Surrey Magazine & Sussex Magazine » news

Shop At Strood Green Update – Huge Boost!

Roger Mayne — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 22:37:15 +0000

We received a huge boost today with news that we have been allocated a RASP grant of £20,000. This is amazing news, we only applied for £18,700 but they liked our project so much, they have offered us more. The only stipulation is that the shop is up and running by March 31st, so we have to make sure it is.
We have put out a request on Freecycle for any building materials people might have left over from other projects, if anyone knows of any treasure troves of breeze blocks and plasterboard, please let us know.
We really feel we are able to plan in detail now for the interior layout, lighting, flooring etc which is very exciting.

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Shop At Strood Green Update – Nearly there!!!!!!

Roger Mayne — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 22:37:15 +0000

We are nearly there now!!!
Last week we had a visit from the Coop Bank which gave us, after some stiff questioning (well done Helen and Chloe!) the green light for the £20,000 loan. This also then triggers the £20,000 grant, so hopefully, within the next couple of weeks we should have our coffers tripled to £60,000. This is a truely remarkable effort by all involved, apparently these community schemes are normally fronted by retired solicitors and accountants, so we are quite an unusual committee.
The other piece of equally good news is that after a great deal of wrangling with Mole Valley’s planning department, our Landlord has agreed to give us the back room without any equivalent payback on the first floor. This is very generous of him and it has been a difficult few weeks for all of us, trying to understand the rationale (if any) of the planning department.
So, all in all, we are creeping ever closer to a successful renovation and opening of the shop. we hope to start the building work very soon, with a combination of paid work and volunteer effort. Anyone who would like to help, please let one of us know.
It’s fantastic news and, although we hardly dare believe it,it looks like we’re nearly there!

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Surrey News – Godstone takes blame for E.coli outbreak

Roger Mayne — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:36:01 +0000

GODSTONE Farm has taken the blame for one of the UK’s largest ever E.coli outbreaks, in which 27 children were hospitalised.

The owners will now have to pay damages to the youngsters’ families, who launched a group legal action against the children’s farm in Tiburstow Hill Road last June.

The farm closed its gates on September 12, 2009, after the Health Protection Agency confirmed visitors had contracted the strain of bacteria from their business.

At the height of the outbreak there were 93 confirmed cases. Of the 93, 27 children were admitted to hospital and 17 developed serious kidney problems. All are now thought to be on the road to recovery.

The farm reopened again on October 26, 2009 and, after legal discussions, its owners admitted liability for the outbreak to the victims’ lawyers on Monday night.

One of those hospitalised was three-year-old Jacob Ogle, of Blackthorn Road, Reigate, who suffered kidney failure following a visit in August 2009.

His father Daniel said: “This is what we wanted all along. Pursuing a legal claim was not our main objective, we just wanted the farm to admit responsibility.”

Jackie Flaherty, who owns Godstone Farm, said she could not comment on the legal aspects of the case but added: “In the last 15 months the children involved have never been far from our thoughts and prayers, particularly those who spent time in hospital.”

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Surrey News – Man badly injured in accident on A217

Roger Mayne — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:35:48 +0000

TWO men were taken to hospital, one with serious head injuries, after an accident on a busy main road.

The crash on the A217 Reigate Road, Hookwood, occurred at about 6.15am on Tuesday near the junction with Mill Lane by the Black Horse pub, when a Royal Mail van was involved in a collision with a grey Ford Transit.

Emergency services attended the scene and one man with serious head injuries, and another with neck injuries, were taken to East Surrey Hospital.

The Mirror understands that the injuries suffered are not life-threatening.

A concerned neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: “I don’t know what happened today, but something must be done here.

“People who want to go to Reigate can’t be bothered to go around the roundabout just up the road, so when it’s quieter they try to do a U-turn. We need a roundabout here.”

A Surrey County Council spokesman said it would cost too much to put in a new roundabout.

No-one has been arrested in connection with the accident.

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Surrey News – New Morrisons may be in store for Dorking

Roger Mayne — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:35:31 +0000

A DEAL has been agreed that could see a new Morrisons superstore open in Dorking.

District councillors approved a “conditional sale agreement” on Tuesday night, meaning Morrisons will buy the Station Road/Curtis Road depot site if they get planning permission for a store.

But a public consultation starts next month and three other supermarket options are also in the running – sites in Vincent Lane and St Martin’s Walk are being considered and an existing supermarket in High Street or South Street could be expanded.

The council owns part of the Curtis Road site, so a provisional sale had to be agreed before it could be considered in the forthcoming consultation. The other possible sites are privately owned.

And the Morrisons store, which could cover up to 65,000 sq ft, faces opposition from campaigners who say it would drive business out of the town centre and cause traffic chaos.

Rob Sedgwick, a founding member of Dorking SOS, which opposes supermarket expansion, said: “Dorking is already too elongated, too spread out, and Curtis Road is just so far away from the rest of the shops.”

He said the town is in need of a larger food store, but local traders need to benefit.

“A lot of the smaller shops and independent traders might be put out of business,” he said.

“Money spent in local shops is more likely to stay in the community.”

Lib Dem councillor Stephen Cooksey said the store could have a “seriously damaging” effect on town-centre traders.

He said: “It is an out-of-town site, which would attract shoppers to bring their cars directly to the site and leave after their shopping was complete.”

The provisional deal with Morrisons was agreed by Mole Valley District Council’s executive committee on Tuesday.

Speaking before the meeting, Councillor Ben Tatham, executive member for finance and assets, said: “People are going off to do their supermarket shopping somewhere else because there isn’t a supermarket that suits them in Dorking.

