Signs of progress at last:

1. The site fencing around the new stairs at street level has been
removed, and replaced with temporary barriers
2. There are people working in what appears to be the new control room
in the tube ticket hall (of course they could be IT staff instaling or
testing the system)
3. The contractor's hoardings in the met/circle thoroughfare have been
partially removed, revealing a flight of steps down from the new
western ticket hall
4. Similar hoardings blocking off the westernmost cross passage beween
the two met line platforms have also been taken down, and replaced with
temporary fencing.
5. The passage between the tube ticket hall and the western ticket hall
is now virtually clear.

All this suggests that some form of opening is imminent, although given
the track record of this project it could well stay as it is for
several months yet - let's keep our fingers crossed.