Half-term dates, theatre nights and tunnel closures
Published Thursday 21 May 2026
This week's Canada Water briefing covers school half-term dates, Canada Water Theatre shows, Brunel Museum family activities, library sessions, road closures and one local planning application.
Top Updates
Southwark schools break for half-term after Friday
Southwark's published term dates put the summer term running to Friday 22 May, then half-term from Monday 25 to Friday 29 May, with term restarting on Monday 1 June. Use the council term dates as the baseline, but check your own school calendar for academy or INSET differences.
Southwark election results are confirmed
The council has confirmed all 63 seats from the Thursday 7 May local elections, with borough-wide turnout at 40.38% and the new council made up of 29 Labour, 22 Green and 12 Liberal Democrat councillors. The Southwark results notice links through to the full ward-by-ward results.
Three To Put In The Diary
Friday 22 May, 7.30pm; Saturday 23 May, 6.30pm
PLEASE THANK YOU SORRY at Canada Water Theatre
The Peckham Fringe show follows Lyssa, a young barrister whose career plans unravel into immersive AI therapy. It is a grown-up theatre pick at Canada Water Theatre, inside the library building; times and booking are on the PLEASE THANK YOU SORRY listing.
Saturday 23 to Sunday 31 May
Tunnellers' Tales at the Brunel Museum
The museum's half-term object-handling activity lets children step into the world of the Thames Tunnel workers, with props inspired by Victorian digging conditions. It is aimed at ages 7-11, younger and older siblings are welcome, children need an adult with them, and the activity is included with museum admission; under-16s are free. See May Half-Term: Tunnellers' Tales.
Thursday 21 to Thursday 28 May, times vary
Vikings at Dock X for the bank-holiday week
The immersive exhibition at Dock X continues through the half-term run-up, with replica objects, a VR adventure, a 360-degree show and child supervision/access notes. It is open 9am-4pm Thursday, 9am-6pm Friday, 9am-7pm Saturday, 9am-6pm Sunday to Thursday; book through the Vikings: The Immersive Experience listing.
What's On
Thursday 21 May
English+ at Canada Water Library, noon-2pm. The free, informal English-practice group meets at Canada Water Library for grammar, vocabulary and group discussion, with no advance booking required. More dates and access details are on English+ at Canada Water Library.
Cornershop Chronicles at Canada Water Theatre, 7.30-9pm. The remaining performance of this Peckham Fringe play is set inside a local corner shop where customers' everyday pressures spill out as the shop faces closure. It is at Canada Water Theatre, not Theatre Peckham; see the Cornershop Chronicles listing.
Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 May
Guided tours at the Brunel Museum, 12.30pm. Weekend guided tours cover the museum and the Brunels' Tunnel Shaft, included with admission and recommended for ages 11+. The museum notes tours depend on volunteer guide availability, so pre-book a Saturday or Sunday 12.30 slot through Guided Tours.
Thursday 28 May
English+ returns at Canada Water Library, noon-2pm. If Thursday 21 May is too soon, the same free English-practice session is also listed for Thursday 28 May at Canada Water Library. Check English+ at Canada Water Library before travelling.
Roadworks and Transport
- Rotherhithe Tunnel: The tunnel is listed for overnight road closures from 10pm Friday 22 May to 5am Sunday 24 May, then 10pm Sunday 24 May to 5am Monday 25 May, and 10pm Monday 25 May to 5am Tuesday 26 May. Plan late journeys around the bank-holiday weekend.
- Surrey Quays Road: UK Power Networks works are due to start on Friday 22 May with multi-way signals and possible delays near Canada Water and Surrey Quays, running in the feed through mid-August.
- Drummond Road: Two-way signals remain listed on Drummond Road until Friday 29 May, so allow extra time if you use the Bermondsey-to-Rotherhithe route.
- Rotherhithe Street: A road closure is listed on Rotherhithe Street through Friday 12 June, affecting local access on the riverfront side of the peninsula.
- Webster Road: A Southwark road closure is listed from late Sunday 24 May to Wednesday 27 May, useful to know before local school, nursery or shopping trips after the bank holiday.
Planning Watch
- 2 Midship Close: A new Southwark application proposes demolishing the existing rear conservatory and replacing it with a flat-roof rear extension, plus a full-width porch extension, at 2 Midship Close.