The Inspiration for Pub Success Since 1794 24-Apr-2025 Last updated on 24-Apr-2025 at 15:22 GMT Part of Heartwood Collection group, which was recently awarded ‘Best Pub Brand/Concept’ in the 2025 Publican Awards, the site marks the brand’s sixth pub with rooms The pub has benefitted from a multi-million pound renovation including an extension to a dining area at the rear of the property which opens onto a large garden with views of the River Wey the Ragged Robin boasts 19 boutique bedrooms with prices starting at £100 per night for a midweek stay offering dog beds as well as a dedicated dog menu and shower sustainable menu in line with Heartwood’s three star rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association alongside an extensive wine and drinks list including local beers and craft ales Heartwood Collection CEO Richard Ferrier said: “We’re thrilled to invite guests to book their first stay at The Ragged Robin we’ve dedicated a great deal of care to creating beautiful boutique.” Heartwood is backed by Alchemy Partners and currently operates 28 Heartwood Inns pub and 14 Brasserie Blanc restaurants across the UK." The group has planned to open two further standalone pubs in the spring A further three Heartwood Inn pubs are in the works for later in the year CAMRA: ‘Fresh Ale undermines centuries of British tradition’24-Apr-2025By Rebecca WellerFresh Ale “undermines centuries of British tradition” by “masquerading” as cask beer, CAMRA has said. Market Taverns appoints new COO24-Apr-2025By Michelle PerrettMarket Taverns has appointed a new chief operating officer with the promotion of Adrian Laws. Pub numbers rise but fears remain over increasing costs24-Apr-2025Community, food and high street pub numbers have remained resilient over the past quarter, the new Hospitality Market Monitor from CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners has shown. Quench your Thirst with Beers from the European UnionPaid for and content provided by European Union Further Sunflower cafes will be opening in Guildford and Farnham A new café for people with dementia and their carers has opened in Godalming is co-hosted by local home care provider Right at Home GF and Care UK It takes place at the Godalming Baptist Church in Queen Street says: “We now have seven Sunflower Cafes in the area which provide a safe and welcoming environment for people with dementia “Anybody who comes along can expect to enjoy a lovely cuppa biscuits and some great company in an informal setting As well as offering social opportunities for people with dementia the cafes provide opportunities for carers to share experiences tips and advice with others in a similar situation.”  Rosemary regularly attends a nearby Sunflower Café and says: “The community groups are casual “We do lots of socialising and love making new friends especially for the Singing for the Mind group In Farnham.”  Godalming’s next Sunflower Café is on March 13 followed by April 17. See www.rightathome.co.uk/guildford-and-farnham/ for more information Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Heartwood Inns are excited to announce that reservations for The Ragged Robin in Godalming are now open following a multi-million-pound investment the pub has been thoughtfully renovated to reflect Heartwood’s signature warm and welcoming style The property has been extended to include a spacious dining area at the rear which opens onto a large garden with stunning views of the River Wey With 19 beautifully designed boutique bedrooms The Ragged Robin is poised to become a perfect spot for locals and visitors alike to relax and enjoy The Ragged Robin is perfectly situated for visitors looking to explore this historic market town and the surrounding Surrey Hills the pub provides a charming escape which is easily accessible from Guildford and London by train Guests can choose from beautifully designed rooms ranging from a Snug to a Luxe The rooms will feature Heartwood’s signature touches for a ‘home from home’ experience including Roberts radios Bramley toiletries and home-baked sweet treats All rooms feature rainfall showers with the Really Fancy and Luxe rooms also boasting free-standing baths The inn is also dog friendly with dog beds sustainable menu in line with Heartwood’s three star rating from The Sustainable Restaurant Association and an extensive wine and drinks list including local beers and craft ales The Ragged Robin is Heartwood Inns’ sixth pub with rooms and will take the Group’s room offering across the six locations to more than 190 bedrooms The Group has plans to open two further standalone pubs in the spring “We’re thrilled to invite guests to book their first stay at The Ragged Robin we’ve dedicated a great deal of care to creating beautiful boutique bedrooms and a welcoming pub space that we hope will become a local favourite.” For any media enquiries please contact press@heartwoodcollection.com Heartwood Collection is the Group that operates 28 Heartwood Inns pubs and 14 Brasserie Blanc restaurants across the UK Heartwood Collection’s current site portfolio is as follows: The Plough & Harrow – Long Ditton Opening Summer 2025 The Old Crown – Great Bookham Opening Summer 2025 The Woodman – Southgate Heartwood Collection is backed by Alchemy Partners Heartwood Inns has been awarded ‘Best Pub Brand/Concept’ in the 2025 Publican Awards Heartwood Inns has been recognised as a ‘Sunday Times Best Place to Work 2024’ Third-party news items that are posted on the Guild website come from press releases and emails received by the Guild These are posted as they have been received Their publication on the Guild website is an informational service only and is neither an endorsement of the content please use the contact details that can be found at the bottom of each post Email secretary@beerguild.co.uk Copyright © The British Guild of Beer Writers 2025 Developed by HGA For best viewing experience of this website Please enter a place name in the search bar After provisionally the warmest May Day on record in the UK higher than average temperatures will subside over the weekend Environment Agency Updated: 01:58 (UTC+1) on Tue 6 May 2025 Cloud thinning and becoming mainly dry overnight Cloud thinning and breaking during the evening with showers and any remaining rain soon fading Showers remain possible across Kent with brisk winds here Possible rural grass frost in western parts by dawn Cloudier in east with best of the sunshine across western regions mainly fine weather with sunny or clear spells and mostly light winds Dry across the vast majority of the UK with clear or sunny spells but also some patchy cloud Cloud will likely thicken across the far north and northwest during the weekend with some outbreaks of rain for a time There is also a small risk of some heavy showers in the far south or southwest high pressure will be dominant across the UK This will bring predominantly fine and dry weather for the majority of places Temperatures are likely to be slightly above normal for the time of year although there is a chance of some cold nights Fairly typical weather for the time of year is most likely through this period fine and dry weather is more likely to dominate although this will be interspersed with occasional spells of rain and showers with a risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms in places temperatures will most likely be near to or slightly above average From Jane Austin Waverley borough councillor and leader of the Conservative opposition at WBC In response to: Godalming Town Centre Housing Plan Moves a Step Closer The Godalming High Street development project is too little My council group eagerly await sight of the detailed costs for the residential element of this development because the initial feasibility numbers were phenomenally high This will be yet more millions on top of the ridiculous £4.5 million already spent The retail element of this unit remains vacant following WBC’s acquisition in 2022 I asked WBC for an update in January: the incoming retail tenant Loungers is due to take occupation in order to fit-out in January 2026 (and WBC is paying the tenant £150k contribution towards this) – nine months behind schedule not be trading until mid 2026 – over four years after purchase This purchase remains an unwise acquisition and case in point for why Council’s should not invest in areas they have little market experience How many of the houses for affordable or social schemes could Waverley have bought off-plan using the millions which was instead plunged into this In 1764 the Godalming Navigation opened… finally linking the town to England’s main canal network as the River Wey Navigation from Guildford to Weybridge had been completed and opened in 1653 It is part natural river and part man-made canal cuts And it was one of the first British rivers to become navigable Work began much later in 1760 to make the four miles of waterway from Guildford to Godalming navigable This included one and a half miles of canal and four locks It provided a boost to several of Godalming’s trades and industries with cargos carried on the waterway that included vast