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Views sought on Horley Town Centre

Photo: Horley High Street
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council

Residents and business in Horley are being asked for their views on ideas for public space improvements to the High Street and subway.

It’s all part of a project to help the town centre better serve people and boost the local economy.

The aim is to enhance the look and feel, as well as make it safer and easier to use.

Proposals currently include better drainage, safer cycle routs and wider pavements.

The consultation runs until Monday 14 March.
You can view a display at Horley Library, or to find out more about the proposals and take part in the survey, visit:
www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/deliveringchange

If you have news for Sussex and Surrey, contact us on news@susyradio.com

Funding Boost for Crawley

Crawley Borough Council is to receive £930,000 in extra funding next year as part of the Government’s £174 million investment to deliver homes for rough sleepers.

This investment will deliver nearly 3000 homes across the country for rough sleepers as well as fund a team of specialist support staff.

Henry Smith MP has welcomed the announcement that the Council will receive the funding.
He added,
“This is a significant step towards ending rough sleeping for good and transforming the lives of the most vulnerable in our community.”

If you have news for Sussex and Surrey, contact us on news@susyradio.com

New entertainment complex for Redhill

Image: Reigate and Banstead Borough Council

A new entertainment complex is coming to Redhill.

The Light have committed to a long lease to bring a six screen premium cinema, offering a wide choice of films and events, a nine lane boutique bowling and retro arcade, a diner and bar and a range of other new leisure activities in the town.

Reigate & Banstead Borough Council has secured The Light as the anchor tenant with 35,000 sq ft of entertainment space in its flagship new development currently being built between the High Street and Marketfield Way. When the venue opens for Easter next year, it will bring a new morning-to-evening entertainment and leisure experience to the town.

Along with The Light, the Council has also agreed a deal with Tesco to provide their popular Tesco Express convenience store of circa 3,500 sq ft to provide convenience shopping for people who live in the town centre and to visitors.
With The Light and Tesco secured as the first two key tenants in the mixed-use scheme, it means that half of the commercial floor space is now let.

The Council is in discussions with a number of potential tenants, including both well-known national operators as well as local businesses for the remaining seven units available through agents GCW.

The complex now has a fresh new name and look too – The Rise – to reflect the positive change and future it represents for Redhill town centre.

On the ground floor, centred around an attractive new pedestrian route, with exciting new feature lighting, there will be a range of places to eat and drink. On the first floor more leisure and workspace uses are planned.

The Rise also includes 150 apartments, which the Council has sold to the private housing provider and boutique apartment rental brand Kooky. Marketing of their apartments has begun, and they will be available to rent from winter this year.

Cllr Mark Brunt, the Leader of the Council, said: “Securing The Light for our development provides a huge boost to our scheme and to realising the long term economic future of Redhill town centre. When complete, The Rise, will be a vibrant new leisure and entertainment venue for the town that will attract people from all over our borough and from further afield to come and have a great time.

“The Rise will help boost our local economy by creating job opportunities and increasing footfall and spend in Redhill. It is a cornerstone in our Council’s ongoing investment and commitment to help revitalise the town.

“I am pleased to confirm that our main construction is progressing as planned, ready for us to start handing over to our commercial tenants from later this year for their fit out.”

Cllr Brunt later spoke with Susy Radio’s Neil Munday

Redhill will be The Light’s twelfth cinema and leisure venue in the UK and builds on the success of their recent opening in Sittingbourne, Kent.

James Morris, CEO, The Light Cinemas said: “We are delighted to be able to bring a whole new entertainment and leisure experience to the people of Redhill and excited to be part of the town’s transformation. We are hugely grateful to the Council for their support and look forward to working with them to help realise our ambition to make this the best leisure facility in Surrey.”

Claire de Silva, Head of Community at Tesco said: “We’re delighted to be opening our new store in The Rise, Redhill and look forward to welcoming the local community when we open our doors.”

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South-East rail travel plummets

Rail travel for the South-East dropped by 80% last year compared to pre-pandemic.

62 million journeys were made between 2020 and 2021 compared to 306 million the year before.

Half of those journeys were to and from other regions equating to a drop of 84% for the same period.

The exact figures released are below:

  • The total number of journeys for the South East region was 62.2 million in 2020-21, which equates to 20.3% of the 306 million journeys made in 2019-20.
  • The 26.7 million journeys within the South East equate to 31.6% of the 84.4 million journeys made in 2019-20.
  • The South East recorded 35.5 million journeys to or from other regions, the equivalent of 16.0% of the 222 million journeys made in 2019-20.
  • London accounted for 89.7% of these journeys. The 31.8 million journeys to or from London in 2020-21 equate to 15.7% of the 203 million journeys recorded in 2019-20.
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    FA charges John Yems

    Crawley Town FC’s John Yems has been charged with two breaches of FA Rule E3 following their EFL League 2 fixture against Hartlepool United FC on Saturday 12 February 2022.

    It is alleged that the manager used abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official following the end of the fixture. It is also alleged that he used abusive and/or insulting words and/or gestures towards a match official following his dismissal.

    John Yems has until Friday 18 February 2022 to provide a response.

    The club says they will be making no further comment on the matter.

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