Food festival, half-term plans and bank-holiday travel notes

Top Updates

Free food festival at Poverest Primary on Sunday

The Orpington Summer Food Festival runs on Sunday 24 May, noon-4pm, at Poverest Primary School, with free visitor entry, food, non-food and art stalls, music and a talent-show theme. Check the festival listing.

Free half-term crafts are coming to the BID office

Orpington 1st has a Chimps and Chums session on Wednesday 27 May at its Unit 24 Walnuts Shopping Centre office, with free brick creatures, arts and crafts, and the Chimps are Family exhibition. It falls just after this issue window, but is useful to put into half-term plans now. See the Chimps and Chums details.

Pop-up park and chimp sculptures stay in town

Orpington 1st says the High Street pop-up park has returned for the summer, outside WH Smith and the Post Office, and that the Chimps are Family sculptures are staying for another year. Both are easy town-centre stops for a short break around errands or after school. Read the pop-up park update.

Check trains before bank-holiday weekend trips

Southeastern says there will be no services to or from London Cannon Street or via Greenwich from Saturday 23 to Monday 25 May, and a separate nine-day Maidstone East line closure starts on Saturday 23 May. Orpington-line journeys may still be possible, but check planners before travelling across London or into Kent. Read Southeastern's engineering notice.

Three To Put In The Diary

Wednesday 20 May, 1-3pm

Tea and Toys at Christ Church Orpington

The term-time drop-in is for parents and carers with children aged 0-4. It has toys, playdough, a baby area, dressing up, songs, a short Bible story and ride-on toys, and costs £1.50 per family. Tea and Toys details.

Sunday 24 May, noon-4pm

Orpington Summer Food Festival

A free local afternoon at Poverest Primary School with stalls, food, music and a talent-show theme. Useful for Poverest, St Mary Cray and Orpington families looking for a nearby Sunday option. Festival details.

Wednesday 27 May

Chimps and Chums half-term crafts

For half-term, Orpington 1st is running a free craft and brick-building activity at Unit 24 in The Walnuts Shopping Centre, opposite Shoe Zone. Chimps and Chums details.

What's On

Wednesday 20 May

Welcome Wednesday at Orpington Library. The library lists this third-Wednesday adult chat session for 10-11.30am, with no booking needed. Orpington Library what's on.

Tea and Toys at Christ Church Orpington. A 1-3pm parent/carer and under-fives drop-in at Christ Church Orpington, Charterhouse Road, with a £1.50 per family charge. Tea and Toys details.

Sunday 24 May

Orpington Summer Food Festival. Noon-4pm at Poverest Primary School, with free visitor entry, stalls and music. Festival details.

Any day this week

Baby Bounce and Storytime at Orpington Library. The library's regular activities include Baby Bounce & Rhyme for under-fives and Storytime for ages 2-4; both are marked booking essential. Check availability.

Chatterbooks, Pictures Alive and LEGO club at Orpington Library. Chatterbooks is for ages 8-11, Pictures Alive is listed for ages 4-7, and LEGO club is listed for creative play and problem-solving. Check the library page or contact staff before setting off. Library activity details.

Roadworks and Transport

Goddington Lane and Tubbenden Lane: Scotia Gas Networks road closures are listed on Goddington Lane and Tubbenden Lane until Thursday 21 May. Allow extra time around school-run and station trips.
Chelsfield Hill: A separate Scotia Gas Networks road closure is listed on Chelsfield Hill until Thursday 21 May.
Chipperfield Road: Bromley works with multi-way signals are listed through Saturday 23 May.
Avalon Road: UK Power Networks works with a lane closure are listed from Tuesday 19 to Friday 22 May.
Hawkwood Lane and High Street: Bromley works are listed on Hawkwood Lane from Friday 22 to Monday 25 May and several High Street entries run across the long weekend.
Southeastern: No services are due to run to or from London Cannon Street or via Greenwich from Saturday 23 to Monday 25 May, and the Maidstone East line is closed from Saturday 23 to Sunday 31 May. Check Southeastern's planned engineering page.

Planning Watch

205 Court Road: Bromley has a valid householder application for a part one/two-storey rear extension, garage conversion to habitable accommodation and elevational alterations. View the Court Road application.
54 Petten Grove: A lawful development certificate application covers a loft conversion with hip-to-gable roof extension, a rear dormer and two front rooflights. View the Petten Grove application.
1 Mosyer Drive: Bromley has a valid application for approval of reserved-condition details linked to an earlier full planning permission, including surface-water drainage and proposed building details. View the Mosyer Drive application.