quantities of timber The heyday of Godalming Wharf was in about 1810 when traffic towards London included the said timber planks I lead free guided walks with a focus on local history for the National Trust It looks after the River Wey and Godalming Navigations with its headquarters at Dapdune Wharf in Guildford David Rose (far left) with the group who came on the walk on Saturday The walk I led in July took in a stretch of the Godalming Navigation Keen photographer Jack Renaud took all the photos seen here We started at Godalming Wharf and walked along the towpath down stream to Catteshall Lock and then back via the eastern part of Godalming’s Lammas Lands water-meadows Notice board giving details the Lammas Lands The name is derived from the tradition that forbade farmers to graze cattle on such meadows from spring until after the summer crop of hay had been cut There are four water-meadows totalling 31.8 hectares and recognised as sites of high importance for their biodiversity Waverley Borough Council designates them as an area of strategic visual importance Once back at Godalming Wharf the walk continued upstream on the non-navigable River Wey Plaque commemorating Jack Phillips in the memorial cloister Many will know that it’s named after Jack Phillips He first worked as a telegraph operator in Godalming and later joined the White Star Line as its chief wireless operator on the ship RMS Titanic He died when the Titanic sunk on the night of April 14-15 He had been sending the new distress message S.O.S Plaque with details of the cloister’s restoration the memorial cloister to Jack Phillips was built in 1913 and was designed by English Arts and Crafts architect Hugh Thackery Turner with the garden designed by Gertrude Jekyll The woollen trade was an important cottage industry for the town during the later Middle Ages and into the 16th century It was later replaced by machine or framework knitting the first record in Godalming being in 1681 Tanning was a local industry from perhaps as early as the 15th century while paper-making was also important to the town from the middle of the 17th century Access to water was vital for these industries and to power the mills Westbrook Mills was one of three sites in Godalming where there were mills the others being at Catteshall and Eashing Here the River Ock joins the River Wey and there was a fulling mill here as early as 1483 The upper mill at Westbrook was known as Salgsson Mill There was once a saying that you knew when your train had arrived at Godalming by opening the carriage window and taking in the awful smell coming from the tanneries Ordnance Survey’s benchmark for surveyors to confirm the height of a feature in relation to Mean Sea-Level Today Westbrook Mills is a development of 128 one- and two-bedroom apartments for sale or to let Godalming is recognised as has having the world’s first public electricity supply reported: “The motive power to generate the current being an auxiliary face waterwheel at the Westbrook Mills who have made arrangements for lighting the mills with the Swan lights and for the larger open spaces with Siemen’s differential lamps of 300 candle-powder each.” It was once often stated that Godalming had the “world’s first electric street lighting” but other cities and towns had already installed electric street lights it was the first place in the world to have public electricity there was little take up for the idea and the service was discontinued in 1884 and electricity did not return to Godalming until 1910 The non-navigable River Wey upstream from Westbrook Mills The walk upstream beside the natural river is a delight some with their branches touching the water itself There’s plenty of the non-native but invasive Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) with it pink flowers Thanks to volunteers from Godalming Angling Society the paths beside the river and the sections for the anglers to fish from are kept in check You can only go so far beside the river here before the the public right of way ends One being a fish pass that’s been built to help fish swim upstream and a Second World War fortified “pillbox” defensive structure in case of invasion by the Nazis My walk went down it a short way before taking another path back to the river and then on to Godalming town centre to finish visitor experience manager at the National Trust River Wey and Godalming Navigations to Jack Renaud who came along and took the photos Home Care Insight The new 52-unit development is already 40% reserved on opening day giving it a thriving community on day one and surpassing previous pre-let rates in its portfolio Birchgrove has now opened its latest development in Surrey with 40% of the apartments already reserved off-plan The 52-unit Pepperpot House development in Godalming is set in the heart of the historic market town on a 1.02-acre plot that was previously home to Mole Country Stores a site which had stood empty since September 2017 the Grade II-listed Cowshed at the entrance to the site was fully restored to provide two one-bed apartments The community offers one and two-bed self-contained rented apartments to those over 65 Communal facilities include a 24-hour concierge service salon and landscaped roof terrace with a lounge offering views over Godalming to the Surrey Hills The 40% pre-let rate of Pepperpot House exceeds Birchgrove’s previous record for the percentage of apartments reserved prior to opening Surrey having been 36% reserved when it opened in May 2022 said: “We’re delighted that so many of the apartments at Pepperpot House have been snapped up in advance of opening “It helps that we were able to secure such a central location and we’re really pleased to have been able to bring a disused site back to life “We also know that much of the reason for our off-plan success here is that we were able to show prospective residents our other thriving local communities to give them an idea of what it’s like to live in one of our developments “We believe we’re firmly on a roll now and are confident we can achieve even higher pre-let rates as we roll our successful rental retirement living model out further across the country.” The development is the fifth addition to open since the Birchgrove portfolio was founded in 2017 Birchgrove also operates four other retirement communities in the South-East with one of these now at full capacity and operating a waiting list Among its operational developments is the recently opened Ayrton House in Mill Hill Birchgrove’s first community in Greater London It also has four additional communities under construction with new locations being developed in Hampton Whether you choose to get involved in a track and field club joining your local club is the perfect place to start there is a network of over 1880 affiliated clubs covering all disciplines and distances We recently caught up with two clubs at opposite ends of the country, who have not only created a welcoming community, but also established exemplary governance and achieved all seven of their Club Standards - let's hear from Wigan Harriers and Guildford and Godalming AC recently paid a visit to Wigan and District Harriers on one of their busy club nights Using their club venue like a Tetris puzzle the club proudly welcome athletes of all levels from young people just getting started to Olympians such as Emily Borthwick Sarah caught up with Emily to find out more about what makes Wigan so great officials and other volunteers are the lifeblood of athletics and running clubs From first introducing the children to the different athletics events to creating a family unit amongst training groups volunteers make the participant experience amazing spoke to two coaches at different stages in their journey to see what they love the most - from Sophie who came back to the sport after being an athlete to Marilyn who only ventured down to the club to support her daughter We all want to have fun whilst attending training and competitions with our local athletics or running clubs, but it is important that they are safe and welcoming environments for all. In order to ensure that athletes can expect the very best from their clubs, we support committee members to work towards achieving their seven Club Standards - something which Wigan Harriers have been prioritising Over the past 12 months Wigan Harriers have followed the checklist for Club Standards reviewing our procedures and guidelines defined key committee roles and used the free legal advice from Muckle LLP Currently we are reviewing our legal structure before drafting a recommendation for our members "We are fortunate in having experienced Welfare Officers who have ensured we are fully compliant with England Athletics Safeguarding requirements inclusive training environment for all our members." Carl Foster Guildford and Godalming want to reassure their members: "The Club Standards show that our athletic club is serious about offering athletes and volunteers a safe and protected environment for them to enjoy their sport We feel that this is reassuring to our parents and athletes who choose our club." This year Club Standards are