Greetings
from Bagshot - Christmas 2021
While we have had our first fleeting snow I have to admit that this photo of mistletoe in a snow laden tree was taken a few years ago.
The story of 2021 is just about as bland as 2020 had been with little community activity for relief. Lockdown might have been a novelty at first but I guess we have all got weary. Normally the Bagshot Business Association organises two street fairs - Bagshot Big Bash - one in the summer and one in December. Needless to say, the summer one got cancelled, but with Covid restrictions easing they went ahead with planning the December one. It took place just days before restrictions were recommended by the country's Chief Medical Officer.
Despite the rain the event was well attended with stalls and entertainments in the High Street - even Santa with real reindeer - and ended with the Christmas Tree lights being 'officially' switched on (not withstanding that they have been on for some while).
Building activity has dominated 2021 in our village especially with central government overturning the local rejection of planning applications.
The most contentious has been a low-lying meadow sandwiched between Chapel Lane and the railway. It has a stream running through it and has always been rather wet and boggy. The application to build 44 houses was rejected by the local council but the developer appealed to government who granted permission. The people I feel sorry for are those downhill of the location who must be fearing that the loss of the water-absorbing properties of the meadow will result in them being flooded.
Access to the site is via the
very narrow Chapel Lane - a route also used by many to access the
Infant School
- and the builders are required to have a banksman stationed at the end
of the
road to escort lorries in and out. The campaign group that
was
set up to oppose the development proposals have more
information
and pictures on their facebook
page.
Jack's Fish & Chips on the bypass is a similar story. An application by a company known for their retirement homes met with local opposition on many counts including that its size and height was out of proportion for the location, insufficient parking to meet its needs, and not providing the type of housing needed by the community. However it was approved on appeal. The facility will be retirement apartments with added care facilities.
So ends nearly a century public catering on the site. Originally built as Violet's Tea Rooms when the bypass was opened, it became Bert's transport cafe (latterly Berts Gone Mad) and eventually Jack's providing dining and take away service. More about Berts and the tea rooms can be found here and within the Dolly Varden story
Bagshot Manor was an office building that had been empty for most of its life. It was built in the 1980s for Sun Microsystems on the site of the offices of the old Bagshot Rural District Council. I never saw any evidence of it being used so I assumed that it must have been part of some contingency plan. It was taken over by Steljes as their headquarters but after a while fell vacant and had been empty for several years until plans were submitted to convert the building into nearly 90 flats. This is where communities find there is a loophole in the planning laws - such conversions are 'permitted development' that do not need approval, and furthermore the conversions don't even need to meet the standards that would apply to a new build. Personally I would not call the works being done a conversion, the builders have demolished virtually everything other that the floor slabs and rebuilt even higher than the original, then put an additional 5 houses on the car park.
Queen
Anne House, also known in the past as Red House, is a
large grade II listed building on the junction of London Road and
Bridge Street.
It has been a private residence, a restaurant, a cafe and
most
recently offices.
It is now being converted into flats with 5 more houses in its grounds.
We have some history about it
here,
and I would welcome any more information about the history and uses of
the building.
Two years ago I described the history of Moscow Villa, a property whose near-derelict state had prompted many questions. Its demolition is now complete and a block of 5 apartments has been built on the site .
Next to Moscow Villa is the White Hart pub, or perhaps I should say 'was', for it ceased trading a few months ago and I guess wil be the next to be replaced by flats.
The principle bus service through the village is the 34/35 which runs from Guildford to Camberley via Woking. It has been run by Arriva but a few months ago they announced that they were pulling out. Fortunately Stagecoach are taking the route over with only minor time table changes. Over recent years public transport has improved - the 34/35 service increased from 2 to 3 buses an hour. White Bus, who run the 500 (Staines to Frimley Park Hospital via several villages including Bagshot) have introduced a new service, the X30, which runs from Frimley Park Hospital to Heatherwood Hospital via Camberley, Bagshot and Ascot.
The train service remains as it has been for a very long time, but judging by the number of cars in the station car park the number of passengers has reduced significantly. The car park used to be full with commuters having to park on residential roads. Now it is almost empty though numbers had been slowly increasing since the summer. In a way it is interesting to see how the number of cars parked varies day-by-day. Never very many, the peak is on a Wednesday and the minimum on a Friday. Omicron has cut the number of car parked right back again.
While many town centres are emptying out of shops, our High Street seems to be bucking the trend with several new businesses having moved in this year - including a traditional hardware shop. Full marks to the proprietor who sells many domestic materials on a bring-your-own-bottle to refill in order to help avoid single use plastic. Other new shops include an independent phone shop, a business specialising in organic items, another featuring aromatic products, and yet another nail bar.
The former booking hall at the
station has been the location of several businesses including a
training academy for barbers as well as offices. The latest
occupier is a cake making business with a small coffee
shop alongside. With negligible passing trade I thought this
to be an odd choice, but the business seems to be doing well.
This evening photo shows the Christmas decorations
outside. When open there are tables and chairs under the
canopy.
In my last newsletter I included a picture of one of the bomb craters
on Chobham Common that were revealed by the heath fire. I
speculated
that the bombs had been aimed at the Fighting Vehicles Research and
Development
Establishment situated at the edge of the common. I have been
corrected - the FVRDE was not established there until after the war, so
the target must have been the railway line.
Among the contributions and questions since my last newsletter are:
- Doug desribes his use of the Berts Gone Mad transport cafe.
- Heather seeks information about the Corbett family who used to run the Fighting Cocks pub.
- Donald asks when the current bridge over the Windle Brook on Bridge Road was built.
- An article about the heath, including the Enclosure Act, the Cole family and broom making.
- Janet tells us about the time her family lived and worked at Pennyhill Park.
- Kate writes "I am trying to find out which cottage on Bagshot Heath Alfred Noyes lived in when he wrote the Highwayman. He rented rooms apparently. One of his neighbours was Mrs Thompson, mother of Alice Meynell and Lady Butler. Where was her home? This was in 1904 - any help gratefully received. ". [2021 Oct]
- BK wonders how he came to be born in the Nursing Home as his parents did not live in Bagshot.
With best wishes to you and those you hold dear.
Keep safe.
Neil
My previous newsletter was last Christmas