Sutton High Street#History

File:The Cock Hotel, 1789.jpg in 1789.{{citation |title=The Brighton Road |pages=158–159 |first=Charles |last=Harper |year=1922 |publisher=Cecil Palmer}}]]

File:Milestone on Sutton High Street.jpg) and 12 miles from the financial quarter (Royal Exchange)]]

File:Sutton High St - Pearson.jpg

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File:Barclay's Bank building, Sutton (Surrey), Greater London 03.jpg building]]

The section of road that is now Sutton High Street dates from the Middle Ages, and developed into part of the main road from London to Brighton. By the 18th century Brighton's popularity as a coastal resort was growing, and the route was well used, but not yet regularly maintained. This was put right in 1755 when the enacting of turnpike legislation provided a means for the road's better maintenance. This, combined with its intersection with the east-west Carshalton/Cheam Road, led to the development of a small settlement around the tollhouse in what is now the centre of the town. By the beginning of the 19th century Sutton had become a fully-fledged village, and the road was dotted with a number of houses, pubs and shops from Sutton Green southwards up to the Cock crossroads. The road was used frequently by the Prince Regent to access Sutton Lodge on Brighton Road, and, being the main route to Epsom Downs, it was also heavily used by visitors to The Derby. In 1801 the population of the town stood at 579, at that point lower than the other settlements in the borough. However, by 1861 it had risen enough to make Sutton the largest settlement in the borough.{{cite web|url=http://www.successfulsutton.co.uk/history-of-sutton/|title=History of Sutton Town Centre|publisher=Successfulsutton.co.uk|access-date=5 December 2013}}{{cite web|author=Sutton Council |url=https://www.sutton.gov.uk/downloads/file/1607/approved_stc_crossroads_conservation_area |title=Sutton Council document |publisher=Sutton.gov.uk |date= |accessdate=2022-01-11}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sutton.gov.uk/info/200464/planning_policy/1339/local_plan_evidence_base/8|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003034028/https://www.sutton.gov.uk/info/200464/planning_policy/1339/local_plan_evidence_base/8|url-status=dead|title=Sutton Council Local Plan Evidence Base Sutton Town Centre high street crossroads conservation area|archivedate=3 October 2015}}

Their position on the London to Brighton turnpike provided the village's two large coaching inns, the Cock and the Greyhound, with trade serving coaches travelling through the village. The Cock Hotel's sign straddled the Brighton road, and its proprietor was the champion pugilist, "Gentleman" Jackson. The building was demolished in 1898, shortly after a new Cock Hotel had been constructed on a directly adjacent site to the north.{{cite book|first=Julia|last=Skinner|title=Did You Know? Sutton and Cheam - A Miscellany|year=2006|page=11|publisher=The Francis Frith Collection|isbn=978-1-84589-525-9}} Twenty horse drawn carts passed up and down this stretch in a day. Regular contact beyond the town brought both expansion and sophistication. Small businesses opened up, at first directly related to travellers on the turnpike – bakers and brewers to feed visitors, seamstresses to provide running repairs, leather workers to make or mend harnesses – and then to provide trade goods for neighbouring communities.{{cite book|first=Sara|last=Goodwins|title=Sutton Past and Present|year=2004|publisher=Sutton Publishing|isbn=0-7509-3424-7}}

When the railway arrived, Sutton's people had become travellers themselves. The population of Sutton grew and the village turned into a town. The High Street near the top was known as Cock Hill until the 1880s – the shops on the east side were built in 1880, ten years later than those on the west side.{{cite book|first=Jane E M|last=Jones|title=Sutton|year=2006|page=15|publisher=Nonsuch Publishing|isbn=1-84588-324-1}}

A notatable building to appear around this time was the grand and decorative 1894 London and Provincial Bank building (now home to Barclays Bank), which stands over the historic crossroads. It is four storeys tall and forms a prominent landmark when arriving in the town centre from a westerly direction. There is a series of arches at ground level, and the main entrance is on the corner where the two roads meet, rounded in shape and surrounded by an ornate architrave and segmental pediment.

{{main|Barclays Bank building, Sutton}}

By 1900 the High Street had become heavily built up. By the late 1930s the shops had altered, but the buildings above remained much the same. One new building at this time was Ernest Shinner's new department store, which replaced a Baptist church that had been built in 1886. This later became a branch of Allders.

