Good morning, Surrey. Simon here! This is Inspired Surrey, landing in your inbox this lovely morning, and guess what? We’ve officially survived the final M25 closure weekend. Honestly, give yourself a round of applause 👏👏 No more diversions, no more Google Maps sending HGVs into small tunnels… just your weekly dose of local news, events, and a bit of fun.

In today’s Inspired Surrey:

• Hampton Court after-dark tour 🌙

• Silent Pool gin tours are back 🍸

• The World-Famous Monday Wordle 🧠

• What’s on Guide for this week 📅

Let’s get to it.

Step Inside Hampton Court... After Dark 🌙🎧

Ever wondered what secrets Hampton Court Palace would spill if its walls could talk? Well, wonder no more…

Still The Hours is an exclusive, after-hours audio journey through the palace—and it’s giving us serious Bridgerton-meets-ghost-story vibes (minus the jump scares).

👑 What to Expect:

• Explore the palace by twilight 🌒

• Hear the untold stories of women—queens, maids, suffragettes, and mistresses—who lived, loved, and survived within those walls

• Immerse yourself in a magical soundscape through binaural headphones (yep, it’s as fancy as it sounds)

This tour is a little different, a little more intense than the usual, intimate groups of 11, almost-dark rooms, and an experience that literally surrounds you. It’s history... but make it atmospheric.

🎟 When?
🗓️ Wednesday 19 March – Sunday 30 March 2025
⏰ Entry slots from 6pm – 8:30pm

👉 Hot Tip: This is a strictly limited run, so grab your tickets early (there’s a cheeky member discount too!)

🔗 Book your tickets here

Heads up: Age 14+ only (themes include death, baby loss, and the threat of violence). There’s also a relaxed performance on Sunday 30 March if that’s more your vibe.

🎥 Want a sneak peek? Watch the trailer below.

@InspiredSurrey 📸

📸 @surrey_snaps | 📍 Mickleham Village, Surrey

Tag @InspiredSurrey to get your photos included!

Silent Pool Gin Distillery Tours Are Back 🍸

If you love your gin as much as you love a scenic Surrey view (and honestly, who doesn’t?), here’s one for the weekend plans…

Silent Pool Gin Distillery, right next to the beautifully eerie Silent Pool, runs a 90-minute tour packed with gin-soaked goodness. And yes, tastings are very much included. 😍

🎯 What’s in store:

• Go behind the scenes of their famous copper stills 🔥

• Sniff your way through the botanicals 🌿

• Learn the secrets of their fancy four-stage distillation process

• Sample your way to gin connoisseur status 🍹

💸 Bonus: Tour guests get a £5 voucher to spend in the distillery shop—hello, gin haul!

📅 When?

• Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays (Winter Season)

• Thursdays through Sundays (Summer Season)

🎟 Price: £25 per person
(18+ only—bring your ID if you’re blessed with a baby face)

👉 Booking is essential—this one gets snapped up fast!
🔗 Book your tour here

🎁 Want to gift the experience? Grab an E-voucher and become everyone’s favourite friend.

Cheers to local gin, gorgeous views, and a properly good day out in the Surrey Hills 🥂

The Monday Wordle: Episode 28 🧠

It’s Monday, so you know what that means, Wordle time!

Click here to play.

Last weeks answer: ghost

We Are Now On Instagram 📸 

If you are on Instagram, please follow @inspiredsurrey if you can. It would be much appreciated. The account was only started recently, so we still barely have any friends/followers, I’d very much appreciate a follow!

Thank you so much to everyone who followed us! You’re the best! 😊

The Digest 🗞️😀

Big changes could be coming to how Surrey is run: This week, councillors approved an interim plan for reorganising local government—think fewer councils, bigger responsibilities. Two or three new “unitary authorities” are on the table (but no mega one-council Surrey, thankfully). Leaders say they’re focused on what’s best for residents, though the government’s tight deadlines aren’t making it easy. The full plan lands in May, with a decision expected this autumn. Watch this space... 🗳️📜

Heads up if you’re heading Windsor way: South Western Railway services between Staines and Windsor & Eton Riverside are out of action all week (22–28 March) while engineers crack on with track upgrades over the River Thames. 🚧 Expect rail replacement buses and longer journeys, especially if you’re usually hopping on at Wraysbury, Sunnymeads, or Datchet. Time to double-check that journey planner before you travel! 🚌🚆

Good news, Surrey, the final weekend of M25 chaos is officially behind us: 🙌 After five closures (and enough diversions to drive us all mad), the stretch between Junction 10 (Wisley) and Junction 11 (Woking) is now back open. The bridge is down, the diggers are done, and we can all breathe a little easier—at least until the next round of roadworks. For now, it’s smooth sailing… or as smooth as the M25 ever gets! 🚗🎉

What’s On This Week 📅

East Surrey

💎 Woldingham Valuation Day
Woldingham Village Hall, Caterham, Thursday 27th, 10:30am | More info

🎭 Open Audition: The Importance of Being Earnest
The Miller Centre Theatre, Caterham, Tuesday 25th, 7:30pm | More info

🎤 Open Mic Night
The Ginistry, Oxted, Thursday 27th, 7:45pm | More info

🍏 Metabolic Health & Hormones Workshop
Ingledale Therapy Centre, Oxted, Saturday 29th, 10:00am | More info

🤣 Omid Djalili: Namaste
Dorking Halls, Dorking, Friday 28th, 8:00pm | More info

☕ Coffee Morning
Dorking Manor, Dorking, Tuesday 25th, 11:00am | More info

🎸 The Bon Jovi Experience
Epsom Playhouse, Epsom, Thursday 27th, 7:30pm | More info

📘 Wednesday Book Club
The Horton, Epsom, Wednesday 26th, 1:30pm | More info

West Surrey

💃 Amy Dowden & Carlos Gu
G Live, Guildford, Tuesday 25th, 7:30pm | More info

👚 Guildford Vintage Kilo Sale
Guildford Cathedral, Guildford, Saturday 29th, 10:00am | More info

💰 Woking Gold & Coin Buying Event
Vyne, Knaphill, Monday 24th, 10:00am | More info

🎧 Brookwood Cemetry Guided Tour
Brookwood American Cemetery, Woking, Tuesday 25th, 1:00pm | More info

🎵 Music at the Pottery
Pottery Lane, Farnham, Friday 28th, 8:00pm | More info

🗝️ Sunbury Antiques Market
Kempton Park Racecourse, Sunbury, Tuesday 25th, 6:30am | More info

👩‍👦 Mother’s Day Flower Basket Workshop
The Wraysbury Hub, Wraysbury, Thursday 27th, 7:00pm | More info

✔️ Disney Quiz Night
The Retreat, Staines, Tuesday 25th, 7:30pm | More info

Weather

Monday

15° 🌡️ 5° | ⛅ | It looks like we’re in for a nice week of weather, today it’s very similar to the weekend, around 15 degrees, a bit of sun poking out but quite a cloud day, it will get chilly overnight.

Tuesday

16° 🌡️ 3° | ⛅ | Much the same on Tuesday, a slight breeze, cloud cover with some sunshine in the morning until around 10/11ish.

Wednesday

18° 🌡️ 6° | ☀️ | Wednesday is the day! Bright sunshine today, and highs of around 17 degrees! It’ll be a lovely one on Wednesday, work from home, get the washing done and enjoy an extended lunch break outside!

Thursday

16° 🌡️ 7° | ⛅ | Thursday isn’t looking too bad either, back to the cloud cover and the gentle breeze from earlier in the week, but another dry day as we approach the weekend.

Thank you! 👍

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