Issue #005 | Friday 30th October 2026 | Fireworks, Halloween weekend and back to school
Good morning, East Grinstead! Pop the kettle on: here's what's happening in town today.
It's the last day of half term, and it should be a sunny one, with Firework Night at the rugby club tonight. Tomorrow is Halloween, and schools go back on Monday.
If there's something happening in town you think we should cover, email us at [email protected].
Grant,
East Grinstead Guide
In this East Grinstead Guide issue
🎧 Podcast - Listen to today's news
🌤️ Today's weather
🎆 Fireworks - Firework Night at the rugby club tonight
🎒 School - Half term ends, back on Monday
🏛️ Community - Glen Vue closes, dementia services move
🚧 Traffic - Getting around this weekend and next week
📰 News - Business spotlight and jobs at Duckyls Farm
📅 What's on in East Grinstead this weekend, Friday to Sunday
🏆 Voting - Have your say: Best of East Grinstead 2026
Looking for a local business? Find shops and services on the East Grinstead Guide website.
Listen to today's news
Prefer to listen? Today's news is a five-minute podcast.
1. Today's weather
BBC Weather says the morning mist and fog should clear to plenty of autumn sunshine, with just a few patches of cloud. Expect a high of 15°C and a low of 6°C, with a gentle breeze. Sunrise is at 6.48am and sunset at 4.38pm, as the clocks went back last Sunday.
The weekend looks misty to start, with highs of about 14°C on Saturday and 13°C on Sunday.
Full forecast: BBC Weather
2. Firework Night at the rugby club tonight - Fireworks
Poster: East Grinstead RFC, via East Grinstead Business Association
East Grinstead Rugby Football Club holds its first Firework Night tonight at The Gearon Pavilion, Saint Hill Road, RH19 4JU. It starts at 5pm, with the fireworks at 7pm.
There's a face painter, fairground rides, a live fire performance and a food village with a BBQ, The Colonel fish and chips, Sussex biltong, Cortado Coffee and Poffert Kitchen's Dutch mini pancakes. Tickets are sold online.
More bonfire nights nearby: Lindfield Bonfire is on Thursday 5 November on Lindfield Common, free, with the procession at 7.30pm and fireworks at 8.30pm. Edenbridge Bonfire is on Saturday 7 November, with the procession at 6.30pm and fireworks at 8.30pm.
3. Half term ends, back on Monday - School
Today is the last day of half term. West Sussex County Council's term dates show the autumn term continuing from Monday 2 November and ending on Friday 18 December.
Academies and independent schools can set their own dates, so check with your school if you're not sure. School term dates
4. Glen Vue closes, dementia services move - Community
Age UK is leaving the Glen Vue Centre on Railway Approach at the end of October. Age UK East Grinstead & District has merged with Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove, and the charity says the building had become too expensive to run.
The charity says its dementia services in East Grinstead are not closing. From November they move to new venues:
Memory Café - Trinity Methodist Church, Lingfield Road, RH19 2HA. Every other Wednesday, 2pm to 4pm, £2.50 per person.
Dementia Respite Service - Cranston Suite, East Court Mansion, RH19 3LT. Every Tuesday and Thursday, 10am to 3pm, £60 per session.
Other groups that met at Glen Vue, including the Repair Café, are moving too. Councillor Jacquie Russell told the Sussex Express she is working with West Sussex County Council and local groups to keep the building as a community hub.
5. Getting around this weekend and next week - Traffic
Roads
College Lane is closed from Old Road northwards to De La Warr Road until Friday 6 November, while the gas mains are replaced. Allow extra time if you're heading to Chequer Mead.
Garland Road is closed to southbound traffic for 40 metres south of the London Road (A22) junction until Tuesday 10 November.
Coming up: Church Lane will be closed from the High Street to St Swithuns Close from Monday 9 to Friday 20 November for gas mains work. Road notices
Questions about road closures: West Sussex County Council Contact Centre, 01243 642105.
Trains
Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November: engineering works at London Bridge. There are no Southern trains between London Bridge and East Croydon via New Cross Gate or Sydenham, and most Thameslink trains are diverted away from London Bridge. National Rail
Monday 2 to Thursday 5 November, late evenings: the 11.22pm from London Victoria to East Grinstead ends at East Croydon, with a rail replacement bus on to Oxted and East Grinstead. National Rail
Wednesday 28 October: a signalling fault blocked one line between Gatwick Airport and Three Bridges, disrupting Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink services from about 3pm, with disruption expected until 8pm. This was a fault on Wednesday afternoon, not planned engineering work. Sussex Express
6. Also in the news - News
Free business spotlight from the Town Council: East Grinstead Town Council is offering local shops and businesses a free feature on its social media, either a simple post or an interview-style reel filmed in your shop. Businesses based in the town can email the council to be considered, and it will choose one a month to feature on its Visit East Grinstead Facebook page and website. October's feature is Katie's House, the new home of The Sensory Network. East Grinstead Town Council
Two jobs at Duckyls Farm: Diagrama Foundation is recruiting an Instructor for its Community Services team and a Development Worker for its Residential Care team at Duckyls Farm near East Grinstead, a 100-acre farm-based service for people with a learning disability and additional needs. Both roles are permanent and full-time, and both need a driving licence. To apply, send a CV and covering letter to [email protected] saying which role you want. Charity Today
7. What's on this weekend - What’s On
Here's what's on from today to Sunday. Event times and prices can change, so check the link before you go.
