News

We’re delighted to welcome you to the new Ashford Wide website.

Our new site has been built from the ground up to be faster, easier to use, and more accessible for everyone. Whether you’re a business member, a volunteer, or simply someone who wants to know what’s happening in Ashford, you’ll find everything you need here.

What’s New

• Events — Our events calendar now automatically shows upcoming events and archives past ones, so you’ll always see what’s coming up next.
• News — Our latest news is now front and centre, so you can stay up to date with everything Ashford Wide is doing.
• Business Directory — Find local businesses, services and organisations with our updated directory.
• Membership — Find out how to join Ashford Wide and the benefits of membership.

Get Involved

If you’re interested in getting involved with Ashford Wide, whether as a business member, a volunteer, or simply someone who wants to help make Ashford a better place, we’d love to hear from you.

Keep your eyes peeled for Ashford Wide’s brand new Union Flags in Ashford highstreet

BP has sold its biggest office building in Britain to a local council for an estimated 360 million pounds, according to industry sources, and will remain in the premises as a tenant.

Spelthorne Borough Council,  said in a statement it had purchased the Sunbury-on-Thames facility from the British oil and gas giant as a way to boost revenue streams. It did not state the price it paid.

Under the terms of the agreement, BP will remain as a tenant at the Sunbury site, where it employs around 3,000 people, leasing back the offices for a minimum period of 20 years.

With their meeting with South Western Rail in sight at the end of this month, they are still accruing evidence to prove support and intent.

The petition has reached just under 200 short of 12,000 signatures and it would be advantageous to reach that figure.

Please share the link below with family, friends, work colleagues and neighbours. It is not necessary that you live in Spelthorne to add your name, as we believe more people from nearby towns, more visitors and workers from outside the area, would travel by our train lines rather than use motor vehicles.

Another car has crashed into a property in just days after a car smashed into a family home in the very same street.

Both incidents happened in Feltham Road and in the latest collision, the driver piled through a wall before stopping in the house’s porch. A spokesman for fire station said:

A young lad lost control and went in to the wall. Luckily, he didn’t hit the house but stopped just before in the porch. When we got there, he was complaining of neck injuries and we get him out with the help of the ambulance and put him on a stretcher and up he went. Overall, it was a good cross-border joint effort.

The big Heathrow/political story appeared in the Financial Times, the Times and the Daily Telegraph with the news that Theresa May has been told that she has enough support in Parliament to win a vote on expanding Heathrow.

With a decision expected next month, the Prime Minister has been told that Heathrow would win a vote with a “slam dunk” but Ministers don’t believe Gatwick’s plan has enough support from MPs.

An Extract from Back Heathrow:

“We are delighted to announce that 80,000 local people have now shown their support for the Back Heathrow campaign.

On Monday we took a campaign bus to central London to visit the offices of the Airports Commission and take your message to Parliament.

Around 50 campaigners hopped on a coach at Hounslow, travelling to Westminster to hand in our official Back Heathrow response to the Airports Commission public consultation.

As you may be aware, the Government set up an Airports Commission to examine how to maintain the UK’s position as Europe’s most important aviation hub. It will recommend one of two options – either expansion at Heathrow or at Gatwick – to the Government just after the election next year.

The Airports Commission has launched its national consultation to seek the views of interested parties, which will run until 3 February 2015. West London Business has conducted previous membership surveys to sound out views on airport expansion and the overwhelming majority of WLB’s members support expansion at Heathrow, which has informed WLB’s current policy position on airport expansion. Heathrow is central to West London’s £37 billion economy. Not only is it a major source of employment, it also attracts inward investment and holds international business here.

One of the barriers that inhibits businesses growing and developing that is often nationally quoted, relates to the difficulties experienced dealing with various departments in the Local Council that businesses need to work with.

The intention of this seminar is to de-mystify the process and provide answers to questions that you need to know. We want to work with you, understand you and help you grow and flourish.

On 21st May 6pm -8pm there will be a Business Needs Seminar held in the Council Chamber at Spelthorne Council. This will consist of short and informative updates including any relevant latest legislation of about 15 minutes each by Spelthorne Council staff who are all experts in their own field.

Severe flood warnings continue to be issued for the River Thames and the River Ash. This situation is expected to continue for around 15 days.

The Environment Agency predicts the river levels may rise by as much as 10cms by Sunday. This means that severe flooding is likely to continue and you need to take action now.

Police and other agencies are knocking on doors in affected areas as part of a co-ordinated plan to try and identify people most at risk from the flood water. These contacts could be made during the night and Police will give advice regarding the possible need for evacuation.