Month: July 2024

Epsom Common awarded the Green Flag Award

Epsom Common Local Nature Reserve has been awarded the coveted Green Flag Award and officially recognised as one of the country’s best green spaces 

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council is celebrating receiving the prestigious Green Flag Award – the international quality mark for parks and green spaces – for an 18th consecutive year, for Epsom Common Local Nature Reserve (LNR).

Epsom Common LNR dates back to Saxon times and is a nationally and internationally important wildlife site, as well as being designated a ‘Site of Specific Scientific Interest’ due to its rare insects and its importance of breeding bird habitat. Epsom Common LNR contains oak woods, open pasture woodland and wetland habitats including large ponds and hosts species including cotton spotted orchids and purple emperor butterflies.

Councillor Liz Frost, Chair of the Environment Committee said: “Epsom Common is a beautiful and biodiverse space that is available for people, horse riders and cyclists and we’re incredibly proud to receive this award for an 18th consecutive year. This award is a true testament to the hard work and dedication of our volunteers and partners including the Epsom Common Association, the Lower Mole Partnership and Natural England.

Thanks to staff and volunteers for continuing to provide a safe, green space for residents to enjoy.”

To find out more about the walks and tours taking place, managed by the Countryside Team at the council, take a look here: What’s on | Epsom and Ewell Borough Council (epsom-ewell.gov.uk).

Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved at Epsom & Ewell Borough Council on achieving a Green Flag Award. Epsom Common LNR is a vital green space for communities in Epsom and Ewell to socialise, enjoy nature, for children to play safely and it provides important opportunities for park users to improve their physical and mental health.

We know that staff and volunteers work tirelessly to ensure that it maintains the high standards of the Green Flag Award, everyone involved should feel extremely proud of their achievement. It is important that our free to use spaces are maintained to the Green Flag Award standard, making them accessible for all members of the community while ensuring the environment is protected.”

Free Tennis Sessions in Epsom & Ewell

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council to offer free morning tennis sessions over the school summer holidays. 

Continuing the enthusiasm for tennis following Wimbledon, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council will be offering bookable free tennis sessions from Tuesday 23 July to Monday 26 August, between 8am and 12pm.

Courts can be booked by visiting Epsom & Ewell Parks Tennis / Home (lta.org.uk).

The free summer sessions follow the council’s move earlier this year to introduce a new ‘pay as you play’ scheme across all tennis courts. The scheme seeks to make the borough’s tennis courts more self-sufficient, with all income raised being reinvested into the courts.

The council has also implemented free coaching opportunities at Court Recreation Ground and free booking slots on Saturdays to enable those of all ages, experience, and socio-economic background to participate.

Councillor Liz Frost, Chair of the Environment Committee, said: “The decision to extend free, bookable morning sessions at our tennis courts during the summer holidays gives residents, particularly our younger ones, a greater opportunity to keep active and have fun during the break.”

“We hope that this this will encourage those who have otherwise not considered playing tennis the incentive to give it a go and if they enjoy it, join as members in the future.”

Guildford’s Boathouse Cafe set to sizzle this summer

Guildford’s unique riverside restaurant set to sizzle this summer as they announces new Head Chef and seasonal summer menu

The independently run, award-winning riverside restaurant, The Boathouse Cafe, (theboathousecafe.co.uk) has officially launched its summer menu – created by their new Head Chef, Rafal Milarski, with the restaurant now reopen for dinner.

While soaking up the atmosphere from the restaurant’s riverside terrace, guests can expect to enjoy a delicious and fresh summer menu, which focuses on British fare with a twist. The new all-day menu is inspired by local, seasonal produce, offering an array of mouth watering dishes including crab and prawn plates, cod ‘schnitzel’, poke bowl, primavera tagliatelle, and premium ‘Surrey Hills’ ribeye steak.

The Boathouse

With a career spanning top-tier establishments across Europe, new Head Chef, Rafal Milarski, brings a wealth of expertise and passion to the chic riverside restaurant. Having discovered his love for cooking at the young age of eight, when at home watching his mother in the kitchen, Rafal was educated in Poland with certificates in Culinary Arts, Professional Cooking and Baking. Rafal was previously Head Chef at The Harbour Hotel Guildford and The Drummond at Albury, and is known for his creativity, leadership, and dedication to quality.

The Boathouse Creative Director, Jessica Meins says: “We are delighted to announce Rafal Milarski has joined The Boathouse Cafe, working alongside our talented team – led by The Boathouse Cafe General Manager, Justyna Cichocka. Rafal’s impressive background and shared vision for seasonal British food makes him an exciting culinary leader to take our independent, destination restaurant into the next chapter. We look forward to welcoming all our guests dining with us this summer!”

Having opened its doors in July 2023, The Boathouse Cafe has been described as a “hidden foodie gem upon Guildford’s River Wey”. Located at the bottom of Guildford high street, the former 1960’s Boat House has been meticulously reimagined by the Meins family and now provides the perfect location for meeting friends and enjoying alfresco, riverside dining.

The Boathouse Cafe maintains a unique position as one of a handful of Guildford’s remaining independent restaurants. The destination restaurant is also offering a series of events this summer, including live music nights, health and wellness events, and boat hire.

The restaurant is open for dinner Thursdays – Saturdays, as well as Tuesdays – Sundays for breakfast and lunch.

More information can be found on The Boathouse Cafe website (theboathousecafe.co.uk) and Instagram channel – @theboathousecafeguildford.