A long lasting retail business in Sutton dated back to the 1860s – Pearson Cycles was originally a blacksmith shop, but in the 1890s changed to bicycle making and repair. The Pearsons run the cycle business from the same High Street location to 2020{{anchor|Crossroads}} {{anchor|Conservation area}} It has been recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest bicycle shop in the world.,{{Cite web|url=https://www.pearson1860.com/pages/about-us|title=About Us - The World's Oldest Cycling Business|website=Pearson1860}} when the branch was closed{{cite web|url=https://cyclingindustry.news/worlds-oldest-bike-shop-consolidates-balfes-bikes-moves-in/|title=World's oldest bike shop consolidates, Balfe's Bikes moves in|date=9 October 2020}}

File:3 Crossroads Sutton Surrey London.JPG

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The high street includes a conservation area, the Sutton Town Centre High Street Crossroads Conservation Area, which was designated on 9 May 2011, following a review of the town centre, which highlighted the historic importance of the highway network at the crossroads of Cheam Road/Carshalton Road and the High Street, as well as the associated buildings and spaces. The conservation area focuses on the area around the historic crossroads, and stretches from the Station down to Trinity Square. The local authority noted that the buildings, especially their upper storeys, were worthy of preservation and enhancement. Its report concluded that Conservation status was warranted on the basis of the historic importance of the area together with its architectural and aesthetic merit. The designation would enable the provision of guidance to landowners and developers on maintaining and improving the historic aspects of the area.

Gordon Rookledge in his "Sutton Architectural Identifier" remarks on the "vivid, Victorian, polychrome brick and stone façades" in his description of Sutton High Street.{{cite book|first=Gordon|last=Rookledge|title=Rookledge's Architectural Identifier of Conservation Areas – Sutton Edition|year=1999|publisher=Sarema Press (Publishers) Ltd|isbn=1-870758-05-6|page=30}}

;Heritage Action Zone

In March 2017 it was announced that Sutton town centre had been designated one of the first ten Heritage Action Zones by Historic England. Gaining this status will unlock resources to enhance the historic environment, including the conservation area, with the aim of encouraging economic growth. Heritage will be made a central consideration for new developments in the area, so as to retain the town's distinct architectural nature.{{cite web|url=http://www.newsroomsutton.co.uk/?p=4394 |title=Sutton Newsroom, 20 March 2017 |publisher=Newsroomsutton.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2022-01-11}}{{Cite web|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/services-skills/heritage-action-zones/sutton/|title=Discovering Sutton Heritage Action Zone | Historic England|website=historicengland.org.uk}}{{cite web|url=http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/news/15185036.Sutton_named_London___s_first_Heritage_Action_Zone/?action=success#comment_18242512 |title=Sutton Guardian, 27 March 2017 |publisher=Suttonguardian.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2022-01-11}}

File:SUTTON, Surrey, Greater London - High Street (4).jpg

Sutton High Street began as a shopping street in Victorian times and in 2014 was London's sixth most important retail centre, attracting shoppers from a wide area.{{cite web|url=https://www.sutton.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1530|title=Where is Sutton?|publisher=London Borough of Sutton|access-date=14 May 2017|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140806173651/https://www.sutton.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1530|archive-date=6 August 2014}} It is often the chosen location for new retail ventures.{{cite web |author=Sutton Council |url=https://www.sutton.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1530 |title=Sutton Council |publisher=Sutton.gov.uk |date= |accessdate=2022-01-11 |archive-date=6 August 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140806173651/https://www.sutton.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1530 |url-status=dead }}

Many of the country's main High Street names are represented in the central area,{{cite web |author=Sutton Council |url=https://www.sutton.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=14062 |title=London Borough of Sutton – What Sutton Town Centre has to Offer |publisher=Sutton.gov.uk |date= |accessdate=2022-01-11 |archive-date=2 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202102646/https://www.sutton.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=14062 |url-status=dead }}

as are banks, building societies and estate agents.

