Latest news with #Guildford
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Guildford's Elm Nursery family farm to close after 42 years
A Surrey children's farm that has been operating for more than 40 years has announced its closure. The owners of Elm Nursery in Guildford, which covers two acres (0.8 hectares), said they made the decision to retire with "heavy hearts".It is a family-run farm with alpacas, goats, Shetland ponies, pigs, ducks, chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs, and other attractions including its farm shop, café and nursery."After 42 years of 7 days a week, we are finally hanging up our wellies," they said. "Running a business like ours is a lifestyle, not just a job." The family added they work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which has made it "extremely hard" for them as a family to "enjoy anything but work life together"."Now we would like to relax, breath and enjoy," they owners added they will be taking most of the animals with them and some will be rehomed to family and friends. They have thanked residents for their support over the years and have confirmed the nursery will remain open throughout the summer holidays. They added the farm, shop, plant nursery and the Elm Farm Café are due to close on 5 September.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Isle of Wight juniors take bronze at national underwater hockey event
Young underwater hockey players have returned home with medals after a national tournament. On July 19, the Isle of Wight Underwater Hockey Club attended the national junior underwater hockey tournament in Guildford. The event saw 23 teams compete in different age categories. In the under-11 and under-14 divisions, two teams from the Isle of Wight club demonstrated their skill and determination. Isle of Wight players return home with medals after Guildford tournament (Image: Supplied) The under-11s narrowly missed out on a podium finish, securing fourth place. Despite ending with equal points to other teams, they missed out on a medal due to a goal difference of just two. The under-14s, however, clinched a bronze medal following a dominant playoff performance. READ MORE: Ventnor seconds suffer another defeat to give promotion hopes hiccup Their teamwork and spirit were particularly evident in the final match, solidifying their well-deserved spot on the podium. In the under-16 category, one player from the Isle of Wight club joined a neighbouring club, and they secured fourth place. Additionally, three club members volunteered to referee and keep scores during the games.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Guildford Borough Council overspent by £1.6m on fire safety scheme
A Surrey council has overspent by £1.6m on a major fire safety project after failing to work out how many fire doors needed replacing, it has been from incomplete data left officers underestimating how many doors needed replacing in Guildford Borough Council's housing stock, according to a revealed that the council had already spent £4.1m on the scheme – above the original £2.5m contract further expenditure needed to complete the project would bring its total cost to £6.5m, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Council leader Julia McShane labelled the unexpected cost a "slight overspend", but emphasised the importance of fire efforts to shore up fire safety follow a self-referral to the regulator of social housing in 2023, which came after the council had admitted it was not fully compliant with building safety standards.A C3 rating, flagging serious weaknesses in the council's oversight of its housing stock, was the new doors, additional blocks and fire safety improvements were added mid-way through the project, increasing costs the overspend, no extra funding is being asked for at this stage, with the costs set to be covered from elsewhere in the capital Wrobel, joint chief executive of the council, said: "Whilst it is frustrating we did not catch this before breaching the budget, at the very least, we caught it very shortly afterwards."
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Paddling pool in Guildford's Stoke Park reopens after long delays
A paddling pool in Guildford has reopened for the summer holidays, almost two months behind schedule. The pool in Stoke Park was expected to open for the May half-term before it was delayed due to the water being contaminated. Julia McShane, leader of Guildford Borough Council, has now confirmed that the facility reopened on water has proven the latest in a series of issues with the pool, which also opened a month late last year because of staff sickness. Three years ago the pool was forced to shut just days after a £141,000 refurbishment because parents said its floor was too slippery for McShane says that a team of engineers have worked "absolutely flat out" since learning of the problem with water quality."We're absolutely delighted to welcome people back to the paddling pool for the summer holidays... I know how much the pool means to the community," she told BBC Radio Surrey."We're not sure exactly what has caused the problem, but obviously I'm really delighted that we've been able to resolve it at the moment," she added.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Guildford could have town council for first time
Guildford could soon have its own town council for the first other areas, the Surrey town relies solely on borough councillors to raise "hyperlocal" issues, the Local Democracy Reporting Service new council could oversee things like town events, public toilets, community grants and local planning agreed, Guildford Town Council would be funded through an increase in council tax for those living under its authority. Roughly £300,000 could be spent in the first year to set up the town council, which would be funded by Guildford Borough the number of councillors and a budget would likely be determined through a public proposed town council would likely include wards such as Onslow, Stoke, Holy Trinity and will be asked whether they want the new council through what is known as a community governance review, but ultimately, Guildford Borough Council would have the final say on whether to establish the new body.
