Effingham Residents Angry About ‘Inaccurate’ Report of Playground Rats

Published on: 29 May, 2018
Updated on: 31 May, 2018

The King George V playing fields in Effingham.

By Chris Dick

A getSURREY news report of rats infesting an Effingham playground has been criticised by angry residents as inaccurate.

The online version of the Surrey Advertiser reported on May 27, 2018 that rats had been spotted: “around King George V (KGV) Playing Fields in Effingham causing concern for children’s safety.”

The getSURREY report residents say is inaccurate

The article stated that one resident, who apparently lived “over the road from the fields”, claimed that a large number of rats were now being seen there. This resident, who did not want to be named, took three photos that appeared to show the vermin near the play area.

However, on the Effingham Residents Association website, local residents, including Chris Hogger, one of the Effingham Village Recreational Trustee (EVRT) Trustees who manage the King George V playing fields, denied that the photos published with the getSURREY article were of the Effingham playing fields.

No one has been able to identify where the three photographs in the getSURREY article were taken. The metal rails shown in one photo are not present on the KGV.

Some residents believe the article was based on malicious information designed to discredit Loolabells, the KGV café wagon near the children’s play area.

Loolabells café on the KGV fields

Cafe owner Louise Wishart said: “I run the cafe in the KGV. I spend on average over 60 hours a week at the KGV and can honestly say that not once have I ever seen a rat or been advised by anybody else that they have seen a rat – and I get told about the majority of things affecting the fields.

Louise Wishart

“I am here at 6.30 in the morning and don’t leave until past teatime most evenings when nobody else is about and the area is still, the perfect time for rodents if they were present.

“I collect up the rubbish from the playground on a regular basis and again have never seen any evidence of a so-called rat infestation.

“It is sad that our little playground that we are all working so hard at to renovate has been tainted by somebody anonymous who has got it confused with another playground, because they are not images of our playground.”

The childrens’ playground at King George V playing fields. The fencing is different from that seen in the getSURREY images within their report.

Some readers may be aware that there had been a number of complaints made to Guildford Borough Council against the cafe when it first opened.

In an effort to confirm, one way or another, whether there was any evidence of rats, a Guildford Dragon reporter covered the diurnal activity around the cafe and playground on Sunday, May 27, 2018 until it became too dark to see.

He observed that there were plenty of pigeons, a blackbird and even a magpie. But no rats.

There was no evidence, as the getSURREY article stated, that: “The rats are literally running around your feet while you’re walking over there. They get in the children’s playground and everything, you can see them running in an out of it. I worry about the disease they could be spreading, especially among the kids.”

The Surrey Advertiser newsdesk has been invited to comment.

1345: It is understood that getSURREY have now issued a retraction.