Bramley Parish Council is cock-a-hoop at securing a bumper payout of £512,500 from ASDA in compensation for the Bramley fuel debacle, which it plans to spend on community projects.

However, village residents—especially those who were personally impacted by the fuel leak and spent weeks unable to cook, drink, or clean their teeth with tap water, and many of whom are still struggling with Wi-Fi and internet issues—are pretty miffed! BT Open Reach claims its staff cannot risk opening ducts to inspect and repair cabling.

And who can blame them when ASDA is trying to fob them off with a mere £50 voucher that can only be spent in … you guessed it, ASDA!  

We ask, is it likely that the residents of Bramley (which is often described as ‘the Chelsea of Surrey’)  going to be shopping in ASDA?!  Why not give them a voucher for Kilfeather & Dumbrill, the upmarket butchers in the village, thus killing two birds with one stone – helping to compensate both local residents and local businesses that have been impacted by the debacle?!

As one disgruntled resident who was and continues to be affected by the fuel leaks said,

‘I don’t begrudge the kiddies getting an upgraded playground out of ASDA, but I do feel the Parish Council has let down those residents and businesses who were most impacted by the fuel leak in that it only appears to care about the optics and is blowing its trumpet about the playground on Eastwood Road and beefing up the Bramley Christmas Lights with little or no regard for the 621 households who were seriously impacted by the drinking water issues and businesses who are all having to fight their own corner with the loss adjusters.  Frankly, many of us think the £512,500 award should have been distributed amongst those households as the wider community – which wasn’t affected – is benefiting at the expense of the individuals who were!.

The parable of the leaky petrol station has been on the lips of Bramley residents for years. We’ve been writing about it here at the WW long before it was a gleam in the eye of the nationals. Not that anyone ever takes any notice of us …!

Hardly a squeak from the former MP for Guildford & Villages, Angela Richardson, throughout the years that the Bramley stink permeated the village. She was too busy having her picture taken elsewhere to bother rocking up at a local petrol station to sort out a little local crisis.

Letters from ASDA outline compensation for businesses and residents, and the parish council has publicised its delight in a local newsletter as follows:

Agreeing on funds for our community is a fantastic result for our village. While it will not take away the impact of the fuel leak, it does mean we will be able to facilitate positive outcomes across our community. The funding will go towards projects and organisations, including our new Christmas lights and marketing of the village, refurbishment of the Eastwood Road playground, our schools, the Four Villages Day Centre, and other long-overdue refurbishments and repairs in the village.

While we are delighted with the above, discussions about household payments have yet to progress. Despite strong representation from Bramley Parish Council and local community group representatives, Asda has now indicated a final amount of £50 Asda voucher to each of those 621 households impacted by the drinking water restriction.

Bramley Businesses and schools are applying under a separate scheme. Under this scheme, payouts are being processed concerning a loss adjuster, and the first payments are beginning to be made. I would also like to let you know that there are no conditions attached from Asda in accepting the above. Agreeing to the community support payment does not preclude any individual or group from taking legal action against Asda or any other party in the future.

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