There is currently a planning application with Mole Valley District Council proposing that a JD Wetherspoon's pub be situated in the lower section of St Martin's Walk.

Please sign this petition to show your support for this application and to welcome JD Wetherspoon to Dorking.

JD Wetherspoon is a well funded, national brand and their businesses are well resourced, well managed and offer a great value proposition to their customers.

This is exactly the sort of investment that Dorking needs - a major company creating jobs and prosperity in an otherwise declining town centre.

Of course it will be in competition with already established local businesses - but commercial competition is a good thing and can only benefit the consumer.

This petition will be sent to Mole Valley District Council.

Here's more detail of our position:

We are life long residents of Dorking and we've grown tired of watching Mole Valley District Council (and Dorking District Council before them) turn away investment from the town. For decades we have watched Reigate, Guildford, Horsham etc prosper while Dorking has contracted. Frankly, Dorking Town Management are experts in managing decline!

The Wetherspoon proposal has caused a lot of comment but so far we've not heard a rational or commercially robust reason for the application to be turned down.

Not everybody in Dorking is affluent - there are a lot of locals, especially younger people, who would benefit from an alternative to paying £15.50 for a large G&T in the White Horse!!

Pubs and bars draw on the local community and the clientele are a reflection of the local demographic - a new Wetherspoon in St Martin's Walk would be used by exactly the same sort of people who are already using the bars of Dorking and the immediate surrounding area. The suggestion that a Wetherspoon bar will attract "an army of wrong 'uns" is, from a socio-ecomonic perspective, ludicrous! Where do the objectors think they are going to come from?

The much spouted view that there'll be "trouble" caused by "gangs of drunk youths" or that a Wetherspoon bar will be a magnet for people with "drink problems" is also ridiculous - these social concerns, real or perceived, are already out there - a new bar in town will not make the situation any worse, or indeed any better.

Nobody is objecting to the refurbishment and reopening of the Queens Head and, apparently, the objectors to Wetherspoon would be very happy with the reopening of the Surrey Yeoman! What's the difference?

Of course a new bar in town would be in competition with existing bars - but commercial competition is not a legitimate reason for opposition. Commercial competition is healthy and will only benefit the consumer.

We wonder how many of the objectors have actually been to a Wetherspoon establishment? In our experience they are well resourced, well managed, clean and well appointed and the value proposition is beyond debate.

The people who object to a Wetherspoon bar in Dorking can simply vote with their feet - don't go there! However, we're confident there will be plenty of locals who will go there, and enjoy the benefits.

The objectors were very quick to start an on-line petition which is taking a predictable sensationalist "scare tactics" position - for balance we thought we would initiate a pro petition.

History has shown that people who object to an issue are much more vocal and proactive than those who agree or have no meaningful view - so if you want JD Wetherspoon investing and creating prosperity in Dorking you need to be sure to actually sign the petition.

There is the option to sign but remain anonymous if you wish.

Thank you for reading this.