Sutton High Street has in recent decades gained two covered shopping centres, both of which are situated in the central High Street area:

• The larger of these is the St. Nicholas Centre, opened in 1992 with three main levels, and five levels to provide space for a department store.
• Times Square is the smaller of the two.{{cite web|url=http://www.timessquareshopping.co.uk/|title=Times Square Shopping Centre|publisher=Times Square, Sutton|access-date=4 December 2013|archive-date=13 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213015141/http://www.timessquareshopping.co.uk/|url-status=dead}} It opened in 1985, and was granted planning approval for a refit in June 2014; the work was completed in 2017. The refit was assessed as being a "high quality refurbishment scheme which will make a significant contribution towards the regeneration of this part of the Town Centre."{{Cite web |url=http://sutton.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s32087/5%20-%20Times%20Square%20-%20REPORT.pdf |title=Sutton Modern Government |access-date=13 September 2014 |archive-date=13 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913193600/http://sutton.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s32087/5%20-%20Times%20Square%20-%20REPORT.pdf |url-status=dead }} It is expected to attract further major high street names.{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/news/11282852.Times_Square_in_Sutton_High_Street_set_for_makeover/?ref=mr |title=Sutton High Street's Times Square will aim to attract the biggest names in retail as part of regeneration |publisher=Sutton Guardian |date=2014-06-17 |accessdate=2022-01-11}}{{Cite web|url=http://shopping-centre.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/7128/Good_Times_back_for_Sutton.html|title=Shopping Centre}}

The St Nicholas Shopping Centre in Sutton, London, opened in 1992. It is a prominent retail destination in the area, featuring three main levels and five levels to accommodate a department store. The centre has been a significant part of Sutton’s retail landscape, offering a mix of high street names and independent retailers.

In recent years, the centre has faced challenges due to the changing retail environment. In 2021, Sutton Council purchased the leasehold interest of the site, aiming to redevelop it into a modern retail, leisure, and community hub. The redevelopment plans include high-quality retail spaces, new homes, and improved community facilities, reflecting the evolving needs of the local population.

File:St Nicholas Centre, Sutton, Surrey, London.JPG

This includes the search for a development partner to redevelop the existing St Nicholas Shopping Centre, Civic Offices, Gibson Road car park, and the vacant Secombe Theatre sites. The redevelopment aims to create a vibrant and sustainable town centre with modern retail spaces, new homes, and improved public facilities. The Council’s vision includes a new Civic Hub on the High Street, which will house council offices, a library, and spaces for community activities and events. This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance Sutton’s appeal as a place to live, work, and visit, leveraging its excellent transport connections and growing status as a hub for cancer research.{{cite web|url=https://www.stnicssutton.co.uk/news/whats-happening-in-sutton/|title=What’s happening in Sutton|date=20 December 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sutton.gov.uk/w/sutton-council-unveils-plan-to-redevelop-the-st-nicholas-centre|title=Sutton Council unveils plan to redevelop the St Nicholas Centre|date=27 October 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://moderngov.sutton.gov.uk/documents/s77947/7%20Town%20Centre%20Update_%20P%20_%20Sutton%20South%20Cheam%20and%20Belmont%20Local%20Committee%20_%2020211125.pdf|title=Development, Growth & Regeneration Directorate - London Borough of Sutton|date=25 November 2021}}

File:Kokoro Sushi restaurant, Sutton High Street, Sutton, Surrey, Greater London.JPG

The Sutton High Street area also has a number of restaurants, patisseries, coffee houses, gastro pubs and cafe bars. The central area is pedestrianised, facilitating the setting up of outdoor tables by several establishments.

Sutton's range of restaurants has expanded in recent years, with culinary offerings from around the world including French, Spanish, British, Mexican, Malaysian, Thai, Pakistani, Portuguese, Turkish, Japanese, Italian, Indian and Chinese cuisine{{cite web|url=http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/station/Sutton_surrey_Station |title=Restaurants near Sutton (Surrey) Station – find the best restaurants near Sutton (Surrey) Station with Square Meal reviews |publisher=Squaremeal.co.uk |access-date=27 February 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurants-g504182-Sutton_Surrey_England.html |title=Sutton, United Kingdom Restaurants: See 82 restaurants with 1,343 reviews |publisher=TripAdvisor |access-date=27 February 2014}} These include a French restaurant which is listed in The Good Food Guide and is Michelin-listed.{{cite book|first=Elizabeth|last=Carter|title=The Good Food Guide 2013|year=2012|publisher=The Good Food Guide|isbn=978-1-84490-136-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/goodfoodguide2010000unse/page/166 166]|url=https://archive.org/details/goodfoodguide2010000unse/page/166}}{{cite web |url=http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/web/Restaurant/Sutton-SM1_1HN-Brasserie_Vacherin-291022-41102 |title=Brasserie Vacherin ViaMichelin : Useful information and online user reviews |publisher=Viamichelin.co.uk |date=4 October 2013 |access-date=13 January 2014 |archive-date=13 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113201419/http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/web/Restaurant/Sutton-SM1_1HN-Brasserie_Vacherin-291022-41102 |url-status=dead }}

