Recommendaltons

Rob & Tony’s 
17 High Street, Carshalton, SM5 3AP

For more than 13 years (2023), I’ve been going to this traditional barbers in Carshalton. Rob and Tony are accomplished barber’s, and it’s always a nice, friendly and calm place to sit and have your hair cut. And with no frills, it’s excellent value too.

Bohemia Grand Cafe
54-55 Meeting House Lane, Brighton, BN1 1HB
Tel: 01273 777770

Jezz and I went here for the first time on 19 May 2019. It was absolutely superb and I loved every aspect. The staff, customer service, value, and quality of food and the ambience and atmosphere were all perfect. It was a momentous day for us too as this is where he officially proposed to me.

Carats Café Bar Ltd.
Southwick Beach, Portslade, Brighton, BN41 1WD
Tel: 01273 430924‎

Each and every time we have visited this café, it never fails to impress. By far the most impressive feature is the quality of the food and its consistency. Next is how good-looking all the staff are, male and female, then the prices, splendid cup of tea every time, decor and eating outside as well as in. It’s an all-round fabulous place to eat and we love it!

Silver Spoon Diner
5 Tattenham Crescent, Tattenham Corner, Epsom, KT18 5QG 
Tel: 01737 668049

I’ve been several times to this neat diner. I’ve taken Jezz, Gary, Nik and Tim here on individual visits and many times on my own. I’ve had a takeaway bacon sandwich with a portion of chips, the all-day breakfasts including bubble and their amazing chicken curry with chips. All perfect and reasonably priced. The diner itself is brightly decorated with neat blue lights above American diner styled booths… it’s cosy and perfect!

Wilkin & Sons TipTree Tea Room
Barleylands Farm & Craft Village, Barleylands Road, Billericay, Essex, CM11 2UD
Tel: 01268 522619

Jezz and I stumbled upon this place whilst in Billericay, viewing the making of Elliot’s paperweight and charm bead being made at Ashes Into Glass. This wonderful café/tearoom was the hub of activity in the Barleylands village. Not noisy and yet busy with just the right amount of atmosphere. The food is exceptional, value great, service superb. Beautiful place and so are the staff.

cleanyourcar.co.uk 
Unit 3d Spa Fields Industrial Estate, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, HD7 5BB
Tel: 01484 841444 

Here’s a company that has it all.  Excellent website that is easy to navigate around.  Clean and concise with no nonsense. They have friendly staff who know their stuff too.  And just when you think it doesn’t get better than that, the delivery is by courier and is superfast.  On top of that, the products are packaged in a way that not even Royal Mail can break what you’ve bought! Outstanding and splendid shopping experience.

Convent Motors
126 Feltham Hill Road, Ashford, Middlesex, TW15 1HN
Tel: 01784 252005  Mobile: 07788 715991

There have been two occasions we have bought cars from this company. Simon’s Tigra and Jezz’s Smart For Two. Each time, the father, and son were absolutely brilliant. The cars were in exceptional condition too. 

ifittyres
4 Drake Rd, Chessington KT9 1LW
Mobile: 07948 024013
Email: info@ifittyres.co.uk

ifittyres is run by Charlie, who is brilliant. I was recommended to try this guy, and he didn’t disappoint. He’s friendly on the phone and when you meet him. He’s excellent value for money, thorough and immaculately clean (took my old tyre away)… left our drive in perfect condition. I’d go nowhere else for a replacement tyre service, all the time he is trading and happy to come to my home.

Oakhill Garage
Erskine Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 3AS
Tel: 020 8643 6175

Jay runs this well-established car garage in Sutton, over the road from the Butterchurn pub. He is friendly, polite, and professional. He doesn’t overcharge or take advantage of customers. The MOT service is efficient and very fast, including a while-you-wait service. I have no doubts or reservations about Jay and his business, and would feel very comfortable recommending anyone to him.

Step One UK
info@stepone.life
https://uk.stepone.life

We’ve had aussiebum’s and Calvin Klein, some Hugo Boss and Levi’s and now, both Jezz and I are into Step One underpants. They’ve so comfy!

Ray’s Florist 
151 Ash Hill Road, Ash, Aldershot, GU12 5DW
Tel: 0800 0372025 or 01252 311966

What a brilliant professional, superb company. Effortlessly and easily the best florist that I have ever used. They are modern, trendy with their website and excellent with customer service.

Ashes Into Glass 
Barleylands Glassworks, Barleylands Craft Village, Barleylands Road, Billericay, Essex, CM11 2UD
Tel: 01268 293000
email: studio@ashesintoglass.co.uk

An outstanding and thoroughly superb service, from start to end. The consultation, ordering, patience, quality, and detail and wonderful customer care and handling is all first class.

J Stoneman and Son Funeral Service  
11 Shelvers Hill, Tadworth, Surrey, KT20 5PU
Tel: 01737 814406

Brian Herbert and Rosalind. This company dealt with virtually every aspect of Dad’s funeral. This service was so superb. Brian is just the most professional and compassionate man that I ever had the pleasure to do business with. At a time that was too difficult to function properly and get organised, he completely put us all at ease and took all the worries out of the proceedings.  He was able to guide us carefully with amazing comfort and never once came across as taking over.  Outstanding!

