TOGETHER WITH
Good Morning Surrey,
Last Saturday felt like the sort of Surrey day that changes the whole county’s mood. In Guildford, temperatures climbed to around 12°C after a near-freezing start, and once the sun was out, everything seemed to shift a gear, the parks fuller, the high streets slower, the garden centres suddenly busy again.
That is the funny thing about this place: a bit of sunshine and Surrey becomes a different county altogether, more sociable, slightly more hopeful, and far more willing to linger. What were you up to? Today’s edition is for easing back into the week with the useful things worth knowing early.
In today’s edition
Surrey’s fundraising figures suggest a strong year for local business.
Adult education powers move closer to Surrey
Woking and Reigate and Banstead set out practical changes.
Support windows, funding deadlines and a fully funded summer school are worth checking early.
This week’s diary includes yoga, comedy, live music and late-night drawing, plus two Sunday markets.
Three local jobs, three homes and a short Directory round out the week.
Let's Take a Look...
-- Prince Khurram.
News
Surrey businesses pass the £1 billion mark
Source: BBC
Surrey businesses brought in more than £1 billion across 111 fundraisings in 2025, according to Business Surrey’s write-up of Beauhurst and Mercia data. It is not an official government statistical release, but it is still a useful marker of how active the county’s investment picture has been.
The report says 111 Surrey fundraisings were recorded in 2025.
That total is described as nearly half of the South East figure by value.
Surrey’s share is also given as 111 of 667 South East deals.
For local readers, it is a sign of where hiring, supplier work and business confidence may keep moving.
Click here: To read the local fundraising report
Surrey Venture Studios is under way, not merely announced
Surrey Venture Studios has already started, with the first workshop held in Guildford, and the current round is no longer simply sitting there waiting for applicants. The useful angle now is progress, and what comes next.
The first workshop has already taken place.
Further workshops this month are fully booked.
A second application round is expected in spring 2026.
For readers, this is more about next steps than a live application rush.
Click here: To read the programme update
Message from HIRE5 Menswear Guildford
National headlines for Surrey
Businesses told to prepare for the UK-EU SPS agreement
Photo by Rocco Dipoppa
Food, drink, plant, wholesale and logistics firms with EU-linked supply chains are being told to prepare now. Detailed guidance begins in May 2026, with the agreement intended to take effect in mid-2027.
National security investment rules change for water and off-the-shelf AI
This is more one for infrastructure and tech-watchers than household bills. Water-sector investments will move into mandatory screening, while off-the-shelf AI is being removed from that same mandatory route.
Click here: To read the rule change summary
A 10-year industrial strategy is starting to take shape
The government’s prospectus sets out a 10-year plan aimed at lifting business investment across eight growth-driving sectors. For Surrey, that means watching where local firms may try to place themselves early.
Click here: To read the prospectus
Properties of the Week
images by: rightmove.co.uk
Home A: Under £350k
Price: Guide Price £300,000
Address: Croydon Road / Reigate / RH2
Details: Flat / 2 beds / 1 bath
Parking Type: Gated parking
Click here: To view the full house and plan your showing
Home B: £350k–£650k
Price: Guide Price £500,000
Address: Woodlands Road / Guildford / GU1
Details: Semi-detached house / 1,178 sq ft / 3 beds / 1 bath
Parking Type: Off-street parking
Click here: To view the full house and plan your showing
Home C: Above £650k
Price: Offers in Excess of £1,150,000
Address: Pennington Drive / Weybridge / KT13
Details: Detached house / 4 beds / 2 baths
Parking Type: Double garage and off-street parking
Click here: To view the full house and plan your showing
County Updates
Surrey gets closer to taking on adult education functions
Surrey is preparing for the devolution of adult education functions, with a funding package close to £20 million attached to the shift. For residents and providers, it is the sort of change that sounds procedural until it starts shaping what courses exist and how they are funded.
The total package is described as close to £20 million.
That includes £11.2 million through the Adult Skills Fund.
Parliamentary approval was expected in the coming weeks when the update was published.
A provider webinar is scheduled for 16 March.
Woking signs off a balanced budget for 2026/27
Woking has approved a balanced budget for the next financial year. For residents, the headline is a mix of council tax, savings and a small amount of planned growth.
Woking’s share of council tax will rise by 3%.
The budget includes £2.7 million in efficiency savings.
A £3.3 million growth package is also included.
The council says core day-to-day services are funded without relying on exceptional support for routine spending.
Click here: To read the full council budget update
Reigate and Banstead explains what Simpler Recycling changes this month
For many homes, the main message is that the borough’s system already did a fair bit of what was needed. The bigger change is for harder-to-serve properties that still need to be brought into line by the end of March.
The council says its model has broadly matched the new approach since 2012.
Some properties still need service changes by 31 March 2026.