File:The Winning Post pub, formerly the Red Lion pub, Sutton (Surrey), Greater London 03.jpg

There is a pub in Sutton High Street called the Winning Post, at the time known as the Red Lion, in which The Rolling Stones played several gigs and where they were spotted in 1963 by Giorgio Gomelsky,{{cite book|title=How Britain Got the Blues: The Transmission and Reception of American Blues Style in the United Kingdom|author= R F Schwartz|publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.|page=149}} a noted music manager, who was in the audience during a historic early gig there.{{cite web|author1=London History Tours |first2=Adrian |last2=Sill |first3=Jeremy |last3=Tipton |url=http://www.shadyoldlady.com/location.php?loc=2521# |title=The Stones at the Red Lion |publisher=Shadyoldlady.com |access-date=19 December 2013}}

{{cite web |url=http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Pub-home-music-legends-preserved/story-11358856-detail/story.html |title=Pub home to music legends is preserved |work=Croydon Advertiser |date=13 May 2011 |access-date=15 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222164520/http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Pub-home-music-legends-preserved/story-11358856-detail/story.html |archive-date=22 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}

{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S86hAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT149 |title=How Britain Got the Blues: The Transmission and Reception of American Blues Style in the United Kingdom |first=R. F. |last=Schwartz |publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. |year=2013 |isbn=9781409493761}} It was also at the Winning Post that, on 23 January 1963, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman became permanent members of the band.{{cite web|author=Ian McPherson |url=http://www.timeisonourside.com/chron1963.html |title=Chronicle 1963 |publisher=Timeisonourside.com |access-date=19 December 2013}}

In 2011, the Winning Post was added to a list of buildings and structures of local significance.{{cite web|url=http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/topstories/9020674._Rolling_Stones__pub_joins_heritage_list/ |title='Rolling Stones' pub joins heritage list (From Your Local Guardian) |publisher=Yourlocalguardian.co.uk |date=13 May 2011 |access-date=15 February 2014}}{{cite web |author=This is Croydon |url=http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Pub-home-music-legends-preserved/story-11358856-detail/story.html |title=A CELEBRATED music pub which helped the Rolling Stones on their road to fame will be preserved for posterity. |publisher=Croydon Advertiser |date=13 May 2011 |access-date=15 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222164520/http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Pub-home-music-legends-preserved/story-11358856-detail/story.html |archive-date=22 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}

File:Sutton, Surrey London ARMILLARY 3 outside Waterstones.JPG

There are a number of book retailers in the town centre including Waterstones. Its site once was an independent department store when it was built and opened by Ernest Shinner in 1935, and was taken over by Allders in 1979. Allders moved to the then new St Nicholas Centre in 1992. This branch of Waterstones was the first to have a cafe installed.{{cite web|title=Waterstones rolls out Café W|url=http://www.peach-report.com/Missed_This/1399450/waterstones_rolls_out_caf_w.html|publisher=PeachesReport|access-date=18 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302020414/http://www.peach-report.com/Missed_This/1399450/waterstones_rolls_out_caf_w.html|archive-date=2 March 2014|url-status=dead}}

File:Sutton Heritage Mosaic, Turner and Drostle, Sutton, Surrey, Greater London (8).jpg

Sutton town centre features six major examples of public art, three of them in the High Street.

