Travel website Lonely Planet has included Tooting, south London, in its list of the globe’s must-visit locations.
Despite being best-known as the setting for Citizen Smith, it is listed alongside New York City’s Sunset Park district and the picturesque Borgo San Frediano, in Florence.
Lonely Planet reckon Tooting, where the average price of a semi-detached house is more than £1million, ‘has developed into an uber-cool neighbourhood in recent years and lost none of its gritty charm in the process’.
The area is famed for its mass of Indian takeaways and being home to the country’s biggest swimming pool.
Lonely Planet adds: “Rubbing shoulders with perfectly pleasant yet slightly square Wimbledon, Earlsfield and Balham, Tooting is a more captivating affair, revelling in multiculturalism and originality.
“Its high street, which stretches between two Tube stations, is one of the best ‘curry corridors’ in the country, and contains some superb South Asian restaurants, like Dosa n Chutny and Apollo Banana Leaf.
“The best shopping can be found inside eclectic Tooting Market, and quirky bars and pubs include The Castle, The Antelope and The Little Bar.
“The Tooting Commons create over 200 acres of green space between them, and are home to Tooting Bec Lido – the largest swimming pool in the United Kingdom.”
Tooting is also known as the hometown of London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who was also MP for the area, and birthplace of snooker champion Jimmy White.
LONELY PLANET’S FULL LIST OF THE WORLD’S NEIGHBOURHOODS INCLUDES:
Borgo San Frediano, Florence
Seongsu-dong, Seoul
The Triangle, Lisbon
Vesterbro, Copenhagen
Business Bay, Dubai
Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur
Sunset Park, New York City
Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro
Frelard, Seattle
Tooting, London
