Afternoon, Surbiton. A proper mixed bag today — a closing date for the Post Office, the real story behind the A3 hold-up, and a walking tour leaving from Surbiton Station tomorrow. Big welcome to everyone new this week from Southborough — you're fast becoming one of the most-replied-from patches in my inbox, right behind Berrylands.
Your Post Office is closing — 23 October
The Post Office counter inside Morrisons on Victoria Road (KT6 4JU) is one of 52 branches shutting nationwide as Morrisons closes a wave of underperforming Morrisons Daily convenience stores, citing rising employment costs. The Surbiton branch has a confirmed closure date of 23 October — months off yet, but several of you have asked about shop closures, so consider this your heads-up.
via Post Office branch finder & Better Retailing
New bollards in Manor Park after a break-in
In the early hours of 8 July, vehicles forced their way into Manor Park along a pedestrian path off Malden Road and set up an unauthorised encampment. The council, the Met and local ward councillors moved fast — daily welfare checks, a court order secured before the weekend, and the site vacated by Sunday 12 July. Retractable bollards have now gone in at the access point that was used, with the main car park entrance under review too. Cllr Mike Massimi put the quick resolution down to “close cooperation between all of us.”
Stage school for the summer holidays
Rose Theatre in Kingston is running two summer drama courses: “Create in Three Days” for ages 7–10, and “Play in a Week” for 11–18s. No experience or audition needed, and all staff are DBS-checked. If you're one of the parents who's asked for half-term ideas, this is worth a look — contact the theatre direct for dates and prices.
via Rose Theatre
An answer fo r everyone else watching the A3 clock. Now we know why it's dragging: the closure traces back to a multi-vehicle collision at Tolworth Roundabout in late May that damaged the highway structure, and TfL's engineers say the repair needs specially fabricated materials before it's safe to reopen. TfL's live system still has it down for 29 July as of this morning — unchanged, so no further slippage that we can see from here.
- Hook Road at Gladstone Road: the two-way lights there clear tonight — down by 11pm.
- Hook Road at Bridge Road roundabout: still the western side closed, temporary lights round the eastern side, until 31 July.
- Ewell Road at Dysart School: last few days of the crossing works — due out Monday 20 July.
- Ewell Road: two short jobs next Thursday 23 July — evening lights by the War Memorial, daytime lights near Douglas Road for the bus shelter upgrade.
- Bus 281: still on diversion until 29 July, missing Tolworth Station in both directions.
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.
- Today: free wellbeing morning, Lifting Spirits at the Wellbeing Hub, 96 Ditton Road KT6, 10am (also Fri 17 July). details
- Tomorrow, Thu 16 July: a guided history walk, “Fact and Fiction,” leaving from Surbiton Station — run by The Community Brain, time and booking on their site. Same evening, The Simon & Garfunkel Story at Rose Theatre, 7.30pm. walk details · theatre tickets
- Fri 17 July: Radio Gaga — a Queen tribute night at Rose Theatre, 7.30pm. tickets
- Sat 18 July: The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Rose Theatre, 6.30pm. tickets
- Sun 19 July: another Community Brain walk — Richard Jefferies Footsteps, part two, from Tolworth Station. details
- Live music tip (thanks, Kat): The Lamb in Surbiton runs sessions most Sundays, plus an Irish folk jam — “Fiddly Diddly” — on the last Wednesday of the month (next one 29 July) and a monthly “An Evening With” artist showcase. what's on
Patchy cloud clearing to a sunny day, high of 29°C (feels like 28°C), a low chance of rain and a breezy afternoon with gusts to 22mph. UV is still very high at 8, so cover up between 11am and 3pm. London's yellow heat-health alert runs through Friday evening — worth a check-in on any elderly neighbours.
That's Wednesday. Southborough, Berrylands, Tolworth, Long Ditton — keep telling me what's on your street and what I'm missing. Every issue gets built from your replies.
Mike, Surbiton Daily
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