Garratt Lane connects Wandsworth High Street to Tooting Broadway and is approximately 4 kilometres long.
Garratt Lane has mixed usage along its length. In the north it contains newly developed stores including a large single-storey shopping mall with parking above. The stretch between Allfarthing Lane and Burntwood Lane is mainly diverse shophouses including a few professional services. The southern portion is mainly residential, although around Summertown there are a few light industries and the Wimbledon Stadium.
The southernmost part of Garratt Lane is unusual in that two parallel streets exchanged names. The original Garratt Lane was a narrower street than Garratt Terrace, which was the main connection to Tooting Broadway. Many people mistakenly called it Garratt Lane, so it was agreed to exchange the names.
The south-east end of Garratt Lane, running from the junction with Fountain Road and Upper Tooting Road was previously called Defoe Road.
Most large public houses have survived along Garratt Lane, including The Old Sergeant and the Leather Bottle, both of which date to the 18th century. The latter figured in the mock Garrat Elections of the late 18th century, which were featured in the play The Mayor of Garratt by Samuel Foote.
