Kingston · Local news you can trust
A 4.33am fire destroyed stalls in Kingston's Ancient Market Place on 6 October. Eight people were evacuated, no one was hurt and the market is closed for now.
Read the full story
Food hygiene
Kingston Hygiene Ratings: Eatnua Rated 0, Kang Nam Up to 3
Eatnua on Riverside Walk is the borough's newest zero food hygiene rating; Kang Nam in New Malden is up from 0 to 3. All 26 September ratings so far are 4 or 5.
Berrylands
Berrylands Station Reopens: Waterloo in 28 Minutes Again
Berrylands station reopened on 28 September with wider platforms. Trains run every 30 minutes again, but the old staircases stay shut while SWR decides.
Recycling
Kingston Small Electricals Recycling: 15 Drop-Off Points
Old phones, laptops, kettles and hairdryers can now go to 15 libraries, leisure centres and hubs in Kingston. Which site takes what, and what to leave at home.
Events
What's On in Kingston: Jane Eyre 13 Oct, Fireworks 1 Nov
Open Studios on 9 and 10 October, Jane Eyre at the Rose from the 13th, Howl'o'ween daily from 17 October and Tolworth fireworks on 1 November: 46 dates.
SEND
Kingston SEND Inspection: Top Ofsted Result, Long Waits
Ofsted and the CQC gave Kingston's SEND partnership the best of three possible outcomes on 23 September, and told it to cut autism and ADHD waits.
Christmas
Kingston Lights Switch-On 2026: Only New Malden Holds One
Kingston town centre has no lights switch-on. The borough's is New Malden High Street at 5.30pm on the last Friday of November; 2026 would be 27 November.
Remembrance
Kingston Remembrance Sunday 2026: Services and Road Closures
Remembrance Sunday is 8 November. Kingston holds four services: New Malden 9am, Surbiton 10.15am, Kingston 10.30am, Chessington 10.55am, with road closures.
Christmas
Chessington at Christmas 2026: Dates, Prices, Grotto
Chessington Christmas 2026 opens on 18 days, 21 November to 24 December. Every date and time, grotto tickets from £32, a Cinderella panto and the 7 rides shut.
Chessington
Chessington EV Depot: £300,000 Design Job for SEND Fleet
Kingston is paying up to £300,000 for designs for an electric depot on a Jubilee Way car park site, to expand the SEND minibus fleet. Bids close 16 October.
Planning
Kingston Neighbourhood Committees Lose Planning Powers
From 31 October the five-objections rule that sends a Kingston planning application to a local committee is abolished, along with councillor call-in.
House prices
Kingston House Prices: 2nd Fastest Riser in London
Kingston's average house price rose £19,128 in the year to July, the 2nd biggest gain in London while the city fell 3.3%. It still fell £3,682 on the month.
Planning
Thames Side Wharf Kingston: 145 Homes, 12 Storeys
Fenwick wants about 145 homes in blocks of up to 12 storeys by the river north of John Lewis. The draft Local Plan says 95. Final drop-in Saturday 19 September.
Kingston Wire covers the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames: the town centre, Norbiton, Canbury and Kingston Hill, Surbiton, Berrylands and Seething Wells, New Malden, Old Malden and Motspur Park, Tolworth and Hook Rise, Chessington and Malden Rushett, and Coombe and Kingston Vale. We report the news that comes off the public record, planning applications on the borough’s own register, council decisions, crime figures and business changes, and we keep the everyday information you look up again and again in one place: when your bin is collected, what your council tax band costs and where you can park.
Every story here is built from a named source: the council’s own news and registers, the Kingston planning register, police.uk crime data, The Gazette, the Food Standards Agency ratings register and other public records. We link to that source so you can check it yourself, we say when we last updated a figure, and where a record is unclear we say that too. If we get something wrong, tell us and we will correct it.