25/07/2026
From a Councillor's Notebook
BOOSTING FOOTFALL IN LOWER SHOTT (Lower Shott is not just where the recycling bins are)
And how throttling vision is not the answer.
Fly tippers don't choose places by accident. They choose places where they think nobody is looking.
Lower Shott has hardworking independent businesses like Ron Fowler and Son fishmongers, Grove Pharmacy, Harvey Fab the well-known plumbers emporium, a café called Ponyton Café, Raw Paws Boutique dog food centre and a place to get your nails done.. It has people investing their own money and believing in the future of the area.
But they need customers.
They need people to know they're there.
This is exactly why ideas such as better signage from the High Street, attractive walking routes, way-markers towards Polesden Lacey and encouragement for cyclists and pedestrians matter.
They are certainly not cosmetic extras. They are part of creating a place that people use, enjoy and value.
What is more, every extra person walking through Lower Shott is another pair of eyes. Every customer supports a local business. Every visitor makes it just a little less attractive to someone looking for somewhere to dump a van load of rubbish.
Vision isn't necessarily about spending lots of money. It's about seeing possibilities where others only see problems.
And the answer to fly tipping isn't just clearing it away. It's creating a place where fly tippers no longer feel comfortable operating.
MVDC can keep paying to clear away the mess after the event.
Or we can ask a bigger question: What would Lower Shott look like if it became a destination instead of a shortcut?
Imagine visitors discovering independent shops they never knew existed. Imagine walkers and cyclists following clearly marked routes between the High Street and Polesden Lacey. Imagine a café becoming a meeting place rather than just waiting for passing trade that only sometimes arrives.
That's what vision looks like. And places with life, activity and pride are places where fly tippers are less likely to feel at home.
Communities don't change by accident. They change because someone first had the vision to see what they could become. Every thriving place began as an idea that someone was prepared to believe in before anyone else could see it.
My vision says:
• Help people find Lower Shott.
• Support the independent businesses already investing there.
• Encourage walking and cycling.
• Link the High Street with Polesden Lacey.
• Increase natural footfall.
• Make the area feel alive.
• Reduce opportunities for fly tipping.
Fly tippers see an empty space. Vision sees a destination.
Fly tipping isn't just about rubbish. It's about community pride, local businesses, healthy travel, and whether we have the imagination to make places better.
True motivation comes from sharing a big, beautiful vision.
We don't have to settle for anything less.
Mole Valley Shop Local NailsCorner-Bookham
*With thanks to AI for interpreting some ideas into my photos.