Local CCTV Monitoring Arrangement

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council and partners agree to local CCTV monitoring arrangements to help promote nighttime safety and combat retail crime 

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, alongside partners Go Epsom, Surrey Police and The Ashley Centre, today announce they have entered an arrangement for town centre CCTV cameras to be monitored locally by The Ashley Centre’s security team, Mercury Security.

The Ashley Centre team’s knowledge of the local area and persons of interest will prove invaluable in tackling retail crime, supporting Epsom’s nighttime economy and improving safety in the town centre overall.

Last year, 15 new, fully digital, high definition CCTV cameras were installed in the town centre as a result of a successful bid for government funding by the council, Go Epsom, Surrey Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner in 2022. The funding made it possible to implement measures to make the streets of Epsom safer – including upgrading CCTV cameras in the town centre.

Councillor Shanice GoldmanCouncillor Shanice Goldman, Chair of Crime and Disorder Committee, said: “I’m very pleased we and our partners have come to an agreement with The Ashley Centre and their partner security firm, Mercury Security, to monitor the town centre’s CCTV.

“Over the past two years, the council and our partners have implemented many measures to improve safety and reduce crime in Epsom. Moving to a locally monitored CCTV service, with personnel who are familiar with the area and likely perpetrators, can only improve results.”

Karen Pengelly, BID Manager at Go Epsom, said: “Epsom should be welcoming and safe for all residents, workers and visitors. Lots of hard work by the BID, Surrey Police and the Council is now seeing tangible results, information on offenders is being gathered and shared and now, active CCTV monitoring will mean another step forwards in public safety”

Helen Maguire MP Calls For New Laws On GP Appointments and Cancer Care

Helen Maguire MP for Epsom & Ewell calls For new laws on GP Appointments and Cancer Care In King’s Speech. 

Liberal Democrat MP for Epsom & Ewell, Ashtead and Leatherhead, Helen Maguire, has called on the new government to prioritise the NHS and social care in this Wednesday’s King’s Speech.

 Maguire has called for new laws to tackle the crisis in GP and cancer care waiting times. The Liberal Democrat general election manifesto called for giving patients new legal rights to see a GP within a week and to start cancer treatment within 62 days of an urgent diagnosis, with new laws putting a statutory duty on the Government to deliver them.

The NHS crisis was one of the most raised issues on the doorstep by local people, and the Liberal Democrat MP is now taking those concerns to Westminster.

Since the Conservatives promised to hire 6,000 more GPs, the number has fallen by almost 500, leaving our GP services in crisis and people struggling to get an appointment.

More than 100,000 patients in the last year waited longer than the NHS target of 62 days to start urgent cancer treatment.

Helen Maguire MP for Epsom & EwellHelen Maguire MP commented:

“I have heard so many heartbreaking stories from local people about the state of the NHS. People tell me it has become almost impossible to see an NHS dentist or GP when you need to, whilst cancer care targets are constantly being missed.

“Years of neglect under the Conservative Party have left our local health and care services in a state of chaos. That is not good enough and our community deserves better.

“I hope the new government does the right thing and puts the NHS and care at the top of their priority list. We cannot wait any longer to restore local health services,” said Maguire.

M25 Weekend Closure in July

The M25 will once again be closed in both ways between junction 10 Wisley and junction 11 Addlestone  from 9pm Friday 11th July to 6am Monday 15th July so a new bridge can be installed.

National Highways are asking drive only to travel if your journey is necessary. A detailed diversion has been set up, and drivers are being urged NOT to rely on their Sat Navs but to follow the diversion routes instead.

Diversion route

The local diversion route is the same for both directions:

Junction 10 to Junction 11

North bound A3 to Painshill Junction, A245 towards Woking, and then A320 to M25 Junction 11.

Junction 11 to Junction 10

A320 south towards Woking, A245 towards Byfleet and Painshill junction, Southbound A3 to Junction 10.

Avoiding the closure by taking the M25 via the Dartford Crossing may also be quicker.

There are concerns that Sat Navs may direct vehicles, including lorries, onto smaller town roads, causing significant congestion alongside the delays that will happen with the diversions. So please follow the diversion route and not your SatNav.

The M25 junction 10 project profile page tells the story of our ongoing work during 2024/25 to transform the junction and surrounding area.

Lib Dem Helen Maguire Wins Historic Victory in Epsom & Ewell

Liberal Democrat Helen Maguire wins historic victory in Epsom & Ewell and calls on Labour to support political reform.

Helen Maguire has won a historic victory to become the new Liberal Democrat MP for Epsom & Ewell.

Former Royal Military Police Captain Maguire overturned an 18,000 vote Conservative majority in a constituency that has been Conservative since its inception in 1885.

In her speech following the result at the iconic Epsom racecourse – the home of the Epsom Derby – Maguirethanked former MP Chris Grayling for his 23 year service in Epsom & Ewell. She thanked her Lib Dem colleagues – some 400 who worked on the campaign – as well as her family.

Turning to political reform Helen Maguire said, “We know that Labour have won an overall majority in Parliament and I urge them to use this majority to enable political reform. At a recent Labour conference 85% of their members voted for proportional representation and so this morning I am asking Labour members here to put this to their leadership to reform the political system, to allow people to truly have their say so that in the future they won’t’ have to navigate the endless polls and opinion surveys.
 

Helen said “Finally, I would like to thank the voters of Epsom & Ewell who have put their trust in me. Today the hard work begins and I look forward to starting the job as your Member of Parliament and serving this wonderful community,”