Good Evening Surrey,

The bank holiday has arrived with the usual Surrey mixture of optimism, laundry, half-term logistics and someone asking whether the M25 is “looking all right”. A brave question, really. This is the weekend where diaries start pretending to be spreadsheets, the picnic bag reappears from the back of a cupboard, and everyone remembers that “just popping out” can mean twelve minutes or half a county.

If you’re planning family days out, this is the weekend to check timings, tickets and travel before you promise anything too confidently. A25 disruption near Godstone is still one to watch, and a few attractions will be busy from Saturday morning onwards. Tell us where you’re heading, especially if you find a parking arrangement that feels almost humane.

Now in today’s edition,

Let’s take a look.

— Prince Khurram

_{P.S. Our Monday Update leans more towards news, 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.}

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Surrey Police are investigating two separate allegations of non-recent child sexual abuse connected with information from US Department of Justice files relating to Jeffrey Epstein. One report relates to locations in Surrey and Berkshire in the mid-1990s to 2000, and another to west Surrey in the mid to late 1980s.

Click here: To read the verified report

Click here: To see the police appeal and reporting route

Surrey County Council is still listing the A25 Godstone closure in both directions because of a large sinkhole, with SES Water, SGN and UK Power Networks involved. This is one to check before setting off, particularly if your weekend plans point east.

Click here: To check the latest roadworks and diversion updates

Children aged 5 to 15 are set to get free travel on participating local buses in England from 1 to 31 August 2026. For Surrey families, that could make summer day trips and childcare logistics a little less punishing.

Click here: To read the government announcement

The ONS says CPI inflation was 2.8% in the 12 months to April 2026, down from 3.3% in March. That matters here because Surrey household budgets often meet mortgages, rent, fuel and food bills in one rather crowded corridor.

Click here: To read the full inflation release

The East Surrey Shadow Authority held its first meeting on 20 May, marking another step towards the new East Surrey Council. Steve Wotton was agreed as leader, with the new council planned to go live on 1 April 2027.

Click here: To read the council transition update

Waverley Borough Council says its offices close at 4:45pm on Friday 22 May and reopen at 8:45am on Tuesday 26 May. Normal bin collections are due on Monday 25 May, with Careline continuing 24/7.

Click here: To check bank-holiday council services

Surrey County Council’s Local Offer page says work on a SEND co-production charter is planned for May 2026. The aim is to shape a shared agreement on how children, young people and families are involved in decisions about services affecting them.

Click here: To read the feedback page and get involved

Surrey County Council lists a “Cuppa with a Carer” fostering information session on Thursday 28 May, from 7pm to 8pm. It is for people considering fostering and wanting a practical first conversation rather than a glossy brochure moment.

Click here: To check the fostering information event

Surrey’s Best Start in Life Local Plan covers early-years priorities, including support for families facing poverty, language barriers and multiple disadvantage. It is not light reading, but it is useful context for how children’s services are being framed locally.

Click here: To read the early-years local plan

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The Big Bahooey | 23-25 May | Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey (Info/Tickets)
Description: Bank-holiday family event with workshops, circus acts, street theatre and palace silliness of the more organised kind. Included with palace admission, so book before promising anything too confidently.

Family Fun and Best of British | 23-31 May | Brooklands Museum, Weybridge (Info/Tickets)
Description: Half-term activities at Brooklands, with Best of British on Monday 25 May from 10am to 5pm. Good for transport fans, aircraft fans and anyone who enjoys machinery with proper presence.

Great Garden Game-a-thon | 23-31 May | RHS Garden Wisley (Info/Tickets)
Description: Half-term garden games, a lawn labyrinth and family challenges across the garden. Normal admission applies, with some extras carrying separate charges.

Dino and Princess Week | 23-31 May | Bocketts Farm Park, Fetcham (Info/Tickets)
Description: A younger-family half-term option with dinosaurs, princesses and the usual farm-park energy. Book ahead if you prefer the day to begin with fewer queue-based negotiations.

Meet the Dinosaurs Trail and Show | 23-31 May | Birdworld, Farnham (Info/Tickets)
Description: Dinosaur trail and daily shows across half term. Slightly over the border for some readers, but close enough for west Surrey families already familiar with “we’re nearly there”.