“If it is purely a food supermarket, not a giant store selling everything, then there are very few shops in the High Street that will be affected.”

Once the consultation is complete, the council will choose its favoured site and applications will be invited for that location.

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Surrey News – Battle to keep free parking

Roger Mayne — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:35:04 +0000

FURIOUS councillors plan to rally the whole town to fight proposed parking charges, which they say will devastate Horley’s regeneration.

The charges have been branded a “revenue-creation measure” by Surrey County Council.

But borough councilors have even threatened a judicial review, where the courts would be asked to make a judgement on the council plan, to stop it going ahead.

In a submission to the county council, leaked to the Mirror, the local councillors say the charges would be a cruel blow to struggling shops, which rely on short-term parking to bring in business.

Councillor Graham Knight, who represents Horley East, said: “We are fighting this really hard.

“We’re going to fight it tooth and nail.

“We are going to do everything we have to do to make sure these charges don’t happen.

“The businesses are suffering enough.

“The last thing we need is to give people a reason not to come to Horley.”

He said he thought the county council was paying “lip service” to the town centre’s regeneration.

The proposal, which will see 587 free parking bays across the borough turned into charged spaces, including 113 in Horley, was revealed by the Mirror last week.

Under the plans, free parking spaces in High Street, Victoria Road, Station Road, Russells Crescent and Station Approach, would disappear.

Councillor Andrew Lynch, who represents Horley Central, believes the charges are in direct contrast with the county council’s apparent support of Horley’s regeneration.

He added: “We have no intention of standing by and watching the county council impose these measures.

“While it’s very commendable that they intend to introduce a zero increase in the council tax precept, what they’re doing is loading another tax on our residents and visitors.

“They admit this is purely a revenue-creation measure and I have no idea how they can reconcile it with their commitment to the regeneration of the town centre.”

Chairman of the chamber of commerce Peter Von Staerck branded the plans “ludicrous”.

He said: “It’s just bringing Horley down on its knees even more. The businesses are struggling and it will financially cripple people coming into town.”

To sign the petition No Parking Charges in Horley, visit www.gopetition.com/petition/41837.html

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Surrey News – Two people flee scene after cars collide near Dorking

Roger Mayne — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:34:50 +0000

TWO people were seen fleeing the scene of a traffic collision which left three others injured.

Police and fire crews were called to Old Horsham Road in Beare Green at around 12.20am on Sunday, where a silver Vauxhall Zafira had collided with a green Mini Cooper.

The male driver and a female passenger of the Vauxhall were cut out of the vehicle by fire crews. A male passenger in the same car was able to get out unassisted.

The two men received treatment for minor injuries but the woman, in her 60s, was taken to East Surrey Hospital by ambulance.

A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance Service said she suffered suspected back and abdomen injuries, though her condition was not thought to be life-threatening.

It is believed she also suffered a fractured hand and cracked ribs, while the male driver of the Vauxhall experienced pains in his chest.

A spokeswoman for Surrey Police said: “Following the incident, it is believed the driver of the Mini decamped from the vehicle and witnesses reported seeing two people leaving the scene.”

Two men, aged 19 and 20, both from Dorking, were arrested in connection with the incident.

The 19-year-old was released with no further action and the 20-year-old was released on bail until March.

Anyone who witnessed the collision should contact Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222, quoting reference number P11007585.

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Surrey News – Business to convert into flats

Roger Mayne — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:34:20 +0000

PLANS to turn a fishing supply business in Heathfield into two flats have been welcomed.

The transformation of Sussex Angling Supplies in Streatfield Road into a pair of one-bedroom flats were supported by the parish council at a meeting on Monday.

Members said the conversion was a “good idea”.

Planning documents say the business is “no longer commercially viable” and the building is in need of repair.

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Surrey News – New mammography machine will be based at Crawley

Roger Mayne — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:33:47 +0000

EAST Surrey patients will have to travel to Crawley to be examined by a new, hi-tech mammography machine.

Health bosses have officially announced they are purchasing the new machine which will be based at Crawley Hospital but also used by patients sent from East Surrey Hospital.

The machine, which checks for lumps to help early detection of cancer, was purchased by Surrey and Sussex NHS Trust and the Friends of Crawley Hospital.

It will replace the current film machines at both Crawley and East Surrey, which are reaching the end of their working lives.

The new X-ray machine will allow for an improved workflow, so more patients can be seen.

The machine will allow for imaging and diagnosis in one day, which GPs say is of great benefit to patients.

Adrian Ball, lead consultant for cancer services at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “We receive a lot of positive feedback from patients and GPs about the one-stop breast cancer service at Crawley Hospital and this new machine will certainly enhance that service.”

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Surrey News – Appeal to preserve former town hall building

Roger Mayne — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:33:26 +0000

AN eleventh-hour bid has been launched to help preserve Caterham’s most iconic building for community-wide use.

The 100-year-old former town hall in Harestone Valley Road lies underused, in need of a facelift and with a “condemned” kitchen.

Two groups are vying to take over the running of Soper Hall from the council – Caterham Baptist Church and a residents-led trust the Soper Hall Group.

Tandridge District Council is due to decide on the fate of the building fate at its resources committee meeting on January 24.

Whoever gets the green light can then press on and apply for National Lottery funding to upgrade the building, which the council would not be eligible for.

Ahead of the key meeting, residents have been urged to go online and back the community-led bid.

Chris Windridge, a member of the Soper Hall group, said: “Hopefully people will get behind us and support our community initiative.”

Among potential uses his group has identified for the refurbished building are weddings, adult education classes, arts and crafts groups, mothers’ and toddlers’ sessions and Freemasons lodges.

Visit www.soperhall.org.uk to register support for the group’s bid.

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