OK, so reviews are out and my 3 star opinion is online
https://www.theatremonkey.com/show/paddington-the-musical/

It didn't do a lot for me. I agree with a producer friend that it isn't a big show - in fact, it's quite tacky and cost-cutting in places.

Totally agreed with the American lady next to me at the Royal Variety Performance who said she found the bear "slightly creepy."

For a show about kindness, plenty of middle aged man bashing, and she also did the same to the little boy.

Add in the horrible caricature of Mr Gruber, and it seemed to me a million miles away from the loving books.

Couple of good songs, mostly lyrics hitting the rhyming dictionary too hard. Really lousy book.

Apart from that, I quite liked it...