Afternoon, Surbiton. It's set to hit 29°C today and stay warm right through the weekend — and, as of yesterday, we're under a hosepipe ban, so that watering can is about to earn its keep. Below: the ban in plain English, the story behind those mosaics at the station (a few of you asked), a big housing decision up the road, and the weekend's what's-on. A warm welcome to the new faces who wrote in this week — Simon, Freda and Hilary in Berrylands, Colin over in Chessington, Sarah in Long Ditton. You genuinely shape what goes in here. Here's Friday.
The hosepipe ban is on — here's what it actually means
Thames Water brought in a Temporary Use Ban from yesterday, Thursday 23 July, and it covers us here in Kingston along with the rest of its 10-million-customer patch. In short: no hosepipes or pressure washers for the garden, lawn or allotment, no sprinklers, no filling paddling pools, hot tubs or the like, and no hosing down the car, patio, paths or windows. What you can still do: water by hand with a watering can or bucket, and there are exemptions for food crops, newly planted trees, animal welfare and blue-badge/medical needs. The trigger was an exceptionally dry spring — only about 40% of the usual rainfall — and a run of unusually hot days, with demand running well above normal.
Those mosaics at the station? They're William Blake — and there's a proper story
Catherine in Berrylands asked about the “Blake mosaics” on the footbridge at Surbiton station, and I said I'd chase it properly rather than guess. Here's what I found. There are ten of them, inspired by the poet and artist William Blake — specifically his Songs of Innocence and of Experience — and they were unveiled in September 2023. They weren't originally made for Surbiton: they're restored panels from a much larger set of around 70 created by Southbank Mosaics to mark the years Blake spent living in Lambeth in the 1790s. They were brought here and restored by Jo Lewis of the London School of Mosaic, working through Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College, in a project led by the Surbiton Art Trail with Network Rail, South Western Railway and the Friends of Surbiton Station — timed to the station's 40 years as a Grade II listed building. Next time you're crossing the bridge, they're worth a proper look.
via Kingston Nub News & Network Rail
586 homes approved on the old Motspur Park gasholders
One for the planning-watchers. City Hall has approved 586 new homes (175 of them affordable) on the former gasholders site at Motspur Park, over towards the New Malden/Merton edge. The Deputy Mayor for Planning signed it off after Sadiq Khan called the scheme in — Kingston Council had actually rejected it back in March, and it drew more than 1,100 objections locally. It's five blocks, ranging from 8 to 16 storeys. Not on our doorstep, but a sizeable change for that side of the borough.
On the doorstep: the Elm Tree on Victoria Road is after bar staff (£12.71/hr) if you or someone you know is looking — one of a handful of local jobs listed this week.
Simon in Berrylands wrote in this week asking, only half-joking, “which roads aren't currently being dug up?” — so this one's for him. The honest answer: Ewell Road is still the big one. The power-cabling job keeps two-way signals running from St Mark's Hill up towards Hollyfield Road, and that's in place a long while yet (to late October); the cycle-route works at the Ditton Road, Hollyfield Road and Kingsdowne Road junctions run all the way to January 2027. A couple of the short jobs have now cleared — but there's a new one coming.
- Ewell Road, near Tolworth Close: new two-way signals for gully works, 27 July to 7 August. And the Dysart School crossing signals come down on Monday 27 July.
- A3 at Tolworth: unchanged — lane one still closed, no access from Tolworth Junction onto the A3 southbound, TfL still saying 29 July.
- Bus 281: good news — TfL's live board still has the diversion ending at 10pm tonight (Fri 24th). Until then it can't serve Tolworth Station; first stop towards Hounslow is Princes Avenue on Ewell Road.
- Hook Road area: the long cabling job has finished, but temporary signals linger for urgent power and borough works around the roundabout — Vale Road North to 27 July, Gladstone Road to 29 July, Bridge Road to 31 July.
- Berrylands Road, Pine Walk to Regent Road: still not on the council's official list, still there if you drive it. Freda, Hilary — if you spot it live, reply and I'll keep flagging it.
K1, K2, K3 and the 71: all good service, nothing posted. Spot something not here? Reply and I'll dig.
- Live music at the Surbiton Flyer: the pub by the station has live music every Saturday, 9pm til late — this Saturday (25th) it's the Gianluca Duo, smooth classics, pop, rock and blues with a touch of Italian flair. Free entry.
- Comedy at Ram Jam: Crack Comedy's summer run continues — Molly McBride (Sat 25th) and Jeff Innocent's work-in-progress (Mon 27th). Times aren't posted yet, so check and grab tickets on the venue page. details
- Local Plan drop-in: Market House, Ancient Market Place, Kingston, Sat 25th from noon — free, your chance to have a say on how the borough grows. details
- Saxon Fayre: Kingston's Ancient Market Place, Sat 25th from 10.30am — free family event with re-enactors. details
- Inky Pathways kids' art workshop: Rose Theatre, Sat 25th, 10.30am–12.30pm (ticketed). details
- Tolworth Station Community Garden: volunteering morning, Sat 25th, 10.30am — all welcome. details
- Lifting Spirits wellbeing hub: 96 Ditton Road, today (Fri 24th) and Mon 27th, 10am, free. details
Out with the kids: the free Saxon Fayre and Tolworth garden above are your best weekend bets, plus Bushy Park's deer and playground — free all summer, and shade if the heat's too much. Looking ahead: the Rose Theatre's summer schools start Monday, and Kingston Uni is running a free retro computing & gaming exhibition (60-odd playable machines, from the Spectrum to the N64) at its Town House building, 5–11 August.
Warm and bright — sunny intervals and a high of 29°C, down to a mild 16°C overnight. Barely a chance of rain, light north-westerly breeze. The weekend holds: Saturday sunny and another 29°C, Sunday a touch cooler at 26°C with a small chance of an early shower. Watering can weather, remember.
Help me help Sarah. Sarah in Long Ditton wrote in asking for the best brunch spots around here — and rather than guess, I'd rather ask the people who actually eat out locally. Where do you go for brunch in Surbiton, Berrylands, Tolworth or Long Ditton? Hit reply with your favourite and I'll pull together a proper reader-picked list.
That's Friday. Thanks to everyone who wrote in this week — the roads notes and the mosaics question both came straight from you, and the newsletter's better for it. Keep the brunch tips coming.
Mike, Surbiton Daily
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