Award For The Plough
The Old Plough is going from strength to strength. Recently the team was delighted to be named winner of the ‘Best Country/Village Pub’ category at the Fullers Pub of the Year contest. When presenting the award, Fullers Chairman Michael Turner said “The Old Plough is a destination pub in the heart of the community, where eaters and drinkers alike are looked after with the same friendly and professional service.”
Village Sign
Fundraising is continuing and to date we have raised and/or been promised £2,700. A grant from Elmbridge council’s ‘community infrastructure levy’ (CIL) fund has been applied for; this is a levy on new building developments in the area which annually is then re-distributed to local good causes.
If a CIL grant is obtained then it should provide a significant boost to our fundraising. We have approached Surrey County Council on whose land the sign will be situated and are pleased to say that they think this a great idea and are very supportive of the project.
Half Yearly Meeting
The Half Yearly Meeting of the Residents’ Association is on Thursday 26th April at 8pm in St Mary’s Church Hall, Stoke Road.
- Free drink on arrival
- Updates on our activities
- Hear from local councillors
- Talk by Claire Yarborough, Business Manager at Cobham Health Centre.
Howzat?
Stoke d’Abernon Cricket Club is seeking a scorer to cover all 1st XI, division 3, league matches on Saturdays from May to September.
Knowledge of cricket is essential, but experience as a scorer is not, as the club would pay for training on an approved course. Expenses of £50 per match will be paid. Matches start at noon and usually finish by 7pm.
Interested? Then initially please contact: andrew.patrick@btconnect.com (Chairman, SDCC)
Nottingham Knockers
There have been outbreaks in this area of callers knocking at doors, usually with a large rucksack on their backs and often claiming to be reformed prison or borstal inmates or out of work. They offer to sell cheap items, usually at a price considerably greater than they are worth. It is all a scam which originated in Nottingham, hence the name, and they are not part of any recognised rehabilitation scheme. Some may even carry fake work permit/identity cards.
The persons concerned may also have an interest in your property and how much money and goods there could be in the house, often with a view to subsequent theft. Many are well known to the police for their criminal activities. Police advice is not to engage in any conversation and turn them away promptly or simply not answer the door.
Also be aware of the pots and pans scam often in car parks whereby someone usually Dutch or Swiss and with an expensive car, claims to be have been to an exhibition/trade fair but cannot take their top of the range kitchenware (sometimes it is watches) back with them and will sell to you at a discounted price. They may even have a credit card machine. Do not fall for it – the goods are as fake as the story they tell. Like the Nottingham knockers, they tend to be rather convincing and can turn aggressive if challenged. They have been operating in the Cobham area in recent times.
Avenue of Remembrance
By the time you read this all of the old cherry trees on the Tilt will have been removed and new Kansan cherries planted. There are now some 48 new trees (4 more than before), 3 metres from the road. The trees have been planted in slightly different positions to the old ones to avoid spreading any disease. Ultimately they will be surrounded by a strip of meadow grass sown with poppies. In a few years time it should all create an impressive display. The area will be maintained by Elmbridge Borough Council whom we thank for their efforts in remembering our local war dead.
Transport
A brand new ‘Mellor Strata’ bus with a low floor single step entrance with fold-out ramp, was launched on 17th October. The new bus is considerably more spacious and airy and, allows much easier access for wheelchairs and ‘buggies’, as one passenger remarked “it is now more like a proper bus”.
Unfortunately there have been a number of technical ‘teething problems’ with the new bus, sometimes necessitating a substitute vehicle. The Chatterbus service (C1) operates between Weybridge, Brooklands superstores and Cobham (including the railway station), with the service (C2) being extended on Saturdays to Fetcham and Leatherhead (Lidl).
Bus Route 408
Apart from the Chatterbus do not forget that Surrey bus route 408 operates between Cobham Sainsbury’s and Epsom via Stoke d’Abernon railway station, Oxshott, Leatherhead and Ashtead.
“Stoke dAb”
An interesting’ abbreviation sometimes appears at the railway station simply giving a welcome to “Stoke dAb”.
Whilst some newer trains are operating on the South Western Railway network, the majority of replacement trains provided by this franchisee will not be available until next year. Meanwhile significant timetable changes are scheduled from 7th December. Although subject to alteration, it looks likely then that for most of the day (peaks excepted) trains will leave our station at 04 and 34 to Waterloo, and 08 and 38 to Guildford.
Green Belt
The Green Belt controversy of last year over Elmbridge BC’s local plan to build on nearby Green Belt land has not gone away. So many residents responded that Elmbridge was obliged to withdraw its plan.
They are working on a new plan and it is anticipated that details will be announced before this summer – we await this with interest.
Apples and Pears
You may have noticed at the shops that the very recent arrival, greengrocer Bramley’s Apple, has now gone. A stay in our village measured in just a few months.
Reed’s School Brass Band
Members of the excellent Reed’s School brass band with their teacher Roger Willey were popular playing traditional carols at our Christmas event in December.
At 5:30pm on Saturday 3rd December, the first notes of ‘Hark The Herald Angels’ wafted across the garden of the Old Plough and Christmas was once again under way in our village. As well as having a good time, there was Father Christmas with small gifts for the children, Shetland ponies and, mulled wine and snacks from the Old Plough.
George from our local Squire’s garden centre led the countdown to the lighting of the tree located at the junction of Stoke Road and Blundel Lane. The 20ft tree had also been generously donated by Squire’s. The event raised several hundred pounds towards the village sign.
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