The week in Sevenoaks: Greatness Football & Community Centre opens after £2m build (22 Sep)

Your weekly briefing · Tuesday 22 September 2026

Greatness has a new £2m football and community centre after years of waiting, and the week's other numbers cut both ways: burglary across the district is down 58 per cent, though shoplifting has climbed 29 per cent and a Market Square caterer in Westerham has come out of its hygiene inspection with a zero. Bradbourne Lakes shuts on Monday for a £2.1m restoration, so if you want a last look at it as it is, this is the weekend. Elsewhere, Otford is pressing the council to take a 1,500-home site out of the Local Plan while officers recommend approval for 660 homes at Broke Hill, and Sevenoaks Town finally got off the mark against Margate.

The Big Story

Greatness Football & Community Centre opens after £2m build

Sevenoaks Town FC's new clubhouse at Greatness was opened on 18 September. What is inside, who paid the £2.1m, and the playground coming this autumn.

Read the full story →

The Week In Brief

Westerham food hygiene: Market Square caterer rated zero — Karo at 1 Market Square, Westerham was given a food hygiene rating of 0 on 5 August, with all three inspection scores in the worst band on the FSA scale.

Sevenoaks crime: burglary down 58%, shoplifting up 29% — Burglary in Sevenoaks fell 58% over the past year while shoplifting rose 29%. All 1,305 reports across the town's four police areas, month by month.

Pig & Pickle Seal Chart: pub company goes into liquidation — The company running the Pig & Pickle at Seal Chart went into liquidation on 11 September, nine months after the pub's December opening. What the notices say.

Sevenoaks crime down 3.1%, district police commander says — Kent Police charged 40% more people in the district and warn rural crime rises this autumn. Extra patrols run from Halloween to Christmas.

Ightham Primary graded strong in all seven Ofsted areas — Inspectors found attendance extremely high and pupils achieving highly at the 206-pupil village school, with safeguarding met and no area needing attention.

Bradbourne Lakes closes 28 September for £2.1m restoration — The Sevenoaks park shuts on 28 September and is due to reopen by summer 2027 as all five lakes get their biggest overhaul in nearly 300 years.

What’s On

Family Walks near Sevenoaks: 7 Routes That Work With Kids — Family-friendly walks near Sevenoaks: Knole, One Tree Hill, the Darent Valley and more, with parking charges, buggy access and where the toilets are.

Bewl Water: Free Entry, 13 Miles of Trail, £8.50 to Park — Bewl Water charges nothing to walk in. Parking is 30 minutes free then £8.50 all day, the circuit is 13 miles with three shorter loops, and dogs go off-lead.

Father Christmas Near Sevenoaks: Grotto Tickets On Sale Now — Polhill's 2026 grotto runs 7 November to Christmas Eve at £15.50 a child, babies included. Coolings is £20 to £28, and Hever opens booking on 30 September.

Christmas Markets near Sevenoaks 2026: 4 Dates Confirmed — Christmas markets near Sevenoaks 2026: Hever's fair 6 November, Chiddingstone 21 November with £8 tickets on sale, lights switch-on 28 November.

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