Welcome to The Knaphillian

 Pics: Mal Foster 

Following some recent conversations with a number of Knaphill residents this unwelcome subject has once again reared its ugly head. A new generation of teenagers are starting to hit the streets and some of the old problems are beginning to return. As parents we all have a responsibility to keep tabs on our kids - but do we really know what they are doing when they're out? - The latest problems are reportedly in the Alexandra Gardens area as the CCTV in the village centre has deterred teenagers from gathering in the High Street like they did a couple of years ago. We also have it on good authority that some parents are even acting as Secret Vigilantes and patrolling the streets in the evening to watch their children and their so-called friends - but is this really the right way forward? - Our advice is that if you know the parents of any child who gives you concern - perhaps be brave enough to have a quiet word. Essentially though, it's not all bad news as there are some positive signs in the village that help is on hand for our wayward sons and daughters. More importantly, some of our young residents have the foresight to help themselves. Through our Google Alerts facility you can view an example of our new hope for Knaphill youth here >>>

The Knaphill policing team who also cover Brookwood, St. Johns and Sheets Heath consist of a regular PC and two Police Support Community Officers. The hold regular surgeries in the village however, due to poor attendance at the Knaphill Surgery meetings, they have now amalgamated both day surgeries in exchange for one evening surgery per month. The location has also changed, as they will now be held at the Kings House Coffee Shop, High Street, Knaphill at 1930 hours until 2030 hrs prompt. Surgeries will take place on the second Wednesday of every month. Regular Panel Meetings are also held at The Holy Trinity Church, Chobham Road once every three months. Current issues and crime levels are discussed with members of the local community and councillors in attendance. See our Calendar/Diary for dates and times.

It remains to be seen how efficient the local policing team actually are, crime levels are currently down in Knaphill and this has probably been helped by the eradication of the youth culture from the village centre however, incidents of car crime are actually on the up. More information is available on the Community Policing website here >>> 

Litter on our streets is always a topic of conversation when I walk around the village. The residents association recently arranged a very successful Knaphill Clean-up day on Saturday 05 April and over 50 bags of litter was reportedly collected by a small army of local residents and their children. This does beg the question however - what are we paying our council tax for? - Surely Woking Borough Council employ contractors to do this work!

Litter is often blamed on the takeaway food outlets but much of it comes from council workers themselves not doing their jobs properly whilst emptying the bins. The litter is then carried to all corners of the village on the wind. The Sainsburys superstore and its customers are also major culprits, how often do you see the distinctive orange carrier bags snagged in the trees around The Broadway and Bagshot Road?

Following exposure on this page the campaign for the future usage of the old library site is now gathering pace with a number of postings on our Village Forum -  [old] One local resident, Simon de Groot who is very passionate about the cause has even launched his own dedicated web log at www.knaphill.blogspot.com to support the campaign. The Knaphillian recently contacted Surrey County Councillor Diana Smith who is responsible for Knaphill asking for an up date on any future plans for the site. This is her reply: -

"It is disappointing that nothing is currently happening about the library site, except that it continues to be offered for sale. This, of course, was always the deal - it is now a redundant building from Surrey's point of view. Surrey won't keep, or spend money on, a building that it cannot use to do the things it ought to be doing with taxpayer’s money. The building is in a very dilapidated state, and just to bring it back to a condition where the public could use it would be expensive. If this were not the case, we would have had a re-built library on that site. But yes, it is a significant site in the centre of the village, and the decaying building is not inspiring! If someone were to come forward with a convincing proposal - which would have to include funding - for a good use of the site, I would be happy to help promote it. A craft or farmers market sounds a terrific idea, but we would have to put together a good proposal to Surrey, which would need determined organisers and a strong business plan. If there is anyone willing to come forward with this, I would be very happy to talk to them and do my best to make sure well-founded suggestions are given a sympathetic hearing". Regards, Diana Smith.

From Simon de Groot - "Hi Mal ....Thanks for the new section on the Knaphillian's home page about the campaign...looks great...also for writing to Cllr. Smith and forwarding this.  She sounds a little more positive now, than she was when I wrote to her some weeks ago......and is even offering to help now, good news....  Eileen Martin asked me for a piece in the form of a letter for inclusion in a KRA publication, and I attach it for your interest (and a proofread?) -  I have started gauging the views of local businessmen and potential stallholders etc. I hope also to get some further discussion going in your forum and on my blog about retaining the original building, or most of it. Originally I thought these would have to be demolished whatever happened, but now I realise that it may be possible to beautify it by stripping the white paint, so the front looks the same as the back, adding new windows and a new roof with lights etc. It would add history and it would be far greener to retain. I am looking for the advice of an architect as to whether it is feasible to save/convert....Know any architects? - I have just heard from the Woking News and Mail also...cool."  - Simon de Groot.

Since the arrival of the infamous wheelie bin early in 2006 refuse collection is often a sticky subject for most residents. The bins though have received mixed reviews, as there are obviously advantages as well as disadvantages since their introduction into the community. Advantages are obviously the ability to recycle, even more so now that glass bottles and jars can be added to the recycle bins. There is also less chance of urban foxes and cats disturbing the litter once it has been left out for the bin men. As mentioned above though, sloppy behaviour by council contractors can lead to our domestic rubbish becoming litter on the streets. The twice-weekly collection of the non-recycle bins is also a problem particularly in the summer as discarded food goes mouldy and attracts flies and maggots as well as the usual putrid smell. It is also important to state that the council do not do enough to advise residents on other collection facilities such as bulk collection of furniture and electricals. Many older and new residents have been known to pay the local 'man with a van' to take their rubbish away to the local tip when it could have been done by a simple phone call to the local authority.

