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Good Morning Surrey!
Easter in Surrey rarely arrives all at once. It comes in small signs: a park beginning to fill again, children already negotiating for chocolate, a high street moving at a gentler pace, and families attempting the annual feat of turning three separate plans into one agreeable day.
So this edition keeps company with that sort of break. A few things to note before plans shift, a few places to go, and a few practical updates worth catching in time, whether your Easter leans toward markets, fresh air, family outings or simply getting out of the house before lunch becomes the whole day.
Now in today’s edition,
Dorking Halls confirms its April closure date and expected December return.
A national update on plug-in solar, plus changes on late payments
Recycling, council recovery and business support updates across the county.
Community help, grants and hub news across Surrey
Science, foraging, comedy, markets, food openings and Directory picks
Let’s take a look.
— Prince Khurram
P.S. Our Monday Update leans more towards news, the Wednesday Midweek Brief balances news and events, and the Friday Weekender is lighter on news and fuller on events and Eat & Drink. We would really welcome your thoughts on this format and how we can improve The Surrey Digest for you.
News
Dorking Halls will close in April for refurbishment
Source: dorkinghalls.co.uk
Dorking Halls has now pinned down the timing for its temporary closure ahead of major upgrade works. For regulars, that means the window for one last visit is clear enough now to stop relying on vague good intentions.
The venue says its doors will close on the evening of Saturday 18 April 2026.
The refurbishment programme is due to run through most of the year.
Reopening is currently expected in mid December 2026.
If you have spring or autumn plans tied to the venue, it is worth checking dates sooner rather than later.
National headlines for Surrey
Plug-in solar moves closer, but not for every new home just yet
The government says plug-in solar could become available within months under rules introduced on 24 March. The part that affects all new homes sits on a longer runway, with the higher standard due from 2028 after a transition period.
Late payment rules are being tightened for small firms
A new reform package says the Small Business Commissioner will get stronger powers to investigate poor payment practices, adjudicate disputes and fine persistent late payers. That will matter to plenty of Surrey freelancers, trades and smaller suppliers who already spend enough time chasing invoices.
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County Updates
Simpler recycling lands next week in Waverley
Photo by: wastemanaged.co.uk
Waverley says households in Surrey, including the borough, will be able to put a wider range of materials into mixed recycling from Tuesday 31 March. It sounds small, but bin-day uncertainty has started bigger domestic debates than most planning meetings.
The change begins on 31 March 2026.
A wider range of recyclable materials will be accepted in mixed recycling bins.
The update is being carried on Waverley’s official guidance for residents.
It is worth checking the local explainer before the first collection under the new rules.
Woking recovery work is moving forward, with pressure still on
Woking’s latest update says the Improvement and Recovery Plan is now at an advanced stage of completion. The commissioners’ message is encouraging, but not especially relaxed, which feels about right given the size of the job still sitting on the desk.
The sixth commissioners’ report highlights significant progress.
The Improvement and Recovery Plan is described as being at an advanced stage of completion.
Commissioners also warn that delivering this while moving into West Surrey unitary remains a major capacity challenge.
Residents can expect the improvement process to stay in view for some time yet.
Community Digest
Weybridge Library Hub is now open on the High Street
Source: Elmbridge Council
Elmbridge says the Weybridge Library Hub has opened, with Weybridge Community Services operating there Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm. Useful for anyone who prefers support in a place that feels part of ordinary life rather than a maze of separate counters.
Click here: To see the hub details and opening times
Guildford’s town centre planters are getting a volunteer refresh
Experience Guildford says the project launched on 26 March, with more than twenty volunteers clearing the first planters outside Waitrose. It is the sort of civic spruce-up that makes a place feel better with very little fanfare, which is often how the good bits happen.
Reigate & Banstead says its income support project is making a difference
The council says the LIFT-backed Financial Resilience Project generated a combined annual income boost of £623,000 for households and schools in its first six measured months. It is now being funded for a further year, which suggests it has done more than merely produce a hopeful PDF.
