Letter: Whatever Replaces MJA Cars at Burpham Must Have Community Value

Published on: 12 Aug, 2022
Updated on: 12 Aug, 2022

MJA Cars in Burpham Google Street View

From: Ian Creese

Prospective Labour Party candidate, Burpham Ward

I am sure that residents will wish MJA Cars every success after their departure from Burpham to focus on their Sunbury and Walton locations.

However, the decision leaves a large empty site at the heart of our community. I wanted to share a few thoughts with the many businesses who will be looking at the site and with those who will make the decisions about the site at Guildford Borough Council.

Giving up on or reducing car ownership, which many of us would like to do, would be so much easier with a reliable car rental site in such a convenient spot. Likewise, car-sharing schemes based there would help us all make the changes we want.

With the large number of us now working from home, a wifi-enabled coffee shop with individual tables at laptop height would also be great.

The team at Starbucks in Sainsbury’s do a great job, but I believe we could support both.

The BCA are rightly interested in conserving the period-piece building on the site. Having lost The Green Man, we should be hanging on to buildings which enhance the neighbourhood and preserve our collective history.

Whatever options are open, we should choose a future for the building which will be of value to the community and to our environmental policy.

Responses to Letter: Whatever Replaces MJA Cars at Burpham Must Have Community Value

Jim Allen Reply

August 12, 2022 at 8:27 pm

A proper medical centre for Burpham would be the first choice, while any community function on the site would be better than a commercial venture only attracting more traffic from outside the community. Hopefully, the Kingpost building can be incorporated within the site.
David Smith Reply

August 13, 2022 at 10:16 am

I thought Burpham was crying out for a Doctors surgery? This site would surely be perfect.
John Lomas Reply

August 13, 2022 at 1:24 pm

Is there a GP practice that wants an additional site or even are there GPs who want to set up their own practice?
In either case, do they wish to move to Burpham?

GPs are, I believe, self-employed so where they locate themselves is down to their individual choice. However local authorities can refuse to allow them at specific locations.
Simon Southgate Reply

August 16, 2022 at 7:57 am

I’m assuming that Ian Creese is completely unaware that a car rental operation is vying to take over the site as we speak and that his comments were totally unconnected.

I can’t see any value whatsoever in a car rental site. It will offer absolutely nothing to the local community and no one local is going to ditch their car and decide to hire (especially at current inflated prices due to car shortages). Instead, it will simply bring a whole lot of unwanted traffic from itinerant people who have travelled to Burpham to collect or return a car, and for no other reason.

A doctor’s surgery, or just car parking, would be a lot more useful (given that since Aldi store traffic flow and parking are already an issue in Burpham). But no doubt money will talk and the wrong decision will be made, again.
Jo Planinshek Reply

August 27, 2022 at 7:50 pm

I implore those in charge of granting decisions at this site ensure that the gorgeous building remain in tact. I would hate to see blocks of flats or even worse another Aldi debacle where a piece of history is torn down for some big corporation’s profits.
Michael Quittenton Reply

September 17, 2022 at 5:22 pm

A Macdonald’s drive-thru would be perfect or a Kebab shop.