Morning, Surbiton. We survived the scorcher — the amber alert expired at 9am and the weekend ahead is dry and easy. Today: the K2 gets an official comeback time, a roadworks date I have to correct, Tim Peake books a night in Kingston, and it's charity quiz night. Here's Thursday.
The K2 comes back Monday evening — officially
TfL has now put an end time on the Berrylands diversion: the K2 runs normally again from 8pm on Monday 3 August, once Thames Water finishes on Surbiton Hill Park. Until then it's still skipping every stop between Pembroke Avenue and Howard Road towards Kingston, and Berrylands Road to Pembroke Avenue towards Hook Parade. Checked live on TfL this morning; if it slips, you'll read it here first.
And clearly Berrylands feels it — of the six neighbours who wrote in overnight, two asked for exactly this. Georgina and Cordelia, welcome: bus and transport news lives at the top of this newsletter whenever it changes. Every other local route is running normally this morning.
via TfL live bus status, checked this morning
Tim Peake is coming to the Rose
The first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station brings his live show, Astronauts: The Quest To Explore Space, to the Rose on Sunday 4 October — the space race of the 1950s through to Artemis and the first human mission to Mars. His words: “fast-paced, fun and entertaining.” If there's a space-mad kid (or adult) in your house, this is the autumn ticket to grab early.
reported by Tilly O'Brien · via Kingston Nub News
Two changes brewing on the Kingston drinks front
BonBon Pottery Cafe on Fife Road — the paint-your-own-ceramics place that opened in April — has applied to serve alcohol (noon–9.30pm weekdays, from 10am weekends). If approved, glasses could be raised over the glazes from 22 August; if you have a view either way, representations are open at kingston.gov.uk until 21 August.
Bigger money at the riverside: an application is in to turn the old Russell-Cooke solicitors' offices at Bishops Palace House on Riverside Walk — empty of lawyers since 2019 — into a bar, with a terrace over the Thames and a fit-out costed at up to £2 million. The council hasn't decided yet.
both reported by Tilly O'Brien · via Kingston Nub News: BonBon · riverside bar
Booking a train to Devon? The drought got there first
From Monday 10 August, South Western Railway runs a reduced timetable between Waterloo and Exeter — the record heat and lack of rain have dried out the clay embankments between Salisbury and Exeter, so trains crawl through a 60-mile stretch between Tisbury and Honiton. Waterloo–Salisbury keeps its half-hourly service, but journeys run up to 24 minutes longer to Exeter and 27 minutes longer coming back. Your local trains into Waterloo aren't affected — this is one for anyone with a West Country holiday booked. Check your journey before you travel.
via SWR / Network Rail announcement
- Hook Road — a correction. Yesterday I said the long-running closure ends Saturday. UK Power Networks updated the entry yesterday morning: it now runs until 7 August. Their extension, my apology.
- Hook Rise South — one to watch. UK Power Networks has a road closure pencilled in from today until 16 August, plus a Hook Rise North lane closure to 21 August — but the feed still shows both as planned rather than started, and UKPN cancelled a similar closure here two weeks ago. If you use the Hook junction, allow for it either way; I'll report what's actually coned off once it's clear.
- Yvonne, you asked about Ditton Road: it's closed where it meets Ewell Road as part of the cycle-route works, and that scheme runs to 25 January 2027 — plan around it rather than waiting it out. Ditton Hill itself has nothing listed.
- Finishing this weekend, for real: Tolworth Rise South's A3-side lane closure (tomorrow), Langley Avenue (Saturday), and the gas-works signals on Maple Road and Portsmouth Road (Sunday).
From the national Street Manager feed, checked this morning — the council's own page is back up but was last updated 17 July, so I'll stick with the live one.
Tonight's the big one: the monthly charity quiz at The Coronation Hall, St Mark's Hill, 7.30pm — £3 a head, cash prize, proceeds to Young Lives vs Cancer. A pint and a good cause on the same receipt.
And the map is already growing: Christine thinks The Prince of Wales on Ewell Road runs a Sunday-evening quiz too, though she hasn't been in a while. Anyone confirm the day and time? Hit reply and Sunday becomes a four-way fight.
- Friday: the Rose Walk Rewilding Day in Berrylands, 10am–2pm (free, bring lunch, expect mud) · Lifting Spirits wellbeing morning, 96 Ditton Road, 10am, free · the Melbury Music Quintet plays a free lunchtime set in the Rose Café.
- Saturday: Repair Café at Kingston Library, 10.30am · Save The World Club day — £5 healthy cooking class 11am–1pm (chicken and lemon risotto, bring containers), then the open day 2–5pm with a community barbecue and garden tours, 18 Southsea Road · Great Fairfield Litter Pick 2–3pm · K-Pop tribute at the Rose, 3pm (nearly sold out) · live music at The Surbiton Flyer, 9pm.
- Sunday: junior parkrun, Alexandra Rec, 9am · free community football at Fairfield Rec, 1–2.30pm (men 18+) · bandstand concert in Canbury Gardens, 3–5pm · Board Game Night at Corners, 75 Maple Road, 5–9pm — £2 for the run of 100+ games, hosts on hand, solo players welcome. Maureen, you asked for grown-up entertainment on your first day — there's your Sunday. Then Bob Marley's Legend at the Rose, 7.30pm.
Checked against Connected Kingston, the Rose and Nub News this morning.
School-holiday find of the day: the Oxygen Fuel summer camp at Archway Hall, Somerset Road (KT1) runs 11am–3pm Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, free for ages 8–16, with a healthy meal included — sports, crafts and lunch handled. Yesterday's full kids' list is here.
Tariq delivered. After yesterday's introduction, the Save The World Club sent over their standing weekly roster at 18 Southsea Road (open weekdays noon–7pm, Saturdays 2–6pm): Tuesdays the Welcome Table café 1–5pm · Thursdays community gardening 2–5pm — that's this afternoon · Fridays the community fridge 10.30am and a free open-use music studio 4–6pm, bring an instrument or borrow theirs. All run by volunteers; all welcome.
Warmer than I promised you yesterday, sorry: sunny and about 29°C this afternoon, clouding over this evening, down to 16°C tonight. The amber heat alert expired at 9am, so it's just an ordinary hot day — but the water-your-neighbour rules still apply, and the hosepipe ban is still on.
The weekend: bone-dry throughout. Sunny spells and 26°C tomorrow, 27°C Saturday with a properly cool night to sleep in, and Sunday the pick of the three.
You wrote in — six of you overnight. Besides Georgina and Cordelia up top: welcome to Maureen in Berrylands, who found us through her neighbours' WhatsApp group — that's now the second street WhatsApp passing this around, and honestly it's my favourite way to grow; Yvonne in Berrylands, whose Ditton Road answer is in the roads box; Vanessa, who wants food and drink news — between Madame Vy, BonBon and a £2m riverside bar, you picked the right week; and Deborah, who works in Surbiton and lives in Chessington — you're covered at both ends.
Two small jobs for you. Confirm the Prince of Wales quiz night if you know it. And if you've eaten at Madame Vy yet, tell me — Vanessa and I both want the verdict.
That's Thursday. Coronation Hall at 7.30 for the good cause — and Berrylands, three more bus-less mornings after this one. Monday, 8pm. It's in writing now.
Mike, Surbiton Daily
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