Newbury made international headlines earlier this month when its beloved bear statue was vandalised overnight, sparking widespread social media attention.

The story quickly gained traction across local and national media before being picked up internationally, including titles in America and India.

Newbury Business Improvement District originally brought Paddington to Newbury in October 2024, as part of STUDIOCANAL’s national Paddington Visits trail.

Following a swift recovery of the damaged statue by Thames Valley Police, Newbury BID is delighted to report that the Paddington statue is undergoing repairs, with plans to return the statue to Newbury – the birthplace of Paddington creator Michael Bond – at the earliest opportunity.

While an exact return date is still to be confirmed, Newbury BID is working closely with all parties involved in the repair process.

The community interest company would like to thank everyone for their support, including the Thames Valley Police team, Scion Communications from Thatcham for providing the town’s CCTV system, and for all the thoughtful messages sent by the public over the last couple of weeks.

Newbury BID will share further details as soon as they are confirmed.