Peter Stewart

Yeah, this is a group of individuals, but also groups as well, who are kind of joining forces to keep an eye on what is happening with the theatre and cinema complex in Red Hill. You'll be able to hear our report on the big Harlequin meeting in episode 49. And our Harlequin Q&A was in episode 48, if you want some more background information.

as to the reasons why the Harlequin Theatre has been closed. Now, there have been several public meetings thus far, as I've just suggested. Rygate and Banstead Borough Council's next council meeting, Tuesday 24th September at 7.30pm at the Town Hall in Rygate. And the support group says they're going to be attending the meeting to show their support for the Harlequin Theatre.

and make their voices heard. They say it's critical they'll fill the public gallery and demonstrate to the councillors how much they care. The meeting will last about an hour. Your presence is vital. Now, you can also listen online as well, and you can watch the proceedings online.

Now, with the day job, I have been able to watch several council meetings across the area, and it does have to be said that it's a really simple, straightforward way to watch Reigate and Bandstead's borough councils work.

council meetings you get the video they cut in between the different councillors who are speaking you hear them really good quality and so on and also there's a list in the panel as well so you can remind yourself who is speaking and that is constantly updated so if you can't get along there then you can watch online and you can check for the link by going to

If you've got any problems finding that, as I always say, get in touch with me and I'll put you in touch with them so you can watch online. If you do go along, then obviously there's a certain amount of decorum that has to happen in the council chamber, as you might imagine. But obviously beforehand and afterhand, you can have, you know.

Talks with people or you can hold placards or you can raise voices or whatever. But obviously, actually, in the meeting itself, it is there to meet after all. And the point of the meeting this time round is to discuss, hopefully, the result of the, I was going to say, initial RAC investigation. I've had the initial one.

It's going to be, as I understand it, the second one to find out, hopefully, as we will know at this stage... how much work has got to be done, how long it might take and how much it might cost and who might pay for it. And then the council says when they know those kind of parameters, that kind of detail, those kind of factors and issues, then they will be able to get some of the staff involved.

that haven't been laid off from the Harlequin staff to actually work on some medium-term plans about other arts provision in the area instead of it being at the Harlequin. Okay, so that's the detail on that. Incidentally, more arts events are coming to the Redhill area. and I'll tell you about that in a few moments' time.

First of all, the play areas at Fairfax Avenue, Red Hill, and Somerset Road, Mead Vale, are going to be getting a revamp this autumn as part of Rygate of Manstead Borough Council's Play Replacement Programme.

The updated play areas will have new equipment, including climbing frames, swings and roundabouts, and a zip wire, alongside some existing play features and improvements to landscaping, so children of all ages and abilities can learn and play together,

inclusive features will include low level and wide access points for the equipment as well as sensory play elements and they say use of recycled materials and play panels with a renewable energy theme have also been incorporated into the design of the new play areas which are at yeah the Fairfax Avenue play area so that's off the A25 between Donnings and the Belfry new inclusive equipment includes a jumbo springy ballpoint

buddy board and roundabout alongside a new climbing frame zip wire and adventure trail work there due to start in the next couple of days commencing 2nd of september also somerset road play area just north of earlswood common their play panels about renewable energy will be installed alongside new swings around about a four seater seesaw and much more uh

For obvious reasons, I haven't been on the seesaw for many a decade. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed a good seesaw. A start date to be confirmed on that one. And the upgrades for each play area are expected to take between four and six weeks. You have to be careful. You didn't kind of come down with a bit of a crunch. And then you met the seesaw coming up as you were still kind of going down.

Could be a little bit painful, but yeah, moving on. Merstham Community Facility say they just want to update everyone what's happening with the cafe in terms of the current arrangements with the MCF, the Merstham Community Facility. They say we can confirm that MCF have been advised that the temporary cafe contract we have with Surrey County Council finishes at the end of August.

So again, any day now or not be renewing. MCF will step away at the close of play today, Friday the 30th. We'd like to thank the residents that have used the cafe and supported this initiative over the last nine months. Quote, in particular, we'd also like to thank all of our wonderful volunteers for their dedication and hard work. alongside key staff members who embrace the project.

Without them, it wouldn't have been possible for us to step in and fill the void left by the mix. We know all the efforts have been really appreciated, not just by MCF, but by the wider Merstam community as well.

And they go on to say, to conclude, by the time we end our time in the cafe, we will have served our community over 9,000 free drinks, which is a phenomenal achievement and one we're rightly proud of. And we're excited to see what comes next in the cafe's journey from the MCF team. Congratulations to them.

We wish them all the very best of luck and thank them for all the work they've been doing over the last several months. Yeah, absolutely. Let's move on and tell you about a few other things which have been happening, which are going to happen across the area. A bit of advance notice. As I mentioned last week, this time of the summer, not a huge amount of things going on.

So let's take this opportunity to highlight a few big events that are happening a little bit later on in the year. Betchworth Apple Market. Fair is going to be going on Saturday the 5th of October, 1 till 4 at Betchworth Village Hall. Apple pressing, juice sales, kids activities, freshly pressed juice and savouries and cakes and puds. Apple cake and apple pudding. That sounds good, doesn't it?