even more important with all clubs needing to achieve their Club Standard Six in Safeguarding before they can reaffiliate on 1 April 2025 Emergency road works have closed the main A3100 Old Portsmouth Road road between Guildford and Godalming at Peasmarsh It is not expected to reopen until August 1 It has been reported that previous work work to fix a water pipe had failed causing the further need for roadworks by Thames Water but gas supply company SGN is also working at the site according to Surrey County Council’s roadworks map Warning of the closure is given to drivers several times on the A3100 out of Guildford A diversion is signposted taking Guildford-bound traffic from Godalming onto Broadford Road and the A281 But vehicle drivers heading southwards from Guildford can still be observed ignoring warning signs and proceeding until they come to a barrier near the Artington Park & Ride entrance A vehicle driving around the barrier with oncoming vehicle flashing lights Some drivers have been observed (see photo above) even ignoring this and driving around on the wrong side of the road perhaps to access Quadrant Park or houses between the barrier and the closure drivers hoping to get through to Godalming find the road completely blocked at Peasmarsh forcing them to turn around retrace their steps no workmen were observed when this photo was taken (July 22) but major excavations have commenced A Thames Water spokesperson said: “Our engineers are working to repair a burst sewage mains pipe on the Old Portsmouth Road in Peasmarsh This is an emergency repair due to take place over the next two weeks during which time a partial lane closure will be in place We are very sorry to motorists and local residents for any disruption caused.” It has been pointed out that today the road was completely closed Yesterday Cllr Angela Goodwin (Lib Dem Onslow) posted this on social media: It would be helpful if the “Road Closed” signs at the Guildford one way system end of Portsmouth Road were rather more explicit Also surprised not to hear this mentioned on the Radio Surrey traffice bulletins For those of us that rely on the Park & Ride in Artington to get to work in Guildford could a temporary site be sourced on the Godalming side of the diversion to travel in via Shalford Parking in Guildford costs me £16.30 for the day which is equivalent to 2-hours on my salary so makes it financially detrimental and incredibly stressful I second the comment on the woeful signposting on the roads It has been interesting as a resident living near to Portsmouth Road to enjoy the improvement in the environment due to reduced traffic it makes walking into town far more attractive If we could find a way to reduce traffic volumes along our town road network whilst preserving connectivity it would be a real win use the Park & Ride across from the hospital but the keen can walk across to the RSCH bus stops are themselves affected by the road works in Guildford Park and Madrid Roads I agree that this road closure has been mishandled It’s a pity that the UK appears nowadays to have great difficulty organising things that Brunel would have sorted so much better I thank Angela Goodwin for a useful update The information from SCC on the web is pretty vague rather than Marc) Brunel’s record shows a history of technological and financial problems I would be cautious before celebrating him unreservedly for ‘organising things’ Now if only the Horsham & Cranleigh line were open… Many describe Hunt as a good local MP but some are looking to tactical voting to punish the Conservatives who commute from the “stockbroker belt” to well-paying jobs in London and some of the country’s most popular cycling routes Godalming town centre Photograph: Teri Pengilley/The GuardianSteve Street a retired engineering consultant who has lived in Godalming for more than 30 years as the constituency could be one of the tightest races in the country “I hope he loses,” Street said of Jeremy Hunt who has held the former seat of South West Surrey since 2005 he appears to be a bit of a ‘yes man’ toeing the party line but not doing what makes sense for the country.” If Hunt does lose, he will join a list of just 35 cabinet members who have been defeated while holding office since 1900 the Conservatives are “no longer the party of business” “I disagreed with it from the start but as it was the will of the people I agreed we’d better go ahead and do it But I think it’s been badly implemented and caused so many issues for industry and businesses Stephen Street: ‘I’m looking for the party that is going to be pro-business.’ Photograph: Teri Pengilley/The GuardianStreet voted Liberal Democrat in 2019 partly to punish the Conservatives for Brexit whose share of the vote in the constituency increased from 9.9% in 2017 to 38.7% Hunt retained the seat with 53.3% and a majority of 8,817 This time pollsters predict it will be one of the closest races in the country with the Lib Dems’ Paul Follows – the leader of the local Waverley borough council – expected to win with 38% Street said he was considering voting Labour this time around “I’m looking for the party that is going to be pro-business Labour is pitching itself as very pro-business and I think that could be enough for me to vote for them While Street has earned enough to retire in his early 50s he said he would like whichever party that wins the election to do more to tackle “the widening gap between rich and poor” “It’s always talked about as a north-south divide,” he said “But there are places down south that are very poor He said Hunt had “shown himself as out of touch with real people” with his comments earlier this year that £100,000 a year was “not a huge salary” and it’s the sort of thing that sticks in people’s memories,” Street said A lot of the voters the Guardian spoke to over several days in the constituency described Hunt as a good local MP, often seen at town and village events and supportive of local charities. The Guardian bumped into Hunt at the annual Godalming town parade and show at which he repeatedly described himself as “the underdog” in the election including on the party’s stance on the war in Gaza a lecturer who lives in the neighbouring town of Farncombe said she “couldn’t pass up the opportunity to speak my mind to him – if I hadn’t I would have gone away feeling a coward” “I have been writing to him fortnightly about the war in Gaza and the need for an immediate ceasefire,” she said Anushka Athique seizes her chance to discuss Gaza with Jeremy Hunt at the Godalming town show Photograph: Teri Pengilley/The GuardianAthique said she hadn’t decided who to vote for “but I’ll do whatever I have to do to get him out” she said: “Just look at every job he has done every job he has fucked it up: culture secretary a local Lib Dem councillor who has lived in Godalming since 1974 “I’m voting Lib Dem as they are the only major party that has called for an immediate ceasefire,” she said “We are hoping to have a Labour government and a Lib Dem MP Free daily newsletterMake sense of the UK election campaign with Archie Bland's daily briefing Rivers said people may think of Surrey as “leafy and well-to-do but people are suffering here just like everywhere else” She said the cost of living crisis may have hit poorer families in Surrey more than elsewhere as “we have such high housing costs compared to incomes” “There are now two food banks in Godalming,” she added “It’s down to austerity and the Tory government.” She said she would like the government to do more for younger people “We’re old and have had all sorts of advantages that today’s young people can’t imagine all of whom can’t afford to own their own homes despite having good well-paid jobs.” Her eldest child is 40 and still renting “We bought our house when I was 24,” she said and she was soon seen giving him a bear hug “He is a good local MP and has stepped up in various ways,” she said “But he is part of the national government that has failed the people.” Penny Rivers: ‘You know the worst thing about this government It’s the war on woke.’ Photograph: Teri Pengilley/The GuardianShe had one more thing to say before letting go of the Guardian reporter’s arm “You know the worst thing about this government Woke means caring for people and it can only be a good thing to care for people no matter what.” was not at the Labour stall at the town fair Instead he was manning a rival stall calling on people to “vote smart the only candidate that can beat the Conservatives here.” said he had made the decision in effect to campaign for the Lib Dems because “the country so desperately needs change He said he had met a lot of other people who were “on the journey” to tactical voting Robert Oulton: ‘The country so desperately needs change, we can’t go on like this.’ Photograph: Teri Pengilley/The GuardianHowever, Oulton and his fellow activists hadn’t convinced everyone of the merits of tactical voting is a lifelong Labour member and will be voting for the party’s candidate Lockhart said he had sympathy with the tactical voting argument but “we want people to vote with their heart” In the village of Bramley, which was in the midst of a tap water crisis after petrol was found to have leaked into the water supply it’s all promises and lies,” Thomas said as she proudly showed off her immaculate home and garden decorated in West Ham United’s claret and blue in memory of her father who played for the team “They [the Conservatives] have been in too long Max Aiken and his wife ‘I don’t think the country knows what the answer is,’ he said Photograph: Teri Pengilley/The GuardianMax Aiken didn’t want to vote for any of the candidates on the ballot paper I’m looking around for someone like [French president Emmanuel Macron] Aiken voted Conservative at the last election and had only recently moved to the village of Cranleigh “The Tories are promising to fix everything next time but they have had 14 years and haven’t fixed much,” he said and I don’t think [Keir] Starmer is the answer I don’t think the country knows what the answer is,” he said “What we really need is someone with a handbag with a brick in it.” This article was amended on 25 June 2024 to correct the ‘Leave vote (modelled)’ figure in the side panel from 66% to 46% and to note that Penny Rivers is a local Lib Dem councillor by | Friday, 30 August, 2024 | Beer and Cider News, Pubs and Bars News The pair have run the pub for seven years and in the most recent local CAMRA awards including Surrey and Hampshire Border pub of the year and Surrey and Hampshire Border cider pub of the year the pub serves a minimum of ten cask ales at any time covering a range of locally-brewed ales and more commonly available beers across all styles The Star also boasts a 5-Star Cask Marque accreditation and staff service training are all to the very highest industry standards.  The pub even brews and serves its own beers via its on-site nanobrewery, called Godalming Beer Works, which Greene King Pub Partners invested in Four beers are available on tap: First Light APA As well as serving an incredible cask beer selection The Star is also famed locally for its extensive range of cider and mead that it also won Surrey and Hampshire Border cider pub of the year for the 12th year in a row which it is thought could be a record for any CAMRA regional award “We are over the moon,” said Star licensees Emma and Andy Mounsey “To win not just one but three awards from CAMRA is remarkable “We’ve always prided ourselves on serving excellent beer and cider so these awards really do mean a lot to us and our excellent team They are the culmination of hard work and real care to ensure every pint we serve is to the highest standard.” managing director of Greene King Pub Partners said: “Many congratulations to Emma and the team at The Star for winning a hat-trick of CAMRA awards I look forward to many more years of continued success for you through our strong partnership.” Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns Grayswood couple Evelyn and Gwyn Phillips are celebrating 30 years of their AppArt exhibitions between April 5 and 20. They began with an arts festival at King Edward’s School in Witley following an Arts for Everyone grant in 1994. This year Prior’s Field School in Godalming will host an eclectic mix of artworks. Sculptors include Denise Jaques, Juliet Scott, Jane Webley, Timothy Simmons, Alan Wallis and Mark Laird. Farnham painter Richard Shenton has produced Estonian Sunset, a dramatic, extravagant, modernist sea shore. There are works by Maggie Richmond, Shirley Watson, Julie Matthews, Marion Foster, Susie Lidstone, Hilary Dancer, Christopher Sercombe, Nick Hithersay, Ronnie Ireland and Toni Goffe, with a cat classic called Princess Snowy and her Human. This free exhibition is open daily from 10am until 4pm. Comments Tel: 01252 725224[email protected]Follow us Further Links Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025 On the twelfth day of December my council gave to me – free parking in Haslemere! Shoppers have been given an early Christmas present of sorts as Waverley Borough Council is offering “free after 3pm” parking on selected dates and sites. There will be no charge for parking at WBC-operated car parks in Farnham and Godalming from 3pm next Friday, November 29, and from the same time in Haslemere on Thursday, December 12. There will also be subsidised Hoppa bus travel on weekdays before Christmas and BID-subsidised parking in Farnham on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you enjoyed the light entertainment in Farnham last weekend then head to Beacon Hill this Sunday as their switch-on is at 4.30pm with a market taking place from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. Farnham’s Christmas Market will also take place on December 8 with more than 150 stalls in Castle Street, The Borough and the Ivy Lane Club. Tel: 01252 725224[email protected]Follow us A Waverley man with links to Farnham is wanted by police after failing to appear at court Surrey Police have asked for the public’s help in tracking down Paul Warrington from Godalming is a slim white man around 6ft tall with brown hair and hazel eyes If you see Warrington do not approach him but contact Surrey Police quoting PR/45230107490 via 101 or the webchat at www.surrey.police.uk Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Tel: 01252 725224[email protected]Follow us The Manser Practice has completed the refurbishment of Cliffhanger one of the earliest steel-framed houses in Britain Cliffhanger, which cantilevers over a hillside in Godalming, Surrey, was designed in 1962 by Michael Manser (1929-2016) as one of the first steel-framed houses in Britain the home cantilevered from four slender columns had cedar cladding and was self-built by the Papworth family The 50-degree steep site allowed Manser to demonstrate the benefits of steel construction; the Meccano-like house was built on a modest budget and completed in half the time of a traditional masonry house An additional storey containing four bedrooms was added underneath in 1968 his son Jonathan Manser of the Manser Practice was asked by the house’s new owners to undertake a major refurbishment the house had fallen into disrepair and water ingress had severely damaged the floor and roof build-ups causing rotten timber the house had to be stripped back to its steel frame to allow structural repairs to be carried out Thermal breaks were added where possible and the steel frame was repainted and exposed to preserve its original character Other fabric works to improve energy efficiency include recladding and insulating the façade replacing the original gas boiler with air-source heat pumps and underfloor heating and replacing single-glazed windows with thermally broken glazing and opening façade vents the clients wanted the house to be mainly lived in on one level The original upstairs bedroom and study have been converted into one large master bedroom suite the four children's bedrooms have been converted into a snug and guest suite accessed separately via a new external staircase Moving the stair from the centre of the house has increased the living room space while the kitchen now links to a new external terrace Michael Manser gave his name to the longstanding and prestigious prize at the AJ Architecture Awards, the Manser Medal - AJ House of the Year which recognises the best house in the UK completed over a preceding 12-month period for journalist-artist David Papworth and his family and a steel-framed scheme was designed with engineer Jack Dawson cantilevering from four very slender columns – hence the name of the house the house was self-built (by the Papworths) at low cost which is why there are photographs of my mother my sister and I wandering around a perilous site I remember being given a shovel on one occasion and ‘helping’ to dig the foundations a cedar-clad timber frame above a steel deck caused a sensation at the time and soon became a local landmark perched in the trees above the town Jonathan Manser on the construction site in the early 1960s The house was built on a single level in 1963 with an additional storey slung underneath in 1968 containing four children's bedrooms by the time we were invited by new owners to refurbish the house in 2022 the steel frame had sunk by 150 mm in one corner resulting in a disconcerting downward rake in the floors towards the void below Together with Andy Downey of engineer Elliott Wood we took the house to bits and rebuilt it reusing the steel frame with some judicious rearrangement more to avoid cold bridging rather than to add structure A new spiral stair tower to the west of the building has replaced the one added to the middle of the house in 1968 air-source heat pumps have replaced the old oil-fired boiler and the house is now insulated These new changes took 18 months to get through planning whereas the original planning application in 1963 was approved in just three days Having lived in Godalming for a number of years we were aware of the provenance of Cliffhanger and we felt privileged to become the new owners in 2022 the house had fallen into disrepair and so we approached the Manser Practice to undertake a complete refurbishment David’s initial telephone enquiry was answered immediately