Guildford Shopmobility Saved By Council and ‘True Community Effort’

Published on: 6 Oct, 2026
Updated on: 6 Oct, 2026

Article sponsored by Experience Guildford.

The Guildford Shopmobility service has been saved, thanks to a community grant of £44,874 provided by Guildford Borough Council.

The ShopMobility scheme is back in action. At the relaunch, from left, are the Mayor of Guildford Jane Tyson; Guildford MP Zöe Franklin; Ruth House, Guildford Shopmobility; Cllr Carla Morson; GBC Council Leader Julia McShane; Cllr Catherine Houston (SCC & GBC); Shirlee Posner, Guildford Shopmobility; and Amanda Masters, CEO at Experience Guildford (Credit: Cristina Lia Trujillo)

In June, The Guildford Dragon reported that Age UK Surrey faced funding issues and had reluctantly decided to close the service, with the final day being Friday, June 12.

Campaigners battled to save the service but, as we reported, there was no guarantee it would reopen. But with the council grant, this much-valued service can now continue for at least another year. After that, any decisions on funding will have to be made by the new West Surrey Council.

Shopmobility provides a selection of manual and powered wheelchairs and scooters to anyone of any age group who experiences difficulty walking around Guildford town centre.

The reopening has been made possible thanks to a partnership effort involving Guildford Borough Council, Experience Guildford, and local service users who campaigned for its return.

Shirlee Posner, Shopmobility service user and campaigner, said:  “I teamed up with Ruth House, another user of the service, and we have worked really hard to get it open.

“I started using Guildford Shopmobility because I have muscular dystrophy, which is a very rare, progressive muscle-wasting syndrome. So when I first started using the service, I could drive in and come and walk into the office and get the scooter out.

“But as time has gone on, the staff here have been amazing, helping me, bringing scooters to the car and helping me, and it gives me independence.

“I have to be in a wheelchair because I can’t walk very far, but to be able to be independent and go shopping and meet friends for coffee and go out for lunch with my children at home is amazing.”

Shirlee confirmed that she has a scooter at home — the Boxgrove area — but that for her to drive in on a scooter to go shopping would be terrifying as the pavements aren’t good enough and the space just isn’t right for people on mobility equipment.

Shirlee finds it incredible to be able to come and park in a covered car park, which is free to users, and to be able to access the shopping centre and the centre of town from a ramp and feel safe.

Shirlee Posner (Shopmobility) at the relaunch in Guildford (Credit: Cristina Lia Trujillo)

Ruth House, Shopmobility campaigner, reflecting on the impact Shopmobility has had on her family, said:  “Shopmobility was a game changer for us. My husband’s spine condition made walking any distance hard, but it meant we could once again enjoy Guildford town centre together, use its shops and services and meet friends for coffee or lunch.

“It’s not just about the person using the equipment. It helps families and friends too and supports people with both short-term and long-term. For many people, it’s not a luxury, it’s essential for maintaining independence and staying connected.”

Amanda Masters, Experience Guildford, said: “We’ve always been a fan of Shopmobility because we, as disabled people, are still a really important part of our town centre economy. We spend money. So to have this close meant that we were suddenly not able to come to Guildford anymore, which was heartbreaking on a personal level.

“Because this team taught me how to use one of these scooters when I was brave enough to give it a go. I came here, used the service and they put me right on it. Without this service, I wouldn’t have bought my own scooter. They inspired me to get my own, and it has opened so many doors to me.”

Cllr Carla Morson (Lib Dem, Ash Vale), lead councillor for Community Services at Guildford Borough Council, says: “We know how much this service means to the people who rely on it, so when the previous provider could no longer operate, we committed to keeping funding in place while a new operator was found.

“I’m delighted we’ve been able to deliver on that promise, and even though we’re halfway through the year, we’ve been able to increase the funding we awarded to the service to help give it the strongest possible start. We want to see it thrive, so it can continue supporting our community for years to come.

“This has been a true community effort. Working alongside Experience Guildford, we’re proud to have supported local people in bringing Shopmobility back and helping to create a more accessible, inclusive and welcoming town centre.”

The newly relaunched Guildford Shopmobility (Credit: Cristina Lia Trujillo)

In conversation with The Guildford Dragon, Guildford MP Zöe Franklin confirmed: “Everyone’s come together to make sure this incredible community service was able to reopen. It’s a real testament to what can be done when communities come together.”

She continued: “I know one of the questions on people’s minds would be: What happens to this service after the reorganisation finally takes place and we have West Surrey Council instead of Guildford and Surrey?

“Well, actually, Guildford Council has given this service a one-off grant to kickstart it and then be able to reopen. And actually, the amazing team, Shirley and Ruth and all of the volunteers, are going to be starting a charity to make sure that Shopmobility is self-funding and can last for many, many more years to come. I think they’ve been around 30 years so far, and I hope that there’ll be 40 more years at least.

“So please, if you can give to that charity and help keep Shopmobility going for the future, please look online, find Shopmobility and contribute.”

The service is based at Level 3, Bedford Road car park, Guildford, with easy access to the Friary Shopping Centre. The service is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4.30pm.

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