The Farnham Fix - Tuesday 26 May 2026

Happy Tuesday, Farnham. Thirty-two degrees on a bank holiday — we're not complaining. Hope you made the most of it. Let's get into it.

Two things happened this week that could genuinely reshape Farnham's town centre. And for once, they're both good news.

First: the Woolmead site — that derelict hole on East Street that's been sitting empty since 2018 — finally has a developer. Homes England has selected Farnham Estates as its preferred partner to take the site forward. They're a local SME housebuilder, which matters. MP Greg Stafford welcomed the news, saying Farnham has waited far too long and calling it the beginning of the end for years of delay.

Second — and this is the exciting bit — The Farnham Society has unveiled a vision to pedestrianise part of East Street entirely. The plan would create a public piazza linking Brightwells Yard with the historic town centre. Georgian-style townhouses along the frontage. Markets. Outdoor events. A proper, walkable connection between the two halves of town that's never really existed.

The proposals, drawn up by George and Yolande Hesse, would reroute through-traffic behind the Woolmead site and turn the stretch between Woolmead and Brightwells into a pedestrian-focused space. Buses, taxis and deliveries would use a mini-gyratory via Threadneedle Road.

Whether it actually happens depends on planning, funding and a lot of goodwill. But with a developer now on the Woolmead site and a clear vision on the table, this is the closest Farnham has come to fixing East Street in a decade.

Campaigners have won a big one. A planning inspector has dismissed McDonald's appeal to build a 24-hour drive-thru near Tice's Meadow nature reserve.

The application for a restaurant at the A31 Tongham Services first went in back in 2023 and attracted nearly 10,000 petition signatures and 183 formal objections. Guildford Borough Council refused it in 2025. McDonald's appealed. And lost.

Inspector Simon Rawle found the development would harm the character of the countryside and increase the physical merging of Ash, Tongham and Aldershot. After visiting the site, he noted the tranquillity of the Blackwater River Path — something locals have been saying from day one.

Campaign coordinator Mark Elsoffer called it a major victory for the local environment. Greg Stafford MP said he was proud to have supported residents. And Badshot Lea councillor Chris Jackman — who once dubbed the plans "Blackpool on the Blackwater" — said it shows how important it is to stand up for green spaces.

McDonald's has six weeks to challenge the decision in the High Court. But for now, the nature reserve stays exactly as it is.

Last week, 130 people gathered at Hogs Back Brewery in Tongham for the annual Hop Blessing ceremony — and not even a thunderstorm could stop them.

The event, held on Ascension Day, revives a centuries-old tradition where local clergy would bless the hop crop to encourage a good autumn harvest. Revd Claire Holt from St Paul's Church in Tongham officiated. The spire of her church overlooks the hop garden, which makes the whole thing feel like it's been happening for centuries rather than since 2014.

After the blessing, guests did a mini "Beating the Bounds" around the hop garden — an ancient custom where parishioners walked the boundaries to prevent land disputes. Today it's more of a nice stroll with a pint.

Hogs Back managing director Miles Chesterman said the brewery has been rooted in Tongham since 1992 and the ceremony brings the community together. Entry was a £5 donation including a pint of the brewery's flagship Tongham TEA, with proceeds going to Diabetes UK.

Ninety newly elected councillors filed into Millmead House in Guildford on Wednesday for the very first meeting of the West Surrey shadow authority.

The Liberal Democrats took a commanding majority with 56 of the 90 seats. Paul Follows was confirmed as leader and described the role as an "absolute honour and a terrifying, terrifying privilege." Penny Rivers was elected chair.

The most interesting moment for Farnham came when Farnham Residents Group councillor Sally Dickson asked what real powers might be devolved to town councils like Farnham's. Follows' answer was promising: he said he wants meaningful devolution with actual teeth, not talking shops, and pledged the most comprehensive localism agenda the UK has ever seen.

Big words. Farnham will be watching to see if they mean anything. The shadow authority will spend the next year preparing for the full handover in April 2027, when Waverley, Surrey County Council and the other borough councils formally dissolve.

🎭 Half Term at Farnham Maltings | 26–30 May | Farnham Maltings Tickets from free to ~£10 depending on activity The Maltings has gone all-in on half term. There's creative art workshops, beatboxing for 7-11s, screen printing for Africa Day, K-Pop dance, cupcake decorating, a loop and track music composition session, and a basket weaving workshop for adults who want some peace. Family shows include Prime Minister (a comedy about running the country — for kids, obviously) and Take Flight. Something for basically every age group. Book via farnhammaltings.com.

🥾 Farnham Walking Festival — Final Week | Until 31 May | Various locations Free The 11th Walking Festival wraps up at the end of the month. There are still guided walks covering local history, wildlife and the Surrey Hills. Walks range from short strolls to proper 10-mile hikes. Full programme at farnham.gov.uk/walkingfestival.

🎨 The Art of Place + British Art Medal Project | Until 6 June | New Ashgate Gallery, Waggon Yard Free entry, Tue–Sat 10am–5pm Two exhibitions running side by side. The Art of Place features original prints from the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers — etching, linocut, screenprint and more. Next to it, the British Art Medal Society's student project showcases hand-cast bronze medals from art schools across the UK. Small, tactile, beautifully made.

🎨 Unseen Artists | 30–31 May | Farnham Maltings Free A weekend exhibition showcasing work from artists who don't always get gallery space. Details via farnhammaltings.com.

🎵 Farnham Record Fair | Sunday 31 May | Farnham Maltings Free entry, £1 parking Dig through crates of vinyl, CDs and music memorabilia. Good bank holiday Sunday activity.

🐛 Bug Hunting at Alice Holt | Thursday 28 May | Alice Holt Forest 10:30am Join the rangers for a family-friendly minibeast safari through the forest. Perfect half-term morning out.

🎵 Music in the Meadow | Sunday 7 June | Gostrey Meadow 3pm–5pm, free Free live music in Gostrey Meadow. Bring a blanket, bring the kids, bring a thermos of whatever gets you through a Sunday afternoon.

First — last week's answer. We asked: William Cobbett was born in a Farnham pub in 1763 and went on to found something still used in Parliament today. What was it?

The answer is B — Hansard, the official record of Parliamentary debates. Cobbett was born at The Jolly Farmer in Bridge Square — the pub you now know as The William Cobbett. He originally published it as Cobbett's Political Debates before it became the institution that records every word spoken in the Commons and Lords to this day. So next time you walk past that pub, raise a glass. The man born there literally invented the public record of British democracy.

Now — this week's question. Just outside Farnham sits the ruin of an abbey that holds a unique place in English history.

What was Waverley Abbey the first of in England?

A) The first abbey dissolved by Henry VIII B) The first Cistercian abbey in England C) The first abbey built by the Normans D) The first abbey to brew beer commercially

Think you know? Hit reply with your answer. We'll reveal it next week.

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