by Jonathan Manser who admitted that he was about to go sailing but promised to visit as soon as he came ashore – which he did And so began our happy relationship with Manser Tags The project prioritised reuse and upcycling using low-carbon and natural materials including… Working with local architecture studio dílna London and central Europe-based Chybik +… Harp & Harp has completed a seven-home scheme in Croydon Pollard Thomas Edwards has created a landmark… follow original candidate’s withdrawal at behest of local party The Green party has been accused of acting in a draconian and authoritarian way after a number of members were expelled for allegedly trying to support tactical voting to defeat Jeremy Hunt at the general election have been banned from the party until 2029 One of those expelled said it seemed to go directly against the Green values of internal party democracy and tolerance The row began before the election when Green members in Hunt’s Godalming and Ash seat in Surrey suggested standing down their candidate to give the Liberal Democrats a better chance of unseating the then chancellor a Green councillor who was originally the candidate against Hunt said the idea was hatched in part because the Lib Dem candidate had previously collaborated with the party In a secret ballot of the local party, which covers Hunt’s seat and two adjoining Surrey constituencies members voted three-to-one in favour of Williams standing down but the candidates in the other seats remaining in place Williams said he formally withdrew a few days before the close of nominations and told the Greens headquarters in England and Wales what the local party had decided I heard the news that another Green parliamentary candidate had been parachuted in,” he said notwithstanding the commitment to stand in pretty well every constituency in the country that they would override a local decision in such a draconian manner.” Hunt held on to his seat by just 891 votes another local councillor called Clare Weightman and a third member had since been told they were being expelled by the Greens seemingly for allegedly supporting tactical voting so Hunt might lose Party notices sent to Williams and Weightman, seen by the Guardian, said they had “forfeited” their membership until 2029 for breaching a clause in the party constitution that prohibits members from standing against a Green or “campaigning for someone who is standing against a properly selected Green” Williams said he had been given no notice about an investigation or any chance to present evidence or appeal He said that the grounds given for his expulsion were questionable and for Weightman they were “inaccurate and inadequate” A strong supporter of tactical voting and alliances to get around the first past the post electoral system Williams said he had been expelled from Labour in 2017 “under similar circumstances” but had expected different from the Greens Free daily newsletterOur morning email breaks down the key stories of the day telling you what’s happening and why it matters “I feel this particularly acutely since I felt that I had found my political home in the Green party which actually prided itself on values of democracy Weightman said she felt “betrayal and deep sadness” saying that she and Williams had gone to other constituencies to campaign for Greens in those A Green spokesperson said: “Green party members voted to stand a full slate of candidates at its final conference before the general election and this helped us secure a record number of votes and four MPs there was a last-minute discussion of some members that didn’t override the wider national membership decision and so the Green party’s governance bodies took the decision to uphold the membership’s decision on candidacy Green party members at conference hold the most senior decision-making power in the Green party on the basis of one member Evening Standard analysis of key seats to watch in London and beyond for the July 4 General Election News | Politics Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice Millions of voters will go to the polls this week to elect the new Government. The Standard is looking at key battlegrounds in London and beyond, and has published an interactive map for races in the capital. Here we turn the spotlight further afield in Surrey on: Candidates for main parties (in alphabetical order): Summary: Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is battling to avoid becoming one of the “Portillo moments” of the 2024 election if he is deposed in the new seat of Godalming and Ash which is a top target for the Liberal Democrats Mr Hunt had represented South West Surrey since 2005 but that constituency was scrapped in the latest boundary changes He admits to facing a “knife edge” battle to win the new seat in the face of a Liberal Democrat push to claim one or more high-profile scalps on July 4 In a reference to then-cabinet minister Michael Portillo’s shock election loss in 1997 Mr Hunt told The Sun on Sunday: “If I want to avoid a Portillo moment we have to win the argument with people not just in this constituency but up and down the country.” is urging supporters and Tory waverers: “Let’s turn the ‘Portillo moment’ into the ‘Hunt Moment’!” Cranleigh Rural and Ellens Green; Ash South and Tongham; Ash Vale; Ash Wharf; Blackheath and Wonersh; Bramley Busbridge and Hascombe; Chiddingfold and Dunsfold; Cranleigh East; Cranleigh West; Elstead and Thursley; Godalming Binscombe; Godalming Central and Ockford; Godalming Charterhouse; Godalming Farncombe and Catteshall; Godalming Holloway; Milford; Pilgrims; Shalford; Shamley Green and Cranleigh North; Tillingbourne; Witley and Hambledon I’m not sure if I’m in this constituency: Here’s how you can check But any local boy advantage is outweighed by his prominence as Rishi Sunak’s right-hand-man in the outgoing Cabinet and the Lib Dems are also playing the local card in putting up Godalming-area councillor Mr Follows YouGov MRP poll prediction: Liberal Democrat gain Evening Standard view: Mr Hunt has ploughed £100,000 of his considerable business fortune into his constituency party to try to ensure he doesn’t become one of the most high-profile victims of the 2024 election Deaths of three children in Staines being investigated as murder Investment bosses praise Labour’s potential scrapping of British ISA Tens of thousands of drivers to be affected by closure of key motorway Save £20 per person on autumn and Christmas days out by steam but YouGov now sees a Lib Dem gain as more likely since its first MRP poll early in the campaign Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has been particularly active around Surrey and insists: “People like Jeremy Hunt are very much to blame for the mess of our economy.” Click below to see more key seats across London: Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash in London 'shut down' by council over noise complaints David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash 'shut down' over noise complaints UK tourists face major travel shake-up as Dubai airport set to close Royals watch historic flypast as huge crowds turns out for VE Day 80th anniversary  Royals watch historic Red Arrows flypast for VE Day 80th anniversary Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker A Green Party candidate in the Godalming & Ash Parliamentary election in July has said he intends to challenge the decision to expel him from the party. Steve Williams, who is also a senior councillor at Waverley Borough Council, was expelled for allegedly trying to support tactical voting to defeat Conservative Jeremy Hunt at the general election. Williams, along with two other Green Party members, Claire Weightman, a Godalming Town councillor and a member from Woking, has been banned from the party until 2029. Tactical voting had been encouraged by the Green Party in the 2019 General Election under the slogan “Unite to Reform” and at the start of this year’s general election campaign the local branch of the Green Party discussed their approach. The local branch decided Williams should withdraw his candidature in Godalming & Ash to encourage Green Party supporters to vote tactically against the incumbent Conservative and boost the chances of the Lib Dem candidate Paul Follows, also the leader of Waverley Borough Council. Follows was informed of the local party’s decision. The branch also decided that Green candidates in Guildford and the new Farnham & Bordon constituency should remain in place. Williams formally withdrew a few days before the close of nominations, and told the Greens’ headquarters in England and Wales what the local party had decided. Although he was aware of the Green Party rules, because of its previous support for tactical voting, he did not expect any enforcement or disciplinary action. He told The Guardian: “By 2pm the next day, I heard the news that another Green parliamentary candidate had been parachuted in,” he said. “I was shocked that, notwithstanding the commitment to stand in pretty well every constituency in the country, that they would override a local decision in such a draconian manner.” The