Click here: To read the project update and what happens next
Events
Family & Kids
Photo by: Royal Holloway
Science Festival | Sat 28 March (Info/Tickets)
Location: Royal Holloway, Egham
Description: A free, family-friendly day of hands-on activities, displays and talks across campus from 10am to 4pm. Good for curious children, curious adults, and anyone who enjoys a Saturday involving buttons, experiments and at least one unexpected fact.
Price: Free
Easter Egg Trail | Sat 28 March (Info/Tickets)
Location: Rosebery Park, Epsom
Description: A straightforward family outing with a listed running time of 10am to 2pm. It is £4.00, which by current standards counts as refreshingly direct.
Price: £4.00
Outdoors
Spring Wild Garlic and Greens Foraging Walk | Sat 28 March (Info/Tickets)
Location: Surrey Hills area, listing via Visit Surrey
Description: Runs from 1.30pm to 4pm on Saturday and is best suited to people who like their weekend walks with a purpose. Keep shoes sensible and expectations modest, which is decent advice for most countryside plans.
Comedy
Comedy Club | Fri 27 March (Info/Tickets)
Location: Cranleigh Arts, Cranleigh
Description: Friday night comedy from 8pm, with the current official page listing tickets at £28.50. A cleaner plan than sitting in and arguing over what to stream.
Price: £28.50
Music & Gigs
Come and Sing Session for Male Voices | Sat 28 March (Info/Tickets)
Location: Royal British Legion Hall, Seale and Sands
Description: A free session from 11.30am to 1.30pm, with advance booking requested by email. Good for anyone who has been meaning to join in something local and keeps postponing it until a more organised version of themselves appears.
Price: Free
Special Events
Concorde Champagne Experience | Sat 28 March (Info/Tickets)
Location: Brooklands Museum, Weybridge
Description: Runs from 10am to 1pm and offers a more polished sort of weekend outing, built around Concorde and a glass of something celebratory. A solid option if you like your local history with added sparkle.
Markets
Cobham Farmers’ Market | Sat 28 March
Location: Hollyhedge Road, Cobham
Description: The fourth Saturday market runs from 9.30am to 2pm and is a reliable one for produce, provisions and the sort of browsing that turns into lunch if you are not paying attention.
Click here: To confirm date, opening times and stall details
Guildford North Street Market | Fri 27 March and Sat 28 March
Location: North Street, Guildford
Description: This regular market runs both Friday and Saturday, 9am to 4.30pm. Handy if you need something practical, or if you simply like the feeling of having accomplished an errand before most people have found a parking space.
Click here: To confirm date, opening times and stall details
Eat and Drink
Cappadocia Redhill
Photo by: Cappadocia Redhill
Location: Station House, 14 Station Road, Redhill RH1 1NZ
Description: This new Redhill restaurant is now open and keeping everyday hours from 12pm to 10pm, Monday to Sunday. That makes it a useful addition for lunch, dinner or the sort of last-minute plan that depends on somewhere being open when you finally make your mind up.
Click here: To see details and make a booking
M&S Food Farnham
Location: Unit A, Farnham Retail Park, Farnham GU9 9QJ
Description: The new Farnham food store opened on 25 March, which means one more place for a practical shop that may, with no planning at all, become a slightly more ambitious one.
Waitrose Haslemere
Location: 11-15 West Street, Haslemere GU27 2AB
Description: Waitrose Haslemere reopened earlier this month after a multi-million-pound transformation. Useful if your usual route involves West Street and you have been wondering whether the shop is finally looking less like a work in progress.
Click here: To read the reopening update and store details
Directory
Natty Tailoring
Photo by: Natty Tailoring
Location: 8 South Street, Farnham
Description: Tailoring and alterations from a Farnham base, with current opening hours listed on the site. Useful when hems, fit or a tired zip need sorting and replacing the whole thing feels a bit dramatic.
Click here: To see contact details and ask about alterations
And Finally
Surrey has a particular way of spending Easter: part tradition, part logistics, part hopeful improvisation. A walk, a market, something for the children, something to eat, and the quiet belief that the roads may, just this once, be on their best behaviour. If something in your part of the county is changing, opening or worth knowing over the break, reply and send it over.
Have a good weekend, Surrey.
Thank for reading. Let’s chat on Monday.
