Newsletter - Fri 14 Jun, 2024
By David Grantham
After a round-up of news in brief - including a reminder that the Reigate Summer Festival starts today and the final list of General Election candidates - this issue has a summary of the changes proposed in West Street (the A25 towards Dorking).
The Reigate Summer Festival gets under way today, Friday 14 June, at venues across the town centre, finishing up on Sunday evening.
Three stages will offer entertainment: Tunnel Road (the main stage), the Clockhouse Stage (at the Old Town Hall), and the Community Stage (at Reigate Methodist Church).
Other locations include Reigate Library, the Everyman Cinema, Adam’s Gallery, pubs, bars, Pilgrim Brewery and Waterstones Booksellers.
Music, dance, drama, art, literature, film and local history will feature across the three days.
Many local favourites appear in the musical line-up, with genres ranging from classical to rock.
Other events include an art exhibition from students at Reigate College, book signings from local authors, an exhibition by the Reigate & Redhill Society, and a display of historical photos.
Most of the events around the town are free - there’s a list of what’s happening when and where on the Reigate Summer Festival website (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).
The festival is the result of a collaboration between New Music Nights (who run monthly music evenings and previously a weekend summer festival) and Reigate College, drawing on support from the borough council, Reigate Business Guild and community interest groups.
General Election Thursday 4 July: The official list of candidates for Reigate has been announced. The five are:
Brady, Stuart (Labour)
Essex, Jonathan (Green)
Fox, Joseph (Reform UK)
Johnston, Mark (Liberal Democrat)
Paul, Rebecca (Conservative)
More information on all of them, including photos, contact and social media details, can be found on the Who Can I Vote For website (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).
The pavilion cafe in Memorial Park, Redhill, will reopen “in July”, Reigate & Banstead Borough Council has announced (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).
Named “Florrie’s (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)”, the business will be run by Redhill couple Guy Hassell (who has previously managed cafes in Reigate) and Kate Chisnall (who has a background in marketing and organising events for retail and leisure spaces).
Offerings will include freshly prepared sandwiches, sourdough toasties and salads, as well as pastries, cakes, ice-cream, and smoothies. Vegetarian/ vegan options will be available, and also dog-friendly treats. Community events and workshops are also planned.
The exact opening date will be announced later.
The cafe’s previous tenant departed in November 2022 (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), with the council deciding around that same time to re-let its three park cafes on new terms.
Surrey Artists Open Studios is running until Sunday 23 June. The annual event offers the opportunity to meet and talk to artists in their place of work, as well as view demonstrations, buy artwork, and get involved in creative workshops. This year over 250 artists in 165 studios are taking part across the county, covering a range of disciplines, including in the Reigate and Redhill area. There’s a list (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) and a map (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) of which studios are taking part and when.
Zebra crossings and segregated cycle lanes planned for West Street
Map put together by reigateuk using Google Maps
A consultation is running on safety improvements to West Street (the A25) in Reigate, between its junction with Flanchford Road and the High Street.
Improvements include:
two new raised zebra crossings, by the Black Horse and by Evesham Road, replacing the current pedestrian islands
cycle lanes that are wider and physically segregated for much of West Street using upright ‘wands’
changes to the Flanchford Road junction to make it safer for cyclists
road markings that will ensure bus stops are not blocked
resurfacing of almost all of West Street, which will remove potholes and patchings
Surrey says the scheme will benefit pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.
People can respond to the consultation (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) “before 14 July”. A public event, where designs can be viewed, has been postponed until a date after the General Election.
The changes are part of a larger £1.8 million road safety project (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) to improve the 5.2 miles (8.4km) A-road that runs between Reigate and Dorking, which the Road Safety Foundation has identified as one of the worst A-routes in England by number of deaths and injuries per kilometre travelled.
Other parts of the project will see average speed cameras enforcing a 40mph limit between (roughly) the Black Horse in Reigate and the Watermill pub in Dorking, as well as improvements to markings, central islands and kerbs.
A plan to improve the pedestrian island at Park Lane in Reigate, helping pedestrians and those wishing to cycle to Priory Park, was not part of the bid to the DfT, but could be looked at if funds remain.
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