replacement candidate Ruby Tucker, won 1,243 votes in the election and Jeremy Hunt held on to his seat by just 891 votes, with the Lib Dems coming second, so the votes for the replacement Green candidate might have been crucial. Godalming & Ash General Election result 2024 Wikipedia A Green Party spokesperson is reported to have commented: “Green party members voted to stand a full slate of candidates at its final conference before the general election and this helped us secure a record number of votes and four MPs. “In Godalming and Ash, there was a last-minute discussion of some members that didn’t override the wider national membership decision and so the Green Party’s governance bodies took the decision to uphold the membership’s decision on candidacy. Green Party members at conference hold the most senior decision-making power in the Green Party on the basis of one member, one vote.” Steve Williams is still featured on the Guildford & Waverley Green Party website But Steve Williams who has admitted he was expelled from Labour in 2017 “under similar circumstances” told The Dragon: “Both Clare Weightman and I were disappointed that our membership of the Green Party had been withdrawn. I understand that we were not alone, in that others across the country have been expelled from the Green Party for allegedly supporting tactical voting and tactical campaigning. “Unfortunately, tactical voting and tactical campaigning are direct consequences of a flawed First Past the Post electoral system where the proportion of seats for a party in parliament do not automatically reflect the proportion of the popular vote received, and where MPs can get elected on a minority of the vote in their constituencies. “In Godalming and Ash, it was clear that Greens could not win the seat, but the Lib Dems almost did. That is why I was proud to stand aside at the request of the local Green Party to support Paul Follows who has been an excellent Lib Dem leader of Waverley Borough Council. “I have worked closely with Paul Follows as a member of the Waverley Executive for over five years and I made it very clear that, while I was spending much of the election period campaigning to support Sian Berry, the Green Party candidate (now Green MP) for Brighton Pavilion, in Godalming and Ash I would be lending my support to Paul Follows. “I shall be challenging the decision and I understand the local Green Party will be doing so as well. “This will not affect my position on the council in the short term except that I am obliged to sit as an Independent. I hope that our attempts to get these expulsions revoked will be successful – and I will be happy to stand again for election in future as a Green Party candidate.” Williams is now included in the “Labour and Aligned Independent” at WBC he is now in a political grouping with Labour at WBC and has retained his spot on the council’s Executive. Appointments to the Executive are in the gift of the council leader. Commenting on Cllr Williams’s new political label, Cllr Jane Austin, a member of Hunt’s campaign team and leader of WBC’s Conservative opposition commented: ” ‘Aligned Independent’ – that’s an oxymoron if I ever heard it. “As I stated in the election period I strongly believe the electorate should have the opportunity to vote for the party whose policy they support. Cllr Williams submitted his nomination papers and then withdrew at the last moment – which indicates he deliberately intended to deprive the Green party of the opportunity to have a Green candidate. “At each of the hustings, Steve Williams then represented the parachuted-in Green candidate….. but was actively pushing the Lib Dems. That feels to many like an act to deliberately deceive. “It transpired this was a very close election and every vote really did count – but if there had been no Green candidate it would be wrong to assume that all of the Green votes would have gone in the direction of the Lib Dems.” Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Award-winning hospitality group Heartwood Collection has acquired The Manor Inn, Godalming from Whitbread Plc. The acquisition will see the 16 bedroom site renamed as “The Ragged Robin” in a nod to the location and will undergo a multi-million pound refurbishment to create a further three bedrooms, 150 internal covers and 100 external covers. The work will see the creation of a warm and cosy pub to the front and an extended dining room to the rear overlooking the extensive garden which backs on to the River Wey. The renovation will inject the site with Heartwood’s signature warm, quirky character to reflect the 18th century roots of this building and its beautiful location overlooking the River Wey and meadows. The acquisition of The Ragged Robin continues Heartwood’s ambitious growth plan to grow to more than 60 sites with a turnover of £133m by 2027. Backed by Alchemy Partners, the Group recently secured an additional £100m of funding from Alchemy and its banking partner, OakNorth Bank, to support the growth which will create a further 750 jobs. Jeremy Hunt wins Godalming and Ash, while the Conservatives also hold East Surrey and Reigate Live results and reaction from across the UK Written by Dan Sexton, edited by Hamish Mureddu-Reid & Tom Pugh Monica Harding is set to raise the issue of "overstaying" boats on the River Thames in Parliament. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSEND child left without schooling for a year - MPpublished at 16:53 British Summer Time 28 April16:53 BST 28 AprilThe education minister says he will meet with Woking MP Will Forster to discuss the case. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingLitter picking group receives 'MBE for charities'published at 12:52 British Summer Time 22 April12:52 BST 22 AprilSpelthorne Litter Pickers are celebrating winning the King's Award for Voluntary Service. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingResidents complain of waits for home maintenancepublished at 06:24 British Summer Time 9 April06:24 BST 9 AprilComplaints include door replacement delays and long waits for adaptions to make homes more suitable. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSurrey Heath fires are suspected arson - policepublished at 15:32 British Summer Time 5 April15:32 BST 5 AprilPolice are asking people to be vigilant and report suspicious activity after three suspicious fires. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingNew anti-social behaviour rules in Guildford beginpublished at 06:14 British Summer Time 3 April06:14 BST 3 AprilThe scheme includes restrictions on rowdy behaviour and using certain vehicles in a dangerous way. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingMP calls for court to reopen amid backlog of casespublished at 17:04 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March17:04 GMT 21 MarchWoking MP Will Forster says there are 1,500 cases waiting for their date in Crown Court in Surrey. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPolice warn public to take action after van theftspublished at 16:21 Greenwich Mean Time 17 March16:21 GMT 17 MarchSurrey Police says it received a "handful" of reports of thefts from vans in the Surrey Heath area. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRoad closures are killing business, say traderspublished at 16:03 Greenwich Mean Time 25 February16:03 GMT 25 FebruaryA number of road closures and works in Woking town centre are causing problems for businesses. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingNo news on when evacuated residents will return to their propertiespublished at 17:37 Greenwich Mean Time 19 February17:37 GMT 19 FebruarySara SmithBBC South East Reporter in Godstone It has been particularly difficult for the 30 households who have had to be evacuated from Godstone village as there is no news on when they can return to their properties there is no indication that any further evacuations will need to take place People in the small Surrey village who were able to stay put are remaining resilient and they are very pleased to have their water back on what they want is to know what has happened here one woman told me she thought she saw a hole near a manhole cover that she thought had sunk Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'My garden collapsed into sinkhole - we need to find somewhere else to live'published at 16:20 Greenwich Mean Time 19 February16:20 GMT 19 FebruaryImage source Adrain Harms/BBCRez Mira left his property in the early hours of Tuesday morning after being told he had to evacuate by police He tells BBC Radio Surrey he drove to his family in Croydon after leaving his home Mira's garden has now collapsed into the sinkhole and he is worried that he and his family will now have to find somewhere else to live "School goes back next week so we need to go back," he adds Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'I spent the night in my car'published at 15:48 Greenwich Mean Time 19 February15:48 GMT 19 FebruaryOne man who lives on the affected road says he spent Monday night sleeping in his car after the sinkhole first appeared 400 metres down the road into a carpark by the green," Josh Neame says who moved into his property "last Tuesday" and is yet to fully unpack his belongings was told he could not access his house because of the sinkhole He was eventually allowed back into his property on Tuesday afternoon where he packed a bag of toiletries Despite the uncertainty for him and his neighbours He believes his house's "piled" structure meaning it was built on columns made of a strong and deep foundation to support the building But Neame recognises that some people might not be as fortunate "It is awful for the people who it is literally underneath their kitchen windows," he adds Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingEntrepreneurs offered chance to win £4k prizepublished at 06:04 Greenwich Mean Time 17 February06:04 GMT 17 FebruaryA prize of £4,000 is available for the winner alongside a package of mentoring and support. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSurrey MP calls for urgent funds to stop bird flupublished at 10:15 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January10:15 GMT 31 JanuaryThe Runnymede and Weybridge MP is pushing for more funding after a farm worker contracted bird flu. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingFlat owners urged by MP to check fire safety formspublished at 08:11 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January08:11 GMT 29 JanuaryAn investigation is underway into a fire assessor who has been suspended by a professional body. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWeaknesses in council's financial records - reportpublished at 14:42 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January14:42 GMT 28 JanuaryAuditors say they cannot fully assess the council's finances due to "inadequate" record keeping Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingMP complains over lack of driving test appointmentspublished at 06:15 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January06:15 GMT 16 JanuaryMP Al Pinkerton writes a letter to the transport secretary with a plan to alleviate the shortage. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingArtists sought for exhibition in Surreypublished at 06:06 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January06:06 GMT 7 JanuaryArt celebrating Spelthorne's creativity, diversity and vibrancy is wanted for the exhibition. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPlans announced for Surrey Day 2025published at 06:00 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 202406:00 GMT 18 November 2024The annual Surrey Day event is set to return for the seventh time. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingLast Post bugler returns to village for 50th timepublished at 07:12 Greenwich Mean Time 9 November 202407:12 GMT 9 November 2024Niall Roberts has been playing at the Pembridge Remembrance service since 1975. Godalming Walking Football Club’s over-60s team have won the FA Walking Football Cup. Having won the Surrey FA Walking Football League and the Walking Football Leagues’ Alliance National Cup, Godalming over-60s won through two local and regional tournaments to reach the FA Walking Football Cup national finals at St George’s Park. After topping their group with 12 points, Godalming beat Barnsley 3-2 on penalties in the final after a 1-1 draw. Tel: 01252 725224[email protected]Further Links The party’s antics since 2016 have estranged much of its classic base which is more worldly and liberal than many realise To understand the meltdown the Conservative party faces you do not have to go too far from Westminster A short hop on a commuter train will do it – out into the suburbs and towns of the home counties mostly still understood as true-blue heartlands but now full of a mixture of uncertainty unease and anger that seems to have drastically shaken those age-old loyalties Life there looked largely easy: a seemingly bustling high street enviably large houses and the sense of a corner of the country little used to political ruptures the local shops were draped with an array of European flags; the scene in front of me seemed to crystallise the very English affluence that fosters calm and endless continuity One fact above all others explains what may happen here on 4 July. Back in 2016, Godalming was part of an area where nearly 60% of voters backed remain It is not the kind of place where people enthuse about Nigel Farage and wring their hands about immigration and “small boats” outward looking and fuller than ever of the values that define the capital city where so many local people make their living – conservative with a small “c” are shared ideals about business and success which surely stand in sharp contrast to a ruling party now defined by incompetence dogma and the dire economic results of our exit from the EU everything became clear in the course of a 15-minute conversation Next to their mud-encrusted mountain bikes four sixtysomething men were nursing their espressos and flat whites They spoke in the confident tones of people used to chairing meetings and networking with clients but everything they said was shot through with a deep sense of loss very good MP for this district,” said one of them “But I have a major issue with him in that nobody seems to be talking about the major issue I wondered if he had voted Conservative in the past It’s just seen as not appropriate for European companies to use a British supplier.” “just to give Jeremy Hunt a bit of a shock” One of his friends – another lifelong Tory – exasperatedly ran through a few of our recent prime ministers starting with David Cameron: “Once we had the referendum Theresa May was doing the very best she could A liar.” Another said he would vote Labour because he wanted “a new generation of politicians – it’s time for the dead wood to go” Read moreBut this story is not just about the Conservative party. A lot of it centres on a modern middle class still often thought of as reactionary and illiberal but that is actually worldly, worried about the climate crisis and infuriated by Brexit It is also about a chunk of the English establishment that has completely lost touch with the people and places it still thinks it speaks for If the next week sees Reform UK overtake the Conservative party in the polls Telegraph and GB News will presumably insist that the answer lies in more populism and shrillness and some deranged political realignment whereby Faragism will come to define the Tory soul much as Donald Trump has taken over the Republican party definitely as a force that aspires to power the Tory pantomime that has estranged such a huge part of the party’s old base looks set to carry on The arrant stupidity of Rishi Sunak’s early departure from Normandy last week lay in how it was guaranteed to enrage both parts of his party’s crumbling electoral coalition; they spat feathers in Stoke-on-Trent but they were also livid in the south-eastern commuter belt voters who once saw the Tories as the party of business stability and basic economic sense now behold something utterly different – a motley crew of reckless ideologues who will respond to defeat by moving even further to the right Such is one of modern history’s most mind-boggling turnabouts: the self-styled heroes and buccaneers of 2019 suddenly revealed as hopeless lemmings glorying in their own encroaching irrelevance The Guardian is reporting from the constituency of Godalming and Ash to find out what issues people there care about most – and we want your help The Guardian will be reporting from Godalming and Ash ahead of the general election This will be part of a series of pieces from across the country focused on finding out what matters most to the people who live there If you live in the constituency of Godalming and Ash can you tell us what will decide your vote We’d like to understand the big issues facing you and your family and which policies matter to you How happy are you with the state of housing Who has an impact on your community that we should meet Are there issues in your family that create division Or perhaps you feel disengaged from national politics altogether You can see the articles this callout contributed to here You can contribute to open Community callouts here or Share a story here This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page See: Jeremy Hunt Admits He Is Not Confident of Winning at the Next General Election a general election has been called firing the starting gun for their contest to allow voters to compare their responses we cover similar ground that we did with Jeremy Hunt: his statement that £100k was “not a huge salary” for people in South West Surrey; concerns that the amount of development in Surrey was changing its character; the link between development and population growth and migration; the Thames Water fiasco; and of course the next election Godalming & Ash Candidates as at May 26 2024 Source Wikipedia More nominations may be made We use some essential cookies to make this website work We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK remember your settings and improve government services