File:Twin towns Mural - Sutton, Surrey London Borough of Sutton.JPG

{{main|Sutton armillary}}

The "Millennium Dial Armillary" was dedicated to the town in the year 2000 by the Rotary Club. The Millennium Dial Armillary is a popular feature of the town and continues to provide an iconic focus for the town centre. It was originally installed in the centre of a small "Millennium Garden", but was slightly re-positioned in 2011, since when it has stood on the edge of the new central square, directly in front of the Waterstones bookshop.{{Citation

| title = Time stops in Sutton High Street after Armillery removed

| publisher = YourLocalGuardian/Newsquest Media Group

| date=21 November 2012

| first = James

| last = Pepper

| access-date = 22 August 2014

| url = http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/10059532.Time_stops_in_Sutton_High_Street_after_Armillery_removed}}

{{main|Sutton twin towns mural}}

The other examples of public art in the High Street are building-height murals. One consists of a set of seven individual murals on a side wall depicting Sutton's European twin towns. The murals were designed and painted (on to plywood) by professional artists Gary Drostle and Rob Turner and were unveiled in 1993 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Sutton's twinning with Wilmersdorf.{{cite news |title=Murals to get a makeover |newspaper=Croydon Advertiser |date=10 June 2011 |url=http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Murals-makeover/story-12747774-detail/story.html#ixzz3CuKdZ8y1 |access-date=10 September 2014 |archive-date=10 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910201248/http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Murals-makeover/story-12747774-detail/story.html#ixzz3CuKdZ8y1 |url-status=dead }}

{{main|Sutton heritage mosaic}}

There is also the Heritage Mosaic measuring {{convert|9|m|ft}} high and {{convert|5|m|ft}} wide, and covering the whole of another three storey wall in the town square near the Waterstone's bookshop. Commissioned to celebrate Sutton's heritage, the Drostle and Turner mosaic was made from small tiles made of glass and clay, and put in place in 1994. It was designed by Rob Turner, and shows several aspects of Sutton's heritage and local history. The centre-piece is the depiction of Henry VIII's palace at Nonsuch.{{cite web|url=http://www.pmsa.org.uk/pmsa-database/4153/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022214622/http://www.pmsa.org.uk/pmsa-database/4153/|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 October 2014|title=Sutton Mosaic|publisher=Public Monuments and Sculpture Association|access-date=22 October 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/news/9401796.Stories_behind_mosaic_revealed/|title=Stories behind Sutton mosaic revealed|newspaper=Sutton Guardian|access-date=22 October 2014}} {{cite news|url=http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/9401796.Stories_behind_mosaic_revealed/|title=Stories behind Sutton mosaic revealed|newspaper=London News|access-date=22 October 2014}}

As well as public art, there is a Green Wall, designed for aesthetics, to improve air quality and to encourage biodiversity. This "vertical garden" covers the façade of a large High Street store, and is in bloom all year round.{{cite web| url = https://www.sutton.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=14552| title = Sutton Council}}

The high street and town square also host street performers, covering live music, arts and theatre. In addition, markets are held from time to time, including French, Italian and Continental markets, as well as arts and crafts fairs. In August and September the high street plays host to the outdoor "Sunset Cinema," where popular films are shown in the evening after the shops have closed to an audience seated in deckchairs.{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/news/11360717.Sunset_Cinema_is_coming_to_a_high_street_near_you/?ref=mr |title=Sunset Cinema will bring four outdoor screenings to Sutton High Street |publisher=Sutton Guardian |date=2014-07-24 |accessdate=2022-01-11}}{{cite web|last=Sutton |first=Enjoy |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/successfulsutton/14863801706/ |title=Successful Sutton |publisher=Flickr.com |date=2014-08-09 |accessdate=2022-01-11}}{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/news/13586046.Free_outdoor_film_screenings_return_to_Sutton_including_Frozen_sing_a_long/?ref=eb |title=Free outdoor film screenings return to Sutton including Frozen sing-a-long |publisher=Sutton Guardian |date=2015-08-10 |accessdate=2022-01-11}} A temporary mini-golf course is set up during August.[http://enjoysutton.co.uk/sutton-goes-crazy-for-golf-this-summer/ Enjoy Sutton] The High Street has hosted a country music festival with live music and dancing for the last two summers.{{cite web|url=http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/13380091.Country_Festival_moseys_into_town/ |title=Country Festival moseys into town |publisher=Yourlocalguardian.co.uk |date=2015-07-09 |accessdate=2022-01-11}}

In 2013 the Sutton shopper shuttle was introduced as a pilot scheme. The service helps shoppers travel along Sutton High Street. It has proved popular, especially with elderly shoppers, and has since been made permanent. It is the only such service in Greater London. In October 2016 it was nominated for the 2016 National Business Improvement Districts Awards.{{cite web |url=http://www.newsroomsutton.co.uk/?p=3992 |title=Sutton news release, 16 October 2016 |publisher=Newsroomsutton.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2022-01-11 |archive-date=29 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029114122/http://www.newsroomsutton.co.uk/?p=3992 |url-status=dead }}

Sutton Green lies at the northernmost point of Sutton High Street, to the west of the street. Victoria Gardens also borders the High Street, just to the south of Sutton Green.