New recyclable items are also being added from that date.
This is a sensible week to check what your building or collection setup actually does now.
Community Digest
Your Fund Surrey small-projects deadline is close
Do you run a local group and have been meaning to look at this properly? The small-projects round is aimed at community ideas that need a meaningful push. Small Community Projects can apply for between £1,000 and £50,000. The deadline is 5pm on Friday 20 March 2026.
Click here: To check the criteria and see how to apply
A fully funded summer school is open to Surrey pupils in Years 9 and 10
The University of Surrey’s summer school will take 60 pupils for a fully funded programme running from Monday 27 to Thursday 30 July 2026. It is aimed at Years 9 and 10, so this is one for families to read before the application deadline arrives.
Click here: To read the eligibility details and apply
£2 million developer contributions for local improvements
Reigate and Banstead says £2.06 million in developer contributions funded strategic and community improvement projects between April 2024 and March 2025. It is one of those borough updates that sounds abstract until you notice it covers schools, play areas, greenspaces, sports facilities and community buildings.
Royal Holloway students are getting a cost-of-living update
Royal Holloway Students’ Union says survey results are now live, community cupboards are continuing, a working group is being set up, and a period dignity campaign is planned for late March. If you know someone studying there, it is the sort of page worth forwarding.
Click here: To read the update and find current support
Events
Sports & Fitness
Thursday Morning Yoga | 19 March (Info/Tickets)
Location: The Horton, Epsom
Description: A 9.15am to 10am session on the mezzanine, with optional café time afterwards. Price: £14.50 per session, or £33 for the course.
Comedy
Bring Your Own Baby Comedy Club | 19 March (Info/Tickets)
Location: Cellar Bar, Farnham Maltings, Farnham
Description: A late-morning comedy set built for parents with babies, starting at 11.30am. Price: £14, or £12 for members, plus booking fee.
Music & Gigs
Suntou Susso | 20 March (Info/Tickets)
Location: The Horton, Epsom
Description: Friday night live music at 8pm, with student pricing available. Price: £19.50, students £12.50.
Special Events
Drink & Draw | 17 March (Info/Tickets)
Location: The Boileroom, Guildford
Description: A Tuesday evening social drawing session running from 7pm to 11pm. Less formal than a class, more structured than turning up and hoping inspiration arrives.
Markets
Farnham Record Fair | 22 March
Location: Farnham Maltings, Farnham
Description: Sunday, 10am to 3.30pm, with free entry and no booking needed. More than 40,000 records are promised under one roof, which should keep both serious collectors and nostalgic wanderers occupied for a while.
Click here: To confirm date, opening times and stall details
Dorking Halls Antiques & Decorative Arts Fair | 22 March
Location: Dorking Halls, Dorking
Description: Up to 120 stands, public entry from 10.30am to 4pm, with trade entry from 9.30am. Tickets are £2.50 and under-16s go free with an adult.
Click here: To confirm date, opening times and stall details
Eat & Drink
Restaurant of the Week | Denbies Wine Estate
Location: Denbies Wine Estate, Dorking
Description: Denbies’ cellar wine tasting and lunch works well as a weekday outing when you want something a little more considered than a quick meal and a dash back to the car. The format is tidy and civilised, an indoor cinema vineyard tour, a tasting of three wines, then a two-course lunch in the Gallery Restaurant. It runs every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from noon, so it is more dependable than some diaries at this time of year.
This is best for people who like the idea of making an afternoon of it rather than squeezing lunch between errands. Price: £45 per person. The main thing to note is that it is a standing experience rather than a one-off event, so booking the right day matters more than assuming there will always be room.
Click here: To see sample menus and restaurant information
Albury Vineyard
Location: Albury Vineyard, Albury
Description: A Saturday wine and cheese tasting with 12pm and 2pm slots on 21 March, plus self-guided vineyard access for guests. Adults only. Price: £34.95.
Click here: To see details and tasting information
Directory
Dorking Alterations
Location: Dorking
Description: On-site tailoring and dry-cleaning from 5 High Street, with more than 20 years serving customers and more than 38 years’ tailoring experience stated on site. Useful when something needs fixing properly rather than quietly disappearing to the back of the wardrobe.
Click here: To see contact details and request a quote
Reigate Skincare
Photo: Reigate Skincare
Location: Reigate
Description: A bookable local beauty and skincare service on Belmont Road, open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Treatments listed include facials, massage, hand and pedicure treatments, and lash or brow tinting.
Click here: To see contact details and request a quote
And Finally
Mid-March in Surrey is the season of mixed signals, sun on the pavement, coat still on, diary suddenly fuller than expected. That is usually when a useful Monday email earns its keep. If you spot something we should add, or correct, send it over.
Thank you for reading. let’s chat on Wednesday.
