Kingston First

🌟 Keeping Kingston’s Streets Clean, Vibrant, and Welcoming! Town centre cleanliness is one area we spend a lot of time focusing on, and we know it's important to our members too. Here is a snapshot of our recent cleaning achievements: - 13,000 m² of pavement deep-cleaned - 64 graffiti tags removed - Street furniture projects completed across Lady Booth Road, Castle Street, Vicarage Road, Dolphin Road, Church Street, St James Road, Clarence St / Wood St, and Union St Our Ongoing Actions for Kingston: - Year round deep cleaning: We do all the deep cleaning of the town centre's 30,000sqm of pavement. Our contractor is in town one week each month overnight, pressure washing around 3,000sqm a time, to remove accumulated dirt and grime - Graffiti removal from member premises: If graffiti can be removed with a pressure washer, or simply painted over, we’ll try to clean it away for our members - Street furniture painting: Over the last year, we’ve repainted 68 street furniture items, including many of the black bollards you see throughout the town - Greening the Town: Installing summer hanging baskets on Kingston Bridge and managing town planters - Council Partnership: Continuously liaising with and lobbying the local authority on day-to-day cleaning, waste, and maintenance needs Clean, vibrant streets are key not only in positioning Kingston as a must-visit destination, but also for the well-being of visitors, residents, and employees working in the town. Our initiatives ensure Kingston’s streets are kept attractive and welcoming for all. #KingstonUponThames #KingstonFirst #TownCentreManagement #Community #LocalBusiness

Following the success of our Indie Campaign in the summer, we created and held our first Indie Forum this week! We invited all Independent businesses, and were so pleased to have an engaged bunch of indie owners and managers come along. We discussed everything from how to better support with our marketing, to crime and safety, and the importance of collaboration. Independent businesses are the heartbeat of Kingston town centre and we are looking forward to working more closely with them. From unique independent boutiques to artisan cafes and creative enterprises, it is the passion, character, and innovation of our independent community that make Kingston such a distinctive and vibrant place to visit, work, and explore. Supporting local makes all the difference! ✨ #IndependentKingston #ShopLocal #KingstonUponThames #SupportLocalIndies

For the past two years Kingston Visitors have been wowed by 'Wild Kingston'; ten stunning wildlife-inspired sculptures by award winning artist duo @GillieandMarc , but the time has come to bid them a fond farewell. It has been wonderful to collaborate with Gillie and Marc on bringing these sculptures, plus the incredibly popular 'Chimps Are Family' sculptures in 2023, to Kingston. Public art is so much more than just an installation; it is a catalyst for connection. Over the years, these sculptures have transformed our streets into an outdoor gallery, bringing joy to our local community and visitors alike. Beyond the smiles and the photos, these pieces have sparked important conversations about wildlife conservation and our relationship with the natural world. The vibrant energy they’ve added to our high street is a powerful reminder of how art can shape the character of a town centre. If you haven’t had a chance to visit them recently, there are just a couple of weeks left to enjoy the trail before they move on. Whether you’re a local resident or visiting the town, make sure to take a walk along Clarence Street and soak it all in one last time. Thank you to everyone who has interacted with the sculptures, shared their photos, and helped make this a true highlight of our town’s culture.

A fantastic example of meanwhile use! Wouldn't something like this be fantastic in Kingston?

Celebrating 2️⃣0️⃣ years of Kingston First! Our Summer Networking Event was a special one this year, celebrating an anniversary, with 20 years of supporting businesses and working to improve the town. Over 60 people from Kingston's business community joined us, and as ever it was a great evening, full of conversation and connection, all with the Riverside as a backdrop. Thanks to all the businesses who came and made the event the success it was. A huge thank you to Turk Launches for having us onboard the Yarmouth Belle and taking us on cruise along the river.

#InternationalWomensDay ⚡️ This year, we wanted to give a special shoutout to the women independent business owners in Kingston town centre, and share their incredible stories! We spoke with Tal Maginelle, co-owner of The Cheeky Pea, Burcu Bodur, owner of Marna Coffee, and Ali Barnwell, co-owner of the pub and venue The Fighting Cocks. From starting their own businesses to making significant contributions to Kingston’s hospitality and entertainment industries, these three business owners talked us through their inspiring experiences in Kingston’s community🫶 Read the article here👉kingstonuponthames.info/.../…...

We’d love to know your thoughts on #lightupkingston2025 and your overall experience in our town during this mesmerising light event🌟 Complete this 10 minute survey👉surveymonkey.com/r/5FXJSHR and as a thank you for participating you will have the chance to win £100 voucher for Chakra Restaurant by the riverside! Your feedback matters a lot to us, so that we can keep delivering fun and engaging events to our Kingston community and visitors🫶

To those of you visiting by car...we have a special offer for you!🚗 We've partnered up with NCP to offer you discounted parking ALL DAY for only £6.95, from 14th to 23rd February🎟🤩 📌Claim your discount via the NCP app using promo code ‘BIDLIGHTUP’ If you forget about it and pay a full parking ticket - don't worry! You'll be able to collect a 'validation' ticket from our participating businesses to receive a partial refund. We cannot wait to welcome you to Kingston for this unmissable light event!✨ Discover more👉 kingstonuponthames.info/ligh…

Are you ready for #LightUpKingston2025 ??✨💫🌟 Immerse yourself in colourful lights and mesmerising soundscapes, while enjoying all the amazing offers from our local businesses!🤩 ✨The popular Heofon Light Maze and Light Benches return, among many brand new interactive installations. 📣Get 25% off your food bill, 50% off entry, Kids Eat Free, 30% of games and many more! 🗓Arriving in Kingston town centre on 14th - 23rd February ⏰Open daily at 4.30pm - 9pm 🔗Discover more at kingstonuponthames.info/ligh…