Brussel sprouts, Trump, Mama Mia, U2, ketchup on baked beans and… Tolworth Tower. Yes, like Marmite, this 22 storey 1960’s landmark or eyesore has both fans and critics. But now, Tolworth can boast a new attraction that must surely unite opinion and praise!
From downing slush puppies at ten pin bowling to working my way through the vast shelves of the hugest Blockbuster Video I would ever see; Tolworth played a central role in my pre-pub-going days. I would later graduate to the floor above Blockbuster, where I’d happily waste away the hours in the equally vast snooker hall (usually playing American pool).
As an art school postgraduate, I trained as a web designer on the 4th floor of this infamous tower. To step foot inside this landmark that had loomed in the backdrop of every childhood felt rather surreal. These days, visits to Tolworth Tower coincide with visiting my folks. Where I’ll head out to the rather plush M&S store below the tower and pick us up something special to mark whatever occasion it may be.
My last visit, however, took a different turn. Walking away from the decadent food hall, I passed through the subway and into the centre of Tolworth roundabout to see the brilliant nature murals instigated by Shedx. The murals reflect some of the wildlife that can be seen locally on the Hogsmill river and is inspired by the utterly brilliant Citizen Zoo video.
To think that the smells of that pristine VHS video library, and the sounds of that smokey snooker hall might be replaced by the imaginings of a greener, wilder youth is just brilliant. Bloody brilliant actually.