Wilkinsons grass covered store Sutton surrey 26-01-12..jpg|The Green Wall at the southern end of Sutton High Street

Sutton, Surrey London Sutton Green 1.JPG|Looking towards the northern end of Sutton High Street from Sutton Green. (All Saints church is in the distance.)

Long exposure night shot of Sutton pace.jpg|Taxi outside Sutton station at night

Dancing in Sutton High Street cropped.jpg|Street performers in Sutton High Street

Sutton Green greens 13-04-12..jpg|Sutton Green as seen from above

A 2007 retail study found a need for 25% more retail floorspace as well as new mixed use development to accommodate office space, leisure, cultural and residential facilities.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sutton.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=15950&p=0|title=London Borough of Sutton — Businesses}}

There is co-ordination among the businesses in the town centre in the form of a town centre manager, who works in partnership with local businesses, the police and transport providers to promote the centre and its future development.{{cite web |author=Sutton Council |url=https://www.sutton.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=12136 |title=London Borough of Sutton — Article |publisher=Sutton.gov.uk |date= |accessdate=2022-01-11 |archive-date=2 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202234407/https://www.sutton.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=12136 |url-status=dead }}

File:The Sound Lounge, Sutton, Greater London 4.jpg

"Opportunity Sutton"{{cite web|url=http://www.opportunitysutton.org/ |title=Opportunity Sutton |publisher=Opportunity Sutton |access-date=19 December 2013}} and Sutton Chamber of Commerce{{cite web |url=http://www.suttonchamber.biz/ |title=Sutton Chamber of Commerce – building local business |publisher=Suttonchamber.biz |date= |accessdate=2022-01-11 |archive-date=3 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203034310/http://www.suttonchamber.biz/ |url-status=dead }} also play a part in promoting future economic development in the town, which, prior to the current activity set out below, was characterised by developers as "one of London's hidden gems".

{{main|The Sound Lounge, London}}

The Sound Lounge, a grassroots music venue, opened in December 2020 in Sutton High Street in the former premises of Royal Bank of Scotland. It hosts live performances of blues, Americana, folk and roots music. The venue includes a plant-based, carbon-neutral /restaurant/café, and also hosts visual art exhibitions, theatre and dance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/17685283.pair-13-000-reasons-sutton-home-new-music-venue/|title=Pair have 13,000 reasons why Sutton should be home to new music venue|website=Your Local Guardian}}{{Cite web|url=https://moderngov.sutton.gov.uk/documents/s69963/8%20Sound%20lounge%20presentation.pdf|title=Sutton Modern Government document}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/aug/22/the-risk-is-enormous-uk-live-music-still-in-crisis-after-reopening|title='The risk is enormous': UK live music still in crisis after reopening|date=22 August 2020|website=The Guardian}} The site also incorporates a vinyl record shop (one of two branches of the Union Music Store).[https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/19249569.sound-lounge-makes-comeback-sutton-merton/ Sutton Guardian, 21 April 2021]

In July 2021 the venue became the country's first grassroots music venue to be certified as carbon neutral. A wide variety of measures have been put in place to achieve neutrality. In addition to the fully plant-based menu for the café, these include getting all energy from renewable sources, not sending any waste to landfill and maintaining an allotment garden on site for zero-carbon produce for the café.[https://www.recordoftheday.com/on-the-move/news-press/the-sound-lounge--the-first-carbon-neutral-grass-roots-music-venue-in-the-uk Record of the Day, 15 July 2021]

File:Sutton Point, Sutton, Surrey, Greater London (10) - Flickr - tonymonblat.jpg

