, with an average of £338, well below what renters of other areas in London have to pay.

9. Transportation In Sutton

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Train

There is no Tube link in Sutton, but you can easily get to Wimbledon Station (on the District line) and Morden Station (Northern Line), the nearest stations from the town centre. To make up for this, Sutton has plenty of Thameslink and National Rail services.

Sutton station is the main railway station of the town, from which many direct trains depart towards stations in central London, including St Pancras, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, London Bridge, and London Victoria. Sutton Common and West Sutton stations both have Thameslink services to Wimbledon and central London.

Bus

With 54 bus services as part of the London Buses network, Sutton is well-connected to neighbouring towns like Wallington, Merton, Croydon, and Banstead. Those routes are run under contract by Quality Line, Metrobus, London United, London General, and Abellio London. Route X26, which runs through Sutton, is the longest bus route in London, covering the 23.75-mile journey between Croydon and Heathrow Airport.

Air

Both Heathrow and Gatwick are located within 15 miles from Sutton. The route X26 serves Heathrow while you can get to Gatwick Airport via the A3 route of the National Express coach network. There is also a direct train to Luton Airport, which is located 40 miles to the north.

10. Explore The UK From Sutton

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Carshalton Lavender

As one of the most famous destinations in Surrey during the summer, Carshalton Lavender is just right on the doorstep of Sutton. You can run through beautiful fields of lavender with the sun on your face and the wind in your hair. Carshalton Lavender is a community project where you can visit and even help out during their harvest season in July.

Wandle Trail

Wandle Trail is a 12.5-mile cycling and walking trail following River Wander, a chalk stream that starts from Croydon all the way to Wandsworth. Along the way are several wilderness areas, including Gove Park and Beddington Park. This trail is on the National Cycle Network and has many wheelchair-friendly stretches.

Surrey Hills

This 163-square mile Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a perfect place if you want a day-trip a bit further away from London. As one of the 46 protected landscapes in the country, the hills here embrace a great variety of countryside, from woodland and acid heaths to grassland and rolling chalk.