Fairy Tale Treasure Hunt | 25 May | Gatton Park, Reigate (Info/Tickets)
Description: Bank-holiday treasure hunt from 1pm to 4pm. Online and on-the-day pricing are listed, so book ahead if you like your Monday with fewer small uncertainties.

Enchanted - The Ultimate Princess Concert | 24 May | Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford (Info/Tickets)
Description: Sunday afternoon concert at 2.30pm with princess-themed songs and a family audience in mind. Price: Tickets from £33.

Lazy Jazz Bank Holiday Weekend |23-25 May| Polesden Lacey, Great Bookham (Info)
Description: Afternoon jazz from 2pm to 4pm across the bank-holiday weekend. Free after property admission, which is a pleasingly civilised sentence.

Run Away Festival | 23 May | Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher (Info/Tickets)
Description: Saturday dance festival running from midday to 10.30pm. One for the music crowd, not for anyone who describes 9.15pm as “getting on a bit”.

Music in the Park | 24 May | The Bandstand, Godalming (Info)
Description: Free Sunday afternoon session from 3pm to 5pm, featuring Rock Choir. Good for a simple town-centre outing without turning the diary into a military operation.

Farnham Farmers’ Market | 24 May | Central Car Park, Farnham (Info)
Description: Farmers’ market running from 10am to 1.30pm. Expect local produce, food stalls and the quiet confidence of people who remembered to bring bags.

MICHELIN one-star bistro in Esher, with modern cooking, careful service and a polished but not shouty feel. A practical special-occasion option rather than just another “save it forever and never book” bookmark.

Click here: To see menu and further information

Walkies & Wine | Albury Vineyard, Albury (Event details & registration)
Description: Dog-friendly open day on Bank Holiday Monday, running 11am to 5pm. Free entry is listed, with registration requested, which feels fair if you are bringing both a dog and views on rosé.

High Clandon Open Day and Tours | High Clandon Estate Vineyard, East Clandon (Open day details)
Description: Bank Holiday Monday open day with free entry and paid tours or tastings. A good countryside stop if your weekend needs fewer screens and more views.

The Plucky Pheasant | Newlands Corner (Menus/Info)
Description: Independent licensed café at Newlands Corner with published summer hours. Useful for a bank-holiday walk, especially if the group contains someone who claims they “only need a coffee” and then orders lunch.

Sorrel | Dorking (Guide/Info)
Description: MICHELIN one-star Modern British restaurant on South Street in Dorking. One for special occasions, careful booking and the agreeable fiction that you were always this organised.

Bandbox Dry Cleaners | East Horsley (Contact details & services)
Description: Family-run independent dry cleaner and laundry business trading since 1960. Useful for suits, occasion wear and anything that says “dry clean only” with the confidence of a small tyrant.

GM Electrical Service | Guildford (Contact details & request a quote)
Description: Guildford-based electrical company with NICEIC approval stated. Useful for domestic electrical work, inspections and jobs where “I watched a video” is not a safe project plan.

Alpine Electrical Limited | Woking (Contact details & request a quote)
Description: Woking-based NICEIC electrical business covering domestic work including rewiring, inspections, garden electrics and EV chargers. Handy if the outside socket has become a family negotiation.

A.I.M Removals | Guildford (Contact details & request a quote)
Description: Family-run removals and storage business operating since 1997. Useful for house moves, storage and the moment you realise books are not a personality, they are a weight category.

Carpet Bird | Woking, serving Surrey and the South East (Contact details & request a cleaning quote)
Description: Carpet, sofa and upholstery cleaning business. Useful after pets, children, parties or that one cup of coffee that made a break for freedom.

Let’s Clear | Woking, Guildford, Camberley, Godalming and nearby areas (Contact details & request a clearance quote)
Description: Independent family-run clearance business covering homes and offices. Useful for house clearances, office clear-outs and garages that have quietly become museums.

And Finally,

If your bank holiday plan involves “just seeing how the day goes”, may the traffic be kind, the parking machine functional and the first coffee strong enough to carry the whole operation. Surrey does this weekend well, provided nobody tries to do all of it at once.

Have a good weekend, Surrey.

Thank for reading. Let’s chat on Monday.