We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports Godalming has a history of flooding from the River Wey with 5 notable events in recent years in 1968 84 properties in the Meadrow and Catteshall area were affected and homeowners evacuated Residents were out of their homes for many months the Waverley Infrastructure Resilience Group was set up The Environment Agency has completed the following work: We started construction work in October 2018 and finished in October 2019 The scheme was opened on 11 October 2019 by Chair of the Environment Agency Emma Howard Boyd Jeremy Hunt MP and Chair of Godalming Flood Group Derek Pollard Photos taken in February 2020 showing the Godalming Flood Alleviation Scheme 100 properties were protected from Storm Dennis Email: thm.schemes@environment-agency.gov.uk Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times Boutique Hotelier Heartwood Collection will open The Ragged Robin in Godalming marking the fast-growing firm’s latest pubs with rooms Heartwood acquired the 16-bedroom property from Premier Inn operator Whitbread and will embark on a multi-million pound refurbishment project at the site Renovation works will include an extension to the dining area at the rear of the property which overlooks the garden backing on to the River Wey Three more bedrooms will also be added and the pub will be revamped with space for 150 internal covers and a further 100 added The project is expected to create 90 new jobs dates back to the 18th century and was originally a tannery before becoming a private residence and then a hotel in the 1930s commented: “Having looked for an opportunity to open in Godalming for a long time we are delighted to have found such a beautiful location on the River Wey We plan to transform both the pub and the rooms with the aim of creating something very special.” Heartwood Collection opened its first pub with rooms, The White Horse Dorking back in February following an extensive £4 million refurbishment That same month, the firm acquired The Royal Forest in Epping Forest The 28-bedroom pub with rooms will undergo a multi-million pound refurbishment with many original features restored before it reopens to guests Heartwood Collection, formerly known as Brasserie Bar Co currently operates 23 Heartwood Inns pubs and 14 Brasserie Blanc restaurants across the UK Hundreds of jobs around Surrey and Hampshire could be at risk as Homebase has collapsed into administration. Homebase – which locally has branches in Farnham, Woking, Godalming, Winchester and Basingstoke – is owned by Hilco but it has faced challenges in finding a buyer for the struggling retailer. The firm, which owns The Range, has snapped up the Homebase brand and dozens of stores, safeguarding around 1,600 jobs. But some 49 branches remain under threat with administrators Teneo not confirming the locations. There will be no immediate redundancies and our local Homebase stores will continue to trade in the interim. The firm’s chief executive Damian McGloughlin admits the news will be “unsettling” for staff being so close to Christmas. He claims a decline in consumer confidence, coupled with high inflation, global supply chain issues and unseasonable weather have caused an “incredibly challenging” trading climate for DIY stores. Tel: 01252 725224[email protected]Follow us EXCLUSIVE: The Chancellor said his Surrey seat is on a ‘knife edge’ as the Liberal Democrats seek to oust him Listen here on your chosen podcast platform. Jeremy Hunt has vowed that the Tories will “defend the Blue Wall brick by brick” as he fights to retain his Surrey seat which is on a “knife edge” The Liberal Democrats are seeking to oust him in what they hope will be a “Portillo moment” of a heavy Conservative defeat in the early hours of July 5 But he defiantly told Lib-Dem leader Sir Ed Davey a Cabinet colleague during the Cameron-Clegg coalition years: “Don’t bet the farm on it Defence Secretary Mr Portillo was famously ousted in Enfield Southgate during the Tony Blair landslide victory in 1997 With the Tories in the low to mid Twenties in some polls they are suddenly having to fight to keep control of a string of seats in their traditional Blue Wall stronghold of southern England including the Godalming and Ash constituency where Mr Hunt is standing He stressed: “We will defend the Blue Wall brick by brick people in affluent commuter areas like Godalming want to vote Conservative but they need to know that we are working hard for their vote and that they are not being taken for granted “I hope my record locally demonstrates that I never have.” Mr Hunt saw his majority in his South West Surrey constituency cut to 8,817 in the 2019 election with his then opponent Paul Follows having another go at defeating him in a reshaped constituency “This seat is on a knife edge,” said Mr Hunt “We have had private polling where we were just ahead and private polling where we were just behind One of the issues in the constituency is the service provided by Thames Water which he branded “lousy” shortly before the company advised hundreds of people not to drink the water A growing number of Londoners have left the capital to move out to constituencies in the Home Counties, often taking out large mortgages Some of them blame Kwasi Kwarteng’s “mini-Budget” in Liz Truss short administration for their higher home loans King clocks up more than 100 days of engagements in scaled-back second year Green co-leader says there is a case for building northern leg of HS2 But Mr Hunt insisted: “That is one of the biggest fallacies propagated by our political opponents “The ‘mini Budget’ lasted a matter of days before I reversed most of its contents “The reality is that what has caused the pressure what has caused 11 per cent inflation was Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and what I have done as Chancellor is bring down inflation to normal levels in a way that the IMF described only two weeks ago as approaching a soft landing compared to what was forecast when I became Chancellor which is the longest recession in 100 years I hope that people worried about their mortgage think they have a Chancellor who has got their back.” But leading political expert Professor Sir John Curtice has suggested that Labour and the Lib-Dems only need to say the words “Liz Truss” on the doorstep to sway voters away from the Conservatives How would Mr Hunt respond to such circumstances “By telling people the simple truth that the problems we faced were not caused by Liz Truss they were caused by the pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine and around here voters are smart He added: “It’s the most dangerous thing in politics to base your principal argument on something that is not true.” Some Tory candidates around the country would love to have Boris Johnson campaigning alongside them “As you probably sense from being on the doorstep people are making an informed decision as to who they want to represent them in Westminster,” he said then getting Boris Johnson or David Cameron down to endorse me might help but I don’t think it would make the blindest bit of difference down here.” he jibed that he was fighting “those bastards who are seeking to topple him in the Surrey seat He explained his surprisingly outspoken comment saying: “I was making a joke at an after-dinner speech raising money for a cancer charity so I would only ever use that language in a light-hearted way “I actually think it’s important to keep a sense of humour in politics and that is what I was trying to do.” Cabinet ministers have frequently clashed with London mayor Sadiq Khan over crime with some senior Tories also indulging in anti-London rhetoric in an apparent bid to woo voters in the Red Wall in the North and Midlands should seek a more constructive relationship with Mr Khan the Chancellor said: “I work constructively with mayors of all parties as Chancellor “We have had significant additional devolution handed over to Andy Burnham in Manchester “But what we found difficult with the London mayor is the way he plays politics with so many of the ways that we would like to work with him to improve the capital I hope that might change in the next Parliament.” Some Tories believe the party has focused too much on the Red Wall rather than the Blue Wall not just to win an election but if we are going to be prosperous and cohesive society,” stated Mr Hunt one of the biggest concerns that people have is over-development “That is because too much of our opportunities are concentrated in London and the South East which act as a magnetic pull for people from the rest of the country “If we were better at spreading out growth and opportunity then there would be less pressure in places like Godalming Labour has proposed renationalising the railways as the various franchises come to an end But Mr Hunt has withering criticism of such a move “What matters actually is investment and there has been massive investment in the rail network since privatisation most people say more than could ever have been expected if it had remained under public ownership “But public investment in our railways has also increased dramatically.”