Friday 30 October
Firework Night at East Grinstead RFC - from 5pm, fireworks at 7pm, The Gearon Pavilion, Saint Hill Road, RH19 4JU. Fairground rides, face painting, fire performer and food village. Tickets
Autumn Trail at East Grinstead Sports Club - 10am to 3pm, Saint Hill Road, RH19 4JU. Free entry, with a prize at the end and autumn crafts. Last day, no booking.
Halloween Craft Camp at Learts Creative Studio - 10am to 4pm, 57A Railway Approach. Ages 4 (once started school) to 12, £60 a day.
Halloween fun on the Bluebell Railway - Halloween crafts on the 11.30am and 2pm trains from East Grinstead, plus bingo and magic with Felix the Wizard. Fancy dress encouraged. Children aged 3 to 15 travel for £1 with a paying adult.
Hedgehog Trail at Rowfant Trail - 9.30am to 4pm (last entry 2.30pm), Rowfant Business Park, Wallage Lane, RH10 4NQ. Adults £3, children £4.50 including a trail sheet and craft. No booking.
A ghostly evening with John - 7pm to 8.30pm, The Bookshop, 22 High Street, RH19 3AW. Tickets £20 plus fees.
The Addams Family, COS Musical Theatre - 7.30pm, Chequer Mead Theatre, De La Warr Road. Tickets £23, or £21.50 for under-16s. Box office 01342 302000.
Saturday 31 October
East Grinstead Record Fair - 9am to 3pm, Trinity Methodist Church, Lingfield Road, RH19 2HA. Free entry, with 20 tables of new and secondhand vinyl and CDs across all genres and budgets. The last fair of 2026.
Halloween fun on the Bluebell Railway - crafts on the 11.30am and 2pm trains from East Grinstead. Children 3 to 15 travel for £1 with a paying adult.
Hedgehog Trail at Rowfant Trail - 9.30am to 4pm (last entry 2.30pm), Wallage Lane, RH10 4NQ. Adults £3, children £4.50.
The Addams Family, COS Musical Theatre - 2.30pm and 7.30pm, Chequer Mead Theatre, De La Warr Road. Tickets £23, or £21.50 for under-16s. Box office 01342 302000.
Halloween at The Old Dunnings Mill - Dunnings Road, RH19 4AT, free entry. Kids' disco 3pm to 4.30pm with prizes for the best outfits, family spooky quiz 6pm to 8pm (£2 per person, free Halloween pack for every child taking part) and trick or treat 7pm to 8pm while stocks last. Book on 01342 821080.
Free Halloween cinema at The Three Crowns - 4pm to 6pm, 10 Hammerwood Road, Ashurst Wood. Corpse Bride, for children.
Light Party with Jubilee Community Church - 4.30pm to 7.30pm, Jubilee Community Centre, Charlwoods Road, RH19 2HL. For ages 10 to 14, with team games, food and a glow in the dark disco. Sign up online.
HalGLOWeen at Rowfant Trail - from 5pm (pick a time slot when you book), Rowfant Business Park, Wallage Lane, RH10 4NQ. A glow in the dark UV woodland walk, then fire, live music and hot drinks. £9, pre-booking only, no dogs.
Halloween fancy dress karaoke at The Three Crowns - from 8pm, 10 Hammerwood Road, Ashurst Wood.
Sunday 1 November
Halloween fun on the Bluebell Railway - last day, crafts on the 11.30am and 2pm trains from East Grinstead. Children 3 to 15 travel for £1 with a paying adult.
8. Have your say: Best of East Grinstead 2026 - Ballot
Image: East Grinstead Guide, using a photo by Peter Trimming, CC BY-SA 2.0
The Best of East Grinstead 2026 vote is open: give a shout-out to the local businesses you love, across 29 categories from pizza to plumbers.
Voting closes on Monday 7 December 2026. Remember to click the link in your confirmation email, as your vote only counts once confirmed.
Know something that's happening in town? Email us at [email protected] and tell us. You can also join us in the East Grinstead Guide Facebook group.
Find local businesses, shops and services on the East Grinstead Guide website.
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See you tomorrow,
Grant, East Grinstead Guide
Want to feature your business or sponsor the newsletter? Email us at [email protected].