A quick look at Sutton High Street (Sutton in General)

Member Name: cyberstoat

Product:	Sutton in General
Date:	11/01/01 (239 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good Food! Good beer! Good shops!

Disadvantages: rather steep at times!

If you were to arrive at Sutton station you would probably find yourself reeling at the moment at the state of the place. It's been devestated, and with good reason. The guts have been ripped out of it as Connex revitalise what was a fairly dingy little station into a 21st Century showcase for rail transportation. I am sure it will look fairly nice when completed, but right now, it makes things pretty difficult, and when the lack of comfort is added to Connex South Central and their inability to run an adequate train service, being trapped on the station for any period of time is no fun at all!

That aside, things look up from here. Or downhill, rather, as the station is situated at the top of the high street, which follows the hill downwards. Leaving the station and heading downhill you will pass several rather nice eating places and watering holes. Near the station itself stands the site of Pierre Victoire as was, which then became Deja Vu, and so on and so forth. They're all gone now, which is a great shame, but it is a testament to the other restaurants in Sutton that such an excellent value chain was driven to extinction here. Pizza Express and other such chains as McDonalds, Burger King, and Subway aside - they're hardly an attraction, although they do dominate the central shopping area - you have a wide range of places to choose from. A decent sized Garfunkels provides some excellent middle of the road fare, and their all you can eat salad bar is very good indeed. If you're feeling a little more exotic, there are several Thai or Chinese places, probably the best of them being Hins chinese restaurant at the far end of the highstreet near Tescos. Alternatively, if you are just after a fast greasy traditional English fry up you can try the greasy spoon which is about half way down the highstreet and off one of the side streets. They offer decent sandwiches out front, and the back serves fried eggs that you'd cry for.


Nevertheless, you might want a more party atmosphere while you eat. The tapas bar near the top end of the high street is the place for you then! Apart from serving SUPERB tapas (and I have eaten in several tapas places, ratingthis one the best) they have a true wild time here. On weekday nights I have seen people dancing on the tables and indluging in tequila slammers with total strangers in the most outrageous manner. A real friendly place, but rather small. It is wise to book in advance to be sure of your seat.

Pubs are a plentiful resource on the High Street. Various chains have a high presence here, the largest being All Bar One, JD Wetherspoon, and the Hogshead chains. They all provide variable service. All Bar One is definitely a place to be seen and not a place to do any serious drinking, as their prices are exorbitant, but they do have a very spacious and friendly spot. The Wetherspoons is a very nice family pub, with the usual benefits of that chain (see my review of them for more details!) while the Hogshead is probably a more evening venue, serving as it does some great beer in vast quantities.

As far as shopping goes, Sutton is slightly disadvantaged by being so close to Croydon. Road and rail links to Croydon are fast and easy to use, and Croydon is a much larger shopping area. However, Sutton can provide a quieter place to shop, a cleaner place to shop, and for anyone local, it should have all they need. Apart from the Tescos at the bottom end of the high street, a large Safeway can be found near the station, covering all aspects of grocery shopping. With the usual run of Waterstones, Virgin, Woolworths, HMV, various phone and clothing shops (One 2 One, Burtons, Dorothy Perkins) and the ever present BHS and Marks and Spencers, most chain stores are covered with no problems at all. Sutton also offers several speciality shops, including The Ash Can for comics (at the far end of the high street) which rivals Croydon's Forbidde
n Planet and is the only decent comic shop within easy reach, the next best being in London proper.

Sutton boasts a fair amount of nightlife apart from the pubs and several clubs. A multi-screen UCI Cinema shows all the latest movies, and is cheaper to enter earlier on Sundays, should you be so inclined. A decent bowling alley is just off the high street, as is a good gym.
During peak times for shopping, a ferris wheel or other fairground entertainment can be found in the high street, which is by and large a pedestrianised area. Displays of line dancing, local dance schools, or other street entertainments are common, and a market is often open down the high street. Occasionally, farmer's markets and foreign markets come, so look out for rare treats from them.

There are several decent charity shops in Sutton, offering good bargains if you have the time to look.

In short, Sutton is a fairly good place to come to shop, eat, and enjoy yourself without having to pay the higher prices of London. Explore and enjoy!

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