Issue 19 The best thing to come out of Surbiton since the A3 October 2014 Our monthly market pips Kingston’s Surbiton Farmers’ Market has been of best farmers’ market. “We’re all named south-west London’s best chuffed to bits,” said David. food retailer, beating Kingston “Beating one of the country’s Market and Surbiton Waitrose finest grocers and a market that’s in the process. The award was been established 800 years is quite collected by market leading lights an achievement, and a massive (from left) David Jacobson, Alison testament to our wonderful team of Ewbank and Julian Meers. loyal volunteers who work tirelessly Last year the monthly event in every month to produce a market Maple Road won the national title Surbiton can be proud of.” Surbiton’s uniformed youth organisations joined the parade, as 19,000 people poured into town Festival fun in late summer sun The sun smiled on this year’s Surbiton as everyone made the most of the late festival, with an estimated 19,000 people September warmth. descending on the town centre to enjoy Other events through the festival week craft and food stalls, bouncy castles, street included free open-air drama, concerts, performers, games, music and ballyhoo. art shows, business networking and book Victoria Road was pedestrianised on events attended by local authors. Having twice the fun of anyone, twins Max and Harry Gallucci, aged two, of Glenbuck Road the parade day, with buses diverted, l More images from the festival p4 & p5 We’re now the UK’s ‘fashion hotbed’ hen you next the No1 choice for internet University of Westminster catch a train, trawlers waiting for trains to lecturer. check out your Waterloo. “I certainly think it’s a Wfellow passengers. Posterscope, which very ‘fashionable’ place Platform 1 at Surbiton manages 30 per cent of out- to live, or I wouldn’t have boasts some of the most and-about ads on shopping moved here,” she trilled. fashion-conscious people trolleys, petrol pumps and “Kingston has a great in the UK, according to a bus stops, researches ways shopping centre, which major advertising strategist. to reach customers. attracts fashion-seekers James Davies of “Traditionally it has and there are many media, Posterscope, which controls been done using industry fashion and PR types, and a third of the country’s data about poster sites, but celebrities, in Surbiton. advertising sites, was now mobile data is being “I have noticed Prada, investigating target markets used, courtesy of phone DKNY and Louis Vuitton for a recent campaign companies,” he said in a bags at the station, not to when he made a startling Daily Telegraph interview, mention amazing pieces discovery. adding that weekday from the high street and “We were looking at commuters on Platform 1 vintage stores mixed places for a fashion client seemed glued to clothing together in a clever way.” to advertise, and discovered websites. However, she sounded a that Surbiton station is a It comes as no surprise note of caution. “They may massive fashion hotbed,” to Surbiton fashion guru be trawling, but are they he said, revealing that high- Virginia Grose, 43, a necessarily buying?” end designer websites were published author and Tim Harrison Fashion-conscious commuters trawl websites while awaiting their Waterloo train Activity with bells on If a world of bells, jigs, hankies, straw hats and sticks intrigues you, here’s a chance to learn more. Surbiton Morris man Ben Izard (below, right, with fellow dancers) is helping organise free try-out sessions. “You can get fit and make friends,” he promises. Members of Kingston Morris performed at Surbiton’s festival, promoting a lively activity with ancient roots. The first recorded Morris dancing in the borough was in Kingston in 1507. Men and women are equally welcome at St John’s church, Grove Lane, on the Kingston/Surbiton boundary at 8pm on Mondays to learn the ropes. More at kingstonmorris.org news Five keen customers at Maple Road’s Shoes at Surbiton’s answer to the Hanging Gardens of Last modelled new autumn and winter fashions Babylon – the dramatic annual dahlia display while local paparazzo David Jacobson snapped where St Philip’s Road meets St James’ Road – away. The shop is now open seven days a week. didn’t disappoint, with its sunflower backdrop. Planting up the pavements iona Quinn aims to transform then free to pick. There’s a real garden in Balaclava Road. the town by using spare areas enthusiasm for it in Surbiton.” Planters, built from old pallets of space to grow herbs. Kingston Council has given her by Ann Bedford of Main Kitchen FA trained aromatherapist, Fiona, Supplies, proliferate in