Newsletter - Sun 5 Jan, 2025

By David Grantham

Gatton Park Road: SES Water confirmed, when asked on Friday, that previously published plans to close a large section of the road (A242) from Monday are going ahead, to allow the replacement of water mains; work is expected (Opens in a new window) to last until late May.

Homebase in Reigate is closing, with big discounts advertised, but administrators haven’t given a date for the closure nor whether it will be among the stores that will gain a new life as The Range.

Harlequin theatre: a meeting on Thursday will discuss (Opens in a new window) the borough council’s options for arts and culture while the theatre is shut; formal decisions will be made at an executive committee on 30 January but a report on cost options for the long-term future of the building will follow later.

The “Critical Incident” at East Surrey Hospital, caused by high demand and winter viruses, has been stood down; but services remain “very busy” and patients are being advised (Opens in a new window) to “consider the best NHS service for their needs”.

School fees: the headteacher at a private specialist dyslexic school in Reigate has said (Opens in a new window) that fee-paying Special Educational Needs pupils should not be made to pay VAT, and that the tax charge will drive more parents to apply for an EHCP (and funding) from local authorities.

New Music Nights: the monthly event for live new music has its first 2025 line-up this coming Friday (Opens in a new window) (10 Jan).

Gatton Park Road closure to start on Monday