Putney is where London rows. The Embankment, upstream of Putney Bridge, is lined with boathouses belonging to clubs, schools and universities, and on Boat Race day, the whole riverside fills with spectators. Minibus hire Putney groups book reflects that, with rowing clubs heading to regattas, Boat Race groups, riverside weddings and Heathrow runs.
From our base in SE1, Putney is about thirty to forty minutes outside the rush hour, along the river or through Wandsworth.
Minibus hire Putney for rowing clubs
The boathouses on the Putney Embankment are home to clubs that train and race all year. Crews travel to regattas across the south of England and beyond, and they book us to get the rowers, coaches and kit there.
Boats travel separately on trailers, but crews need transport, often very early in the morning for a regatta start. Tell us the race times and the venue, and we'll plan the pickup. Henley Royal Regatta, in early July, is the biggest date in the rowing calendar, and clubs travel up the M4 and the A4 in the early morning to make the first races.
School and university crews use the Putney boathouses too, and their parents and supporters often travel to regattas as a group. A 16-seater for the supporters, timed to arrive before the crew's first race, is a common booking.
Boat Race day
The Boat Race starts at Putney Bridge and runs four and a quarter miles upriver to Mortlake. On race day, usually a Saturday or Sunday in spring, the riverside at Putney is packed, and the roads around the bridge close or slow down.
Groups watching the race book us to get there and back. We'll drop outside the busiest stretch and agree a meeting point for the return.
Weddings by the river
Putney has plenty of weddings, at St Mary's Church by the bridge, at other churches across the area and at riverside venues. Guests tend to arrive from all over London, and one meeting point with a minibus to the church keeps the timings tight.
St Mary's has a long history. The Putney Debates of 1647, a famous set of discussions about the future of England, were held there.
Putney High Street and the Heath
Putney High Street runs south from the bridge, with shops, restaurants and pubs. It's one of the busiest high streets in south-west London, with buses and traffic all day. Putney Heath, at the top of the hill, joins up with Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park, and cross-country runners and walking groups use all three.
For pickups on the High Street, we'll agree a point on a side street nearby. Putney's riverside pubs and restaurants by the bridge are popular for birthday lunches and family celebrations, and on summer weekends they fill early.
Putney has plenty of schools, including well-known independent schools, and they book us for trips into central London, sports fixtures and days out to Richmond Park and Kew.
Heathrow and the A3
Heathrow is about thirty-five to forty-five minutes from Putney outside the rush hour, via the A3 and the A316, or across Putney Bridge and along the A4. Gatwick is about an hour, via the A3 and the M25 or through Wandsworth and Tooting. London City Airport is about forty-five minutes.
For early flights, the roads are clear, and a 4:30am pickup for a 7am Heathrow flight is usually plenty. For families with relatives flying in, a minibus that collects the group at the airport and brings them straight home is the easy option.
Putney Bridge and Fulham
Putney Bridge crosses the river to Fulham, where Craven Cottage, Fulham's ground, sits on the riverside. On Fulham match days, the bridge and the roads around it are busy.
The thing to know about minibus hire Putney groups book is that Putney Bridge and the High Street are often slow, especially at peak times, on match days and on Boat Race day. For airport runs and trips into central London, we'll plan the pickup around them.
Putney is also a good base for days out to the west. Windsor, Hampton Court and Kew are all within forty minutes, and the Surrey Hills a little further. For a rowing club, a school or a family celebration, the vehicle and driver stay with the group all day.
Give us the date and the numbers and we'll send a written quote with the timings and the vehicle size. For regatta days, tell us the race times as soon as the draw is out.
Late on a summer evening, the riverside can be busy, so agree the pickup point before the end of the night.
For regatta mornings, book well ahead, because every club on the Embankment wants a vehicle on the same day.
For minibus hire in Putney, call 020 7183 0567.