One of the problems with the UK smoking ban that was in introduced in July '07 is that it simply instructs people to go outside premises to smoke. The problem in Knaphill is mainly at the local pubs where smokers just stand in the doorways with their arm outside the door. The smoke blows back in - often filling the whole pub. What makes it worse is that some bar staff and even their pub managers either turn a blind eye or participate in this unacceptable practice themselves. The Anchor and The Crown pubs apparently are the worst offenders!
What would be better would be to restrict smokers from the doorways and only allow them to smoke at least 5 metres away from the entrances etc. Also, who is supposed to be policing the ban and imposing any fines? - No sign yet - but the sooner this situation is addressed - the better!

In April 2007 the Crown pub's previous owners introduced 'exotic dancing' at the venue in an attempt to address the impact of the national smoking ban on its takings. On Monday and Wednesday evenings the dancing starts from 20:30 with a mixture of locals, soldiers and businessmen enjoying the entertainment. To date the nights have been without incident with both the police and Woking Borough Council taking a back seat in the comfort of knowing that the pub's licensing and security is all in order. Initially there were some protests from local residents and churchgoers, but these were from people who had never even stepped foot in the place and probably never would. Of course we are aware that people have their own opinions on the subject and naturally we respect that. David O'Brien the new owner has basically inherited the girls' two nights a week but has recognised the earnings potential as he strives to make the pub environment as comfortable and friendly as possible in attempt to turn a profit. But, what do you think?

Following requests by local teenagers at the end of 2006 we decided to launch our Teenage Voice page so that kids and young adults between 12 and 20 could express their thoughts on the kind of youth facilities they would like and who should run them. We also launched a survey to identify what kind of facilities (if any) the local children would like. Out of 103 responses, 83% said that they wanted a youth club, with 95% of those asking it to be run privately. Of course we have the scout and guide facilities and there are the Chill & Chat sessions at the Kings House Coffee shop, which is a church, run group. The survey suggested that we were addressing the needs of teenagers outside that scope who simply wanted somewhere to 'hang out' without attracting the unnecessary attention of local police. It is also interesting to note that the Surrey Police community officers have also tried to implement their own initiatives such as pizza evenings to encourage the kids off the street. With the situation changing as they grow older the issue of facilities for teenagers in Knaphill will always be in debate with any real developments few and far between.

Knaphill as a village has been previously described as a dumping ground with lunatics, convicts and more recently asylum seekers landing on our doorsteps. Even according to H.G. Wells - the Martians weren't that far away!

The expansion from Woking of Goldsworth Park and the closure of Brookwood Hospital are the root cause of the current problem. Right up to the late eighties Brookwood Hospital was a tolerable part of our community and even the new houses around Lockfield Drive brought fresh business to the shops in the village for a while.

However, the eventual closure of the hospital brought about it a number of dubious planning applications. Developers were banging on the doors of Woking Borough Council with their plans that would transform the centre of Knaphill forever. Using 'sound bite mechanisms' to secure their deals - every development in Knaphill since the eighties has included elements of 'social housing'. Most of this has been built on the site of the old Brookwood Hospital with future plans ear-marked for Brookwood Farm and the surrounding area.

People on low incomes, mainly from Woking, move in to the new houses with their small children. The schools are at breaking point and the council fails to provide amenities for those kids, as they get older. The result is that 'mummy's little darlings' grow into members of the so-called hooded feral gangs we see in the village each night from teatime.

TheKnaphillian.com has received numerous emails from people who are thinking of buying a property in the area but are worried about their safety. Hardly surprising when you see articles in the local press about fights, muggings, robberies, systematic harassment - not to mention the occasional rape or attempted murder.

Unsocial behaviour is out of control, but then the same could be said for the rest of the country - How we deal with it is the key!

Unfortunately our resident's association was formed too late to stop the current wrath and as we know, whilst they have a voice they need to ensure that it's heard when it counts.

Knaphill needs better security even though new state of the art CCTV has been erected in the village centre. Switched on at the beginning of November '06, these are not observed on a 24-hour basis and the police will only act on evidence once a crime has already occurred. A deterrent - maybe - but not as effective as villagers were originally led to believe.

The community police officers do a good job but only seem to appear outside Sainsburys on a Saturday morning. Very rarely do you see any police presence in the village after 6.pm.

Retail outlets such as the Co-Op need robust security. Surely it would be better for them to employ a permanent security guard if youths are blatantly walking into the store and stealing items such as alcohol without being challenged. A new experiment involving classical music has just been launched to deter the youths but will Wagner, Beethoven or Debussy stop the thugs from continuing their destruction of our moral values?

In conclusion then, what if anything can be done? - As parents we should all be able to influence how our children behave. Our local schools should spend more time dealing with respect and teaching social skills and awareness. Woking Borough Council should look at providing better amenities and support for teenagers. The police need to review their strategy.

As villagers we should oppose any future plans for further social housing.

Woking Borough Council, the schools, Surrey Police and even the local press all have a responsibility here. They should get together and discuss a detailed and workable plan to get things right. You don't have to be Einstein to work out that Knaphill in it's current state will slip quite rapidly into the abyss and it won't be long before the feral gangs our own council has created are celebrating.

Knaphill Village sign pic by Mal Foster - 2006