Surbiton

Surbiton is a suburban area of London situated in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.

Related Topics:
London - Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

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It is a commuter town next to the river Thames, populated with a mixture of Art-Deco courts, spacious and grand late-19th century town houses blending into a sea of semi-detached 20th century housing estates.

Related Topics:
Thames - Art-Deco - 19th century

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The town first prospered when a plan to build the main railway line down to the south coast through nearby Kingston was rejected by the residents there, resulting in the line being routed through Surbiton. As a result Kingston is now located on a branch line whereas passengers from Surbiton, a smaller town by comparison, can reach central London in one direction in around 15 minutes and stations as distant as Portsmouth or Southampton in the opposite. This makes Surbiton a good town from which to commute into central London, and the population reflects this.

Related Topics:
Kingston - London - Portsmouth - Southampton

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Surbiton's main claim to popular fame is as an icon of suburbia in such British television programs as The Good Life (starring Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal), and John Sessions' comedy series Stella Street, which has on occasion led to the town being nicknamed "Suburbiton". Other related trivia: the character from the 1980s Sinclair Spectrum computer games Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy was described as a Surbiton resident, and Black Sabbath played at the Surbiton Assembly Rooms on 19th May 1970. The Council sold the Assembly Rooms to Surbiton High School in the 1990's.

Related Topics:
Suburbia - The Good Life - Richard Briers - Felicity Kendal - John Sessions - Stella Street - 1980s - Sinclair Spectrum - Manic Miner - Jet Set Willy - Black Sabbath - Surbiton High School

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Nightlife

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Surbiton has a number of drinking establishments, though it plays second fiddle to its larger neighbour Kingston upon Thames.

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Starting at the east of the town centre one finds the Coronation Hall, a former theatre now part of the J.D.Wetherspoon chain. In the past the building was also home to a planned naturist health club which ran out of funding and never opened. It is rumoured that underneath the pub there is a working Jacuzzi.

Related Topics:
Coronation Hall - J.D.Wetherspoon

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The next pub along the street is the Rat and Parrot. This pub's name reflects no history of the area, but is a popular spot at weekends. The Surbiton Flyer is, as its name implies, next door to Surbiton station. A Fullers house, it was refurbished during 2004. Other local pubs include The Lamb, The Black Lion, The Royal Charter, The Antelope, The Grove Tavern and The Victoria. There is also a modern "West End chic" cocktail bar, The Rubicon, on Maple Road. For a late drink head down past the YMCA and on Brighton Road you'll find the Saucy Kettle. More pubs exist on Ewell Road.

Related Topics:
Surbiton Flyer - Fullers - YMCA

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Ex-pubs include The Railway Tavern, The Rising Sun, The Southampton and another pub opposite The Lamb that at one point in the early 90s turned into a hip-bistro called Gallery 66.

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Surbiton also has a large choice of Indian restaurants. Coming from Tolworth on the Ewell Road towards Surbiton town centre there's the

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• Serada
• The Raj (formerly The Bengal Tiger)
• Agra Tandoori
• Ajanta

in the town centre on Brighton Road are:

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• The Rose (formerly a greek restaurant)
• The East India
• Joy
• Haweli (take away only)

Nearest places:

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• Kingston upon Thames
• Thames Ditton
• Long Ditton
• Tolworth
• Norbiton
• Teddington
• Hampton
• Petersham
• Twickenham
• Chessington
 
Surbiton: External links ►