Thursday, March 28Royal Holloway's offical student publication, est. 1986

Tag: Egham

New Drugs Testing Kit Results in Egham Arrest
News

New Drugs Testing Kit Results in Egham Arrest

Surrey Police have reportedly arrested a 21-year-old in Egham for driving whilst under the influence of drugs, using new roadside drug testing kit introduced this month. The arrest was made on Monday of last week at around 11pm. The driver was pulled over on Priest Hill and found to be in possession of a class B drug, and under its influence whilst driving, using the new technology. The man, who originates from Middlesex, has been released on bail until late April. The new drugs testing kit, named DrugWipe, tests for substances including Cocaine, Cannabis, Amphetamine and Methamphetamines (MDMA) in under 10 minutes using a suspects saliva. Surrey Police have commented that the new kit will be a ‘valuable addition’ in the fight to tackle drug driving.
Armed Police Called to Egham Station
News

Armed Police Called to Egham Station

On Sunday the 1st of February armed police arrived at both Egham and Virginia Water train stations in search of a man possessing a firearm absconding from London. Passengers waiting at the stations reported that several police response vehicles arrived on Sunday morning, carrying armed police and dog units who proceeded to make a sweep of the stations. A Spokesman from Surrey Police reported that officers were indeed called to the railway stations in both Egham and Virginia Waters after the Metropolitan Police Service had alerted them at approximately 10:15am. Likewise a spokesman from the Metropolitan Police said: “Police were called at approximately 8.30am to reports of a male seen with a firearm at Victoria Coach Station." The identity of the armed man is unknown and British Transpor...
Egham Hit and Run Crash still under Investigation
News

Egham Hit and Run Crash still under Investigation

On January 24th, a crash took placed near the newly opened Waitrose store in Egham, of which the cause and the identity of the diver still remain unclear. Surrey Police are still appealing for witnesses to establish more details about the crash. Two weeks ago, it was reported that a silver Subaru Forester collided with a set of traffic lights near Waitrose in Church Road around 9 pm on Saturday (24 January). Eyewitnesses said that some passengers and the driver fled the scene before the Police arrived, the Police are now appealing for more witnesses to help them understand the scene. A spokesman from Surrey Police said, “Members of the public reported that the vehicle driver and several other occupants had run from the scene of the collision prior to police attending the location.” “...
News

Anti-Student Vandalism Increases in Englefield Green

The recent weeks have seen what can only be described as a sharp and worrying climb in anti-student related acts. Vandalism, verbal and physical abuse have become rife in parts of Egham and Englefield Green in the run up to Christmas – but will this trend continue? A number of students when asked about any anti-student attitudes they had experienced in the local area reported to having been verbally abused by members of the public on transport and in the general local area. Instances of anti-student vandalism have also appeared around Englefield Green. 'Students f*** off' and other such phrases have cropped up in a number of locations around the area, and while some have been removed, they do still appear. The Holly Tree pub in Englefield Green remains strictly out-of-bounds to all studen...
News

Fire in Sushi Factory Leaves Students Floundering

Students at Royal Holloway may have been left wondering where their sushi fix had gone, towards the end of last term. The sushi supplier for Royal Holloway had, in-fact, exploded in the early hours of December 1st 2014. The major fire closed Staines town centre, after the blaze broke out in several industrial units, including that of Royal Holloway’s sushi supplier: Tanpopo Japanese Food, at Unit L4 on the estate. Homes were evacuated and about 100 firefighters tackled the blaze at the Renshaw Industrial Estate. Surrey Fire and Rescue Service said the fire, which broke out shortly after midnight, was thought to be due to propane cylinders exploding. Three industrial buildings have been almost completely destroyed. Surrey Police tweeted that the town centre was closed to traffic b...
News

Egham Station Vendor Forced Out of Business

After 18 years of business at the railway station, selling hot drinks, newspapers and snacks Monday to Saturday, Mohammad Asif Minhas, 60, was was ordered by South West Trains to "move from the premises of Egham Station" by Christmas Eve. Knowing full well that Mr Minhas usually closes for business on Christmas Eve and reopens after New Year, South West Trains forced the vendor to sign an agreement stating the company could evict him from the spot with six months notice: which they did. A spokesman for South West Trains clarified that “As part of plans to deliver major improvements for customers at Egham station, we are introducing a new 'Access for All' funded toilet facility and automatic entrance doors to the main entrance and platform side of the station building.' The current shop ...
College Expansion Plans Finally Approved
News

College Expansion Plans Finally Approved

Royal Holloway’s plans to expand the college over the next 16 years, to facilitate increased numbers of students, have finally been given the go-ahead by Runneymede Borough Council. The plans which will see the University look to build new halls of residence in Englefield Green, and create improved access points to campus, were originally submitted in January of last year. However the so-called ‘Masterplan’ faced several hurdles before its approval earlier this month. Frustrated residents of Englefield Green, and certain councillors, raised concerns over the fact the College had not adequately researched the impact on local traffic nor planned to provide enough parking spaces for the predicted rise in student numbers. The College forecast that the number of students attending Royal H...
News

Waitrose Egham Opening Further Delayed

The eagerly anticipated opening of the new multi-million pound building which will house Waitrose in Egham has been further delayed. The supermarket was originally due to open in the Spring of this year, but the date was pushed back to the last week of October. However, the project is still yet to be completed. The building will see a new Waitrose supermarket with underground parking and delivery access alongside an 80 room Travelodge. Though Waitrose have not divulged the reason for the delay in proceedings, reportedly it has been caused over the question of employee parking spaces. Waitrose have stated that staff will be asked to park offsite, as the company considers customer parking to be a ‘priority’. This news has been the cause of further worry for Egham residents who already str...
Culture & Literature, Music, Theatre & Performance

“Boots on the Ground!” – The RHUL Symphony Orchestra, The Student Body, and Rebecca Miller

The Royal Holloway Symphony Orchestra kicked off the new term in September with a concert that filled the Windsor Auditorium beyond its own doors. People squeezed into every last head space, perspiring in the heat, to get a glimpse of the Orchestra in its first event of the year, under the baton of RHUL’s new Fellow in Music Performance; BBC Proms 2014 accredited conductor, Rebecca Miller. With an audience pushing maximum capacity and an orchestra to match, swelling with fresh enthusiasm and pushing its own size limits, the year’s musical calendar began with a show of great skill that we are accustomed to seeing year-in-year out; only with a difference! Skill and success aside, it is unheard of to see Royal Holloway’s largest auditorium and concert hall filled out for a musical event. It h...
News

Two arrested over knifepoint robbery released

Two teenage boys arrested in connection with the robbery that took place in Egham last month, have been released without charge by the police. The robbery, which took place on September 16th near Egham railway station, saw two youths threaten a 31 year-old man at knifepoint. The man handed over both his phone and wallet after the two attackers ran alongside the man and demanded he hand over his possessions. According to Surrey police the man was ‘badly shaken by the ordeal and greatly inconvenienced by the fact that he has lost personal credit cards, money and his mobile phone.’ After a subsequent appeal for information by the Investigating Officer, Detective Constable Jon Brushneen, two teenage boys aged 16 and 19, reportedly residents of Feltham, were arrested by the police. Apparentl...