An outstanding and thoroughly superb service, from start to end. The consultation, ordering, patience, quality, and detail and wonderful customer care and handling is all first class.

KLF Creative Co ★★★★★
Online with etsy

WOW. Katie Flatters has this incredible gift shop sorted. A high quality level of customer service. I was slightly apprehensive interfering with the wonderful creation, but Katie absolutely welcomed the intricate and specific personalisation with absolute precision. Katie gave me all the time needed to express any desired requirements. Just outstanding. Amazing!

Claire Craven D.O. 
25 Salisbury Avenue, Cheam, SM1 2DH
Tel:  020 8643 9184 
Email: claire@suttonosteopath.co.uk

I have known Claire since 1995. She has always been a huge help with my life-long back problem. At times, she has cured my lower back pain and is absolutely superb. She is also a really, really nice person. She is relaxed and yet energetic, professional and yet so friendly. Claire’s fees are worth every penny!

Medisafe ★★★★★
App Category: Productivity
Price: FREE
Developer: Shor Brothers

This excellent pill reminder has changed the way I take medication but more than that, how I store and keep track of stock of the tablets. Each month I update the quantity of each pill and every evening, when I’m reminded by the app, I take my medication, it deducts them from the stock count. It then tells me when and if I’m going to run out. There are other useful features like drug interaction and useful advice about over-dosing and missed doses. Brilliant app.

First Pharmacy
108 Woodcote Road, Wallington, SM6 0LY
Tel: 020 8647 3204

First Pharmacy is one of the local chemists in Wallington High Street. Its best feature is the wonderful staff. We always try to have a laugh when we go there, at least once a month, and they are always keen to have a giggle with us too!

CMYK Digital Print Solutions
163 Stafford Road, Wallington, SM6 9BT
Tel: 020 8669 6777

CMYK is the only printing house I go to now for all of my big printing jobs. When I create memory books and order of service books, I always use this company. They’re fair, reliable, and the merchandise is superb.

The Grasshopper on the Green
The Green, Westerham TN16 1AS (A25)
Tel: 01959 562926

This is an exquisite pub. It’s in the tiny village of Westerham, which is Kent and Surrey borders. It’s on the A25 from Caterham. The food is excellent and there’s a restaurant area upstairs if the quaint countryside manner and open fire atmosphere downstairs isn’t what you’re after.

The Star
Kingston Road, Leatherhead, KT22 0DP
Tel: 01372 842416

This is a nice place to drive out to and have a hearty hot meal. We’ve been three times now, and each time, the food and service were very pleasant.

Tattenham Corner
4 Tattenham Crescent, Epsom, KT18 5QG
Tel: 01737 370960

New and refreshing restaurant and menu. This place was originally a Beefeater restaurant and then changed to an Out and Out. It’s now, quite rightly, back as a Beefeater.

Village Bakers  
28 High Street, Carshalton, SM5 3AG
Tel: 020 8647 2052
Email: carshalton@village-bakers.co.uk

This place is amazing. Saturday mornings and morello cherry doughnuts are, for me, THE best doughnuts in the world. But the staff are also fabulous and so welcoming. The soft/crusty white rolls are exceptional, and so are the hot sausage rolls. Superb place.

Akash Tandoori ★★★★★
145 Stafford Road, Wallington, SM6 9BN
Tel: 020 8647 4200

We absolutely love this place. The service, the food, the atmosphere is everything we love about dining out. It’s definitely our only go-to place for a curry takeaway as well. We’ve been going to Akash for more than 20 years and intend to continue to.

Al Forno ★★★★
107 High Street, New Malden, KT3 4BP
Tel: 020 8949 0055

This is a wonderful Italian restaurant in New Malden high street. The service is impeccable, and the food is just perfect. I’ve been there twice now, having the spaghetti carbonara the first time and then lasagne on my most recent visit. Totally recommendable.

The Star ★★★★
39 Station Way, Cheam, SM3 8SD
Tel: 020 8722 0533

Only ever been here once and already love it. The restaurant is well spaced out, so you don’t feel that you’re on someone’s table. For me, the food is the best Indian food I have ever had in an Indian restaurant. 

The Seine Rigger ★★★
11 Nork Way, Banstead, Surrey, SM7 1PB
Tel: 01737 351168

This is a traditional fish and chip shop that has a very popular take away counter. But the restaurant is so perfectly clean, tidy and welcoming. The waitress is consistently excellent and friendly. And the food is outstanding, hot and makes me want to return all the time. Also, there doesn’t seem to be any riff-raff there!

Bring! ★★★★★
App Category: Shopping
Price: FREE
Developer: Bring! Labs AG

This has to be one of the most used apps I have on my phone. It has revolutionised how we shop. Jezz and I use it independently on our mobiles by adding items to the list as we use or open the last of something. Every day, it’s looked at and updated and whenever we go shopping, it’s a tap to remove it from the list, and it’s ready to add back to the list for later.

It’s excellent, and we no longer argue about something running out or who used the last of something. There’s not only a phone and tablet version, it’s also available on Apple Watch and via a web browser on a desktop or laptop. And if it couldn’t get any better, it works with Siri and Alexa too. Fully recommend it.