Clicks, Coffee & Community: The Future of the High Street

Sunday Brunch features soundbites from the ‘Sussex & Surrey Soapbox’ podcast latest episode…. to skip chapters click on the 3 horizontal lines (left in the above player). Have your say via WhatsApp (bottom right) or join the conversation in our Facebook Group HERE. 

 Special Guests: 

– Michelle Lucas, Only Dogs Ltd – an award winning Dog grooming business on Lingfield High Street.

– Sami Ella Bristow, Blossoms Brunch & Coffee – a thriving community cafe in Godstone adept at navigating the challenges of rising costs & the sinkhole!

Plus Roundtable Featuring: Maureen Jones, Micaela Leal, Georgie Lucas, Aga Es, Abigail Chapman-Miller, James Tidy & Magdalena Rahman. Host: Clive Hilton. 

The high street is not dying because people do not care; it is changing because online convenience, rising costs and shifting habits make old retail models hard to sustain. We hear from local business owners and residents on what is really squeezing independents and what a more service-led, community high street could look like. 

• rising costs for small businesses, from VAT and wages to commercial utilities and rates 
• the impact of disruption and access, including road closures and parking pressure 
• why taking on a shop lease feels like high-stakes risk versus reward 
• how service businesses like grooming and hospitality keep footfall local 
• the Amazon effect, price gaps, reviews and the lure of next day delivery 
• fast fashion, returns culture, waste and sustainability on the high street 
• what people miss most, from Woolworths to M&S, and what would bring them back 
• realistic optimism around quality, community spirit and younger generations 

Sussex Police look for two men in relation to Horsham robbery

Sussex Police are seeking to identify two men in connection with a robbery in Horsham.

The incident took place at Tech World and Vape Store in West Street where two men entered the shop, smashed a glass cabinet and attempted to take mobile phones.

A member of staff approached the men, and was assaulted before the men left the store.

The robbery took place on April 20 at around 6:10pm

Anyone with information is urged to contact Sussex Police on 101.

Senior Police officer pleads not guilty to child sex offences

A senior police officer has pleaded not guilty to child sex offences at Guildford Crown Court.

Det Insp Iain Macnab from Southwater is accused of sexual assault and sexual activity with a child, which was related to his role as a football coach between 2024 and 2025.

The 51-year-old also pleaded not guilty to a charge of perverting the course of justice.

A provisional date for his trial os set for August 2027.

Schools at ‘financial breaking point’ says West Sussex headteachers

Headteachers in West Sussex say they are at “financial breaking point” because the funding they receive is “no longer sustainable” to meet the high costs of operating in south-east England.

In 2026/27 West Sussex schools have the fifth lowest secondary unit of funding in England of just over £7,100 compared to an England average of over £7,600.

While primary schools have the seventh lowest unit of funding of over £5,500 compared to an England average of nearly £6000.

Matthew Whatford, the head teacher at Imberhorne School, in East Grinstead, said rising utilities and staffing costs have put “an extraordinary strain on what is already an incredibly challenging budget position”.

Headteachers across the county have written to the  government and their MPs asking to meet with their local school leaders to discuss reviewing the area cost adjustment for West Sussex.

Landlord Fined Following Housing Safety Investigation

A landlord has been fined £5,000 following housing safety investigation.

Tandridge District Council’s Environmental Health team has successfully issued two fixed penalty notices totalling £5,000 after failing to comply with housing safety and energy efficiency requirements.

The fixed penalties were issued to Mr Ashraf Talukder, owner of the flat above 64 High Street, Lingfield, RH7 6AA, following an investigation into concerns about property conditions and legal compliance.

Investigations carried out in 2025 found the flat above business premises was occupied by three people and officers identified serious hazards during the inspection.

The owner did not engage with the Council and as a result an improvement notice was served in October 2025. A further inspection was carried out to check compliance, which found some issues had been addressed while a number remained outstanding.

These included:

  • Lack of fire precautions.
  • Electrics in poor condition.
  • Windows either incapable of being opened or opening without restriction.
  • Absence of a fully functioning kitchen.

A £3,000 fine was issued due to ongoing health and safety risks after the owner failed to rectify some of the issues outlined in the improvement notice.

An additional fine of £2,000 was issued for letting the property without a valid Energy Performance Certificate, which is an offence.

Councillor Deb Shiner, Chair of Community Services, said: “We work with landlords to help them understand and meet their legal responsibilities, but where serious hazards are identified and improvement notices are ignored, we will take formal enforcement action. This case demonstrates our commitment to protecting residents from unsafe housing and holding landlords to account.”