Morning, Surbiton. An apology to start. The last couple of issues, some of you opened the roads box to black text on dark green, near-impossible to read on a phone. Sorry about that. It's fixed from today: cream box, dark text, same roads. Thanks to those of you who gave the nudge. And welcome to everyone who joined this week from Tolworth, Victoria Avenue and Lovelace Road. Here's Tuesday.
48 hours without water, in a heatwave
The fire brigade shut off the water at Cumberland House in Kingston on Friday afternoon after a leak — and the block's 42 flats didn't get it back until around 3pm on Sunday. That's roughly 48 hours through the heatwave weekend, and residents say elderly and disabled tenants were among those affected. The council says the water system is connected to the fire alarms and sprinklers, and needed a full reset to check every sensor was working. One tenant says the council "ignored all calls" and gave no warning or advice; the council says it delivered cold water and had staff and contractors on site all weekend — which one resident flatly disputes.
A £790,000 flat inside the old County Hall
County Hall on Penrhyn Road — the Grade II* listed pile where Downton Abbey, Poirot and Midsomer Murders all filmed — is being turned into 264 flats, and the developer unveiled its showroom at a launch event on Thursday. The show apartment, open since June, is on the market at £790,000 — and it's the first time the building has been for sale in its 130-year history. The imperial staircases, marble floors, stained glass and the old courtroom are all staying. Completion expected 2027.
34 flats and a nursery for the old Vauxhall dealership
The former Vauxhall dealership at The Triangle in Kingston, empty since 2024, will be demolished for a five-storey block of 34 flats with a ground-floor nursery, a communal roof terrace and 11 parking spaces. The planning committee approved it unanimously on 8 July. None of the flats will be affordable housing — independent consultants ruled that unviable — and the plan adds new pavement, planting and seating linking to the shopping parade next door.
First, that Berrylands Road mystery. To the readers who hit the closure at Ewell Road: the council's list shows a UK Power Networks overnight cabling closure at exactly that junction on 5–6 July — and nothing since, because the list hasn't been updated since 7 July and the council's highways pages are, in their own words, "experiencing issues". Best answer: same cabling job, extra nights. I'll keep chasing.
- Berrylands station: there's now a firm reopening date — 19 September. Until then the replacement bus runs every 30 minutes between New Malden and Surbiton, from Surbiton Hill Park (Stop B towards London, Stop A towards Woking).
- Ewell Road at Dysart School: last week of the two-way lights — due out Monday 20 July once the new crossing is in.
- A3 at Tolworth: still no access from Tolworth Junction onto the A3 southbound, and lane one closed — TfL says until 29 July.
- Bus 281: on diversion until 9pm on Wed 29 July. It misses Tolworth Station in both directions; towards Hounslow the first stop is Princes Avenue on Ewell Road.
- Hook Road: the Bridge Road roundabout works roll on — western side closed, temporary lights running traffic round the eastern side, until the end of July.
- Looking ahead: two short jobs on Ewell Road next Thursday 23 July — evening lights by the War Memorial and daytime lights near Douglas Road for a bus shelter upgrade.
K1, K2, K3 and the 71: good service, no diversions posted today. Hit a closure that's not listed here? Reply and I'll dig.
- Quiz night, tonight: the Super Quiz at Ram Jam Records (the speakeasy behind The Grey Horse, Kingston), Tue 14 July, 8pm. £3 a head, £75 bar tab for the winning team. book
- Free wellbeing mornings: Lifting Spirits at the Wellbeing Hub, 96 Ditton Road KT6, Wed 15 and Fri 17 July, 10am. Free activities for residents living with mental health issues. details
- The Glenn Miller Orchestra: at the Rose Theatre, Sat 18 July, 6.30pm. In the mood? tickets
- Sunday afternoon jazz: the Ram Jam Jazz Jam, Sun 19 July, 3–6pm. £5 in, £10 if you bring your instrument. details
- Quiz at The Antelope: Maple Road, Sun 19 July, 7.30pm — £50 bar tab plus rollover jackpot questions. And their Thursday steak day (ribeye £19.50 with sides and a drink) is the restaurant deal of the week. details
Sunny and hot again — highs around 29°C, a notch down from today, with UV still at 8 (very high), so cover up between 11am and 3pm. Next to no rain, a bit breezy in the afternoon. The yellow heat-health alert for London runs until Friday evening — keep checking on your neighbours.
That's your lot. The cream roads box exists because two of you told me the green one didn't work. This paper gets better every time you hit reply, so keep them coming. I read every one.
Mike, Surbiton Daily
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