Kingston upon Thames

The Communities

Kingston upon Thames

An ancient market town Kingston upon Thames is best known for its busy retail centre, which has a good mix of familiar High Street brands and many select boutiques, a daily market held in Market Place (which has been in existence for over 800 years) and the famous The Bentalls Centre shopping complex as well as a large John Lewis department store. It is also home to Surrey County Hall and has been since 1893. Entertainment in the area is excellent with an eclectic choice of cinemas, theatres, sports centres, restaurants and bars.

The River Thames is a defining feature of the borough. Passing through Kingston with its lively frontage of bars and restaurants, it bounds Ham to the west and north by the local nature reserve called Ham Lands. Downstream there is a walk through Canbury Gardens towards Teddington Lock and the Ham Riverlands. Across Kingston Bridge is a tree-lined riverbank fronting the expanse of Hampton Court Park – a walled Royal Park designated a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in 2014.

The open spaces of Richmond Park, Wimbledon Common, Bushy Park and Ham Common are also a great asset to the area and there are plenty of places to relax on the River Thames, as it winds its way down through the borough into Surrey.

New Malden

A popular location in the area for residents due to its excellent transport links to central London. New Malden is bounded to the north by the affluent Coombe Hill and to the south and east by Raynes Park, Worcester Park and Tolworth. New Malden also includes Motspur Park, which is home to the training ground of Fulham Football Club and also the King’s College London sports ground which is the training ground of AFC Wimbledon.