CNM Estates have redeveloped a site formerly known as South Point at the southern end of the town centre, adjacent to the railway station. The new development, known as "Sutton Point", is for mixed use and includes a hotel, a health club, apartments, shops, restaurants and offices.{{cite web|url=http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2013/may/cnm-submits-sutton-south-point-redevelopment-plans/|title=CNM submits Sutton South Point redevelopment plans|publisher=Out-law.com|access-date=5 December 2013}} The scheme will also include a car club to reduce the need for individual car ownership.{{Cite web|url=http://www.suttonpoint.co.uk/index.htm|title=Sutton Point website}} The scheme was granted planning approval in mid-2013, and work on-site started in Spring 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/news/11120853.Sutton_station_path_to_close_next_week_as_work_starts_on_three_town_centre_projects/ |title=Sutton station path to close next week as work starts on three town centre projects (From Sutton Guardian) |publisher=Suttonguardian.co.uk |access-date=5 April 2014}}

{{anchor|The Old Gasworks}} {{anchor|Sutton North Central}}

An initial public consultation took place in mid-2012 on plans by LXB Retail Properties Ltd for a further supermarket, a 123,270 sq ft branch of Sainsbury's,{{cite web|url=http://completelyretail.co.uk/scheme/Sutton-North-Central/index.html|title=North Central, Sutton, Surrey, South East|publisher=Completely Retail|access-date=4 December 2013}} in the town as part of a planned redevelopment of a large (6 acre), mainly disused site bordering the northern end of the High Street, which would also include homes, retail units, and a new public square, public art and a water feature.{{cite web|url=http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/news/10889271.Sutton_town_centre_gateway_project_the_Old_Gasworks_given_go_ahead/?ref=mr|title=Sutton town centre gateway project the Old Gasworks given go-ahead|publisher=Newsquest|access-date=20 December 2013}} Work on site commenced in Spring 2014 for the biggest single regeneration of the town centre in a generation. The project was completed in late 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.newsroomsutton.co.uk/?p=432 |title=London Borough of Sutton Press Release Feb 2014 |publisher=Newsroomsutton.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2022-01-11 |archive-date=6 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906222758/http://www.newsroomsutton.co.uk/?p=432 |url-status=dead }}

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| caption2 =Taxis by Sutton station in 2012

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The London to Brighton stagecoach began in 1760. The Cock Hotel in what is now Sutton High Street was the 9 a.m. breakfast stop for coaches leaving the city two hours earlier. The railway arrived in 1847. Sutton railway station is at the southern end of the High Street and Sutton Common railway station just west of the Angel Hill footbridge. The fastest services from the former to London Victoria take 24 minutes.

There is a one-way system around the High Street and two main public car parks – Gibson Road{{cite web|url=https://www.sutton.gov.uk/info/200195/parking/1242/car_parks/2|title=Gibson Road|publisher=London Borough of Sutton|access-date=6 October 2015}} and Times Square{{cite web|url=https://www.sutton.gov.uk/info/200195/parking/1242/car_parks/4|title=Times Square|publisher=London Borough of Sutton|access-date=6 October 2015}} – with a third serving the St. Nicholas Centre.{{cite web|url=http://www.stnicholasshopping.co.uk/services/carparking.aspx|title=Services|publisher=St. Nicholas Centre|access-date=6 December 2013}} The street is served by many buses, most of which are operated for Transport for London.{{cite web|url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/sutton.pdf|title=Buses from Sutton|publisher=Transport for London|access-date=7 December 2013}} There are also express coach services to both London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports.{{cite web|url=http://busmap.co.uk/tt4/A03.pdf|title=A3|publisher=Busmap.co.uk|access-date=8 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212010238/http://busmap.co.uk/tt4/A03.pdf|archive-date=12 December 2013|url-status=dead}}

As of mid-2014, a consultation was taking place into options for the route of a proposed Sutton Link Tramlink extension from Wimbledon to Sutton, with one option being to run the line down Sutton High Street.{{cite web|url=http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/news/11357417.Have_your_say_on_Wimbledon_to_Sutton_Tramlink_extension_as_four_possible_routes_are_revealed/?ref=var_0 |title=Have your say on Wimbledon to Sutton Tramlink extension as four possible routes are revealed |publisher=Sutton Guardian |date=2014-07-22 |accessdate=2022-01-11}}

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Category:Shopping streets in London

Category:High Streets

High Street