There is something quietly sacred about the local pub. In Surrey’s towns and villages, it is more than a place to drink – it is the heart of the community, a space for celebration and consolation, gossip and repose. When that heart fades, we lose more than an evening out; we lose a piece of local history. The recent closures of The Dog & Pheasant in Brook and The Wheatsheaf in Grayswood are a sobering reminder of how fragile these institutions have become.

Pubs are the anchors of community life. They bring neighbours together, offer company to older residents and give newcomers a sense of belonging. They preserve heritage, support jobs and local suppliers, and draw visitors to rural areas. A closed pub, by contrast, tells a story of decline and disconnection.

In Brook, The Dog & Pheasant stood proudly beside the cricket green, serving as both pavilion and social hub. The Wheatsheaf in Grayswood, revived only last summer after years of closure, has already gone dark again. Across Surrey, cherished pubs are closing – not because they are unloved, but because they face mounting economic pressures. Rising energy, food and labour costs hit independents hardest. Business rates, licensing rules and patchy rural transport compound the strain. Shifts in consumer habits, from supermarket alcohol to home entertainment, have made survival ever more precarious. Too often, when a landlord faces ill health or financial trouble, there is no safety net.

Yet closures are not inevitable. The Dog & Pheasant’s supporters are exploring ways to secure its future, and other communities have shown that determined local action can work. The Barley Mow in The Sands, for example, has been transformed by community ownership.

As Director Gary Selby explains: “The pub is now owned by 147 local people. Since reopening in October 2025, it has been a tremendous success, focusing on the ‘critical triumvirate’ – great food, great drink and great atmosphere. Profit is not our top priority; providing a genuinely local asset is. From history talks and quiz nights to flower arranging and live music, we’re creating events that appeal to a wide and diverse audience. It’s been hard work, but it’s worth it – the feedback says it all: ‘We’ve lived here for 27 years and never known such a warm buzz of community spirit.’”

Ensuring our pubs have a future is not easy, but it is vital. Local authorities can help through business rate relief, heritage protections and community grants. Residents can play their part by supporting their locals and as a Borough Councillor and member of the planning committee, I believe planning policy must prevent pubs from being casually converted into housing. Once gone, they rarely return.

Protecting our pubs is not about nostalgia; it is about preserving the spaces that sustain community life. If The Dog & Pheasant and The Wheatsheaf are lost for good, the heart of Brook and Grayswood will beat a little weaker. To keep Surrey’s towns and villages alive, we must defend the institutions that knit us together.