Brighton a grant to fund a polytunnel, and 27, studied property planning and last year she teamed up with the Road (left), with sage, basil and sustainability at Kingston Uni. YMCA to plant veg in an unused other herbs brightening the street But it is guerrilla scene. She has also been planting planting in Surbiton spare space around trees. that has raised her Roadside herbs encourage profile; growing herbs insects, especially bees, boosts a and vegetables in public sense of well-being, and improve places, and educating drainage in our increasingly people about their use. concreted world. “I’ve always had an One inspiration is Todmorden interest in living ethically, on the Yorks/Lancs boundary, and taking account of the where 40 public spaces have been environment,” she said. planted up, and locals simply help “The idea is to plant themselves. out herbs which are l www.urbanfarmacy.org A chain reaction He’s a familiar sight on his tandem; wife Carina on the back. Now Andrew Manning has turned his back on 30 years in the city and is servicing Surbiton’s bicycles. Cyclelink collects and drops off bikes within five miles. “I turned 50 last summer, and decided I’d had a really good career, so last October I got out of insurance,” said the Ellerton Road resident. Initially he volunteered at a foodbank (“an eye- opener”), then did bike exams to level 3, equipping him to rebuild shocks and forks for even high-end road bikes; the UK’s top bike qualification. He wants to encourage more people to ride, even if the bicycle gathering dust in the garage needs tlc. Twenty years ago, he settled in Surbiton. “It’s “Living with three women, cycling is a great way the perfect commute, there are good schools and of getting out,” he added with a grin. “Bikes always we found a house we wanted. I love the Ellerton come with us on holiday.” community.” He set up Cyclelink in his back garden, and aims The couple have two daughters in their late teens. to eventually run basic bike maintenance courses. “When I’m at home I’m on a bike as often as I “I won’t turn anything away, from punctures to can. I’ve been out a few times with the Berrylands complete rebuilds,” he said. A service is £35, an Cycling Club [enthusiasts at all levels meet in advanced service is £50, but a simple puncture Hollyfield Road for regular jaunts], and I’ve done a repair is a fiver. few charity rides. Freewheel to www.cyclelink.bike for more. Gardening tips by Janice Cripps Making a playful garden hen designing your that) but it can cater for other types house a climbing wall up its side or garden a three-metre of play. a playhouse or sandpit underneath. wide trampoline or red Here are some suggestions. l Sink the trampoline. It Wplastic slide is probably not top of l Garden features can double as involves a massive hole, but it your wish list. But gardens have props for play – stepping stones for means children have less far to fall. to be practical, multifunctional hopscotch, tree stumps for sitting l Create a den. Children love spaces and this often involves an or climbing, a sturdy archway or to hide, so make a runner bean area for children to play. mature tree as a frame for a swing. wigwam with 6-10 bamboo poles The problem is combining it l A raised deck or gable wall can and string. The scarlet flowers look with an attractive space for grown fabulous and the structure can be ups to relax and enjoy. an eye-catching focal point in the A hundred years ago when I garden. For an even more vibrant was a child, I spent many hours display, interplant the beans with in the garden making mud pies, nasturtiums. creating dens and fashioning l Involve the children in necklaces from daisy chains. I planting. Satisfies both adult and didn’t have any props or special child in that it is educational, equipment but I had a lot of fun. mucky and very rewarding to see Lots of equipment isn’t that tiny seed or plant grow into a necessary to fire the imagination, beautiful flower. but if you have a large garden it Play equipment doesn’t have to isn’t so much of an issue. destroy the garden aesthetic if you Anything ugly, plastic or go for natural materials rather than brightly coloured can be banished manmade plastics. to a dedicated play area. It is Nothing sits more comfortably difficult to supervise children if in the garden than wood, and there that area is completely hidden, so is a lot on the market to choose I’d suggest a partial screen using from. I particularly like Judith trellis work or soft planting such Needham’s designs for playhouses as molinia; a tall semi-transparent in crafted willow – just beautiful, ornamental grass.