Horsham News
The latest Horsham news: planning decisions, council and crime updates, business and community stories, each linked back to its official source.
Top story
Mooeys Horsham turns ten, refits the salon and signs on for five more years
Mooeys Horsham has new flooring, wallpaper and seating after 75,000 appointments in ten years. The salon has also signed a new five-year lease.
More stories
Planning
Southwater 23 Homes at The Copse Refused Against Advice
Councillors refused 23 homes behind The Copse, Southwater, on 3 November, against officer advice. They ruled the field is countryside outside the village boundary.
Council
Horsham Council Plan Draft Out for Comment Until 30 December
Horsham District Council's draft plan for 2027 to 2031 goes out for comment from 19 November to 30 December. It names 26 first-year actions, from play areas to EV chargers.
What's on
Horsham Symphony Orchestra Plays St Mary's on 14 November
Horsham Symphony Orchestra plays Sibelius, Elgar, Britten and Copland at St Mary's Church at 3pm on Saturday 14 November. Tickets are £20, or £5 for under-16s and students.
Travel update
Southern
Horsham to Arundel trains back to normal after a broken-down train
National Rail marked the Horsham to Arundel disruption cleared at 12.17am on Friday. Trains are now able to run as scheduled after a broken-down train.
Business
Horsham has lost four in five of its B&Bs since 2016, while 633 Airbnb-style lets have filled the gap
Horsham district's B&Bs and guest houses fell from 40 to 8 in ten years, a new council study finds. Short-term lets now make up 82% of places to stay.
Remembrance
A new Peace Tree for Horsham: ginkgo planted on The Causeway on Armistice Day
A ginkgo was planted on The Causeway after Horsham's Armistice Day service, replacing the 1986 Peace Tree in the Carfax, which was felled this year because of decay.
Business news
Food and drink
A Horsham pizza is the UK's second most trending Deliveroo order of 2026
Monte Forte's Diavola pizza from East Street, Horsham, is second in Deliveroo's UK top 10 for 2026, behind only a bag of ice, and seventh in the world.
Council news
Housing
Nine council-backed affordable homes at Dukes Square due by summer 2028
Horsham District Council wants to pick a builder for nine affordable homes on the Dukes Square garage site from five local firms, to finish by summer 2028.
Best places to live
'Handsome' Horsham named among UK's best places to live, and what a house costs there
Horsham has been named among the UK's best places to live for 2027, one of eight places in Sussex on the list.
Local Plan
Horsham Local Plan Changes: Have Your Say From 17 November
A last seven-week consultation on Local Plan changes is due to run from 17 November to 5 January. West of Ifield would get one primary school, not two.
Charity
Horsham Matters gets county funding to widen support by 15%
West Sussex County Council funding lets Horsham Matters grow its Outreach and Support service by 15%, with advisors now visiting cafés and groups. Updated November 2026.
Local Plan
West of Ifield: Local Plan Inspector says the plan strikes the right balance, and the golf course goes
The Local Plan Inspector's 30 October letter backs Land West of Ifield, says the golf course would not be retained and raises its homes by 2040 from 1,600 to 2,500.
Parks
Horsham Park is protected forever, but only 6% of Horsham lives near a park that is
Horsham Park can never be built on after a Fields in Trust deed, and it won Gold again at South and South East in Bloom. Only 6% of Horsham residents live near a protected green space.
Parks
Broadbridge Heath's new £102,000 games area opens at Charrington Way
A new multi-use games area and hang-out space for teenagers and families has opened at Charrington Way, Broadbridge Heath, paid for by developer contributions.
Culture
Capitol Horsham gets urgent fire door repairs before it reopens
Horsham District Council has hired a contractor without the usual three quotes to repair The Capitol's fire doors before the venue reopens on 29 November.
Bins and recycling
Horsham recycling rate hits 62.2% after food waste rollout
Horsham recycled 62.2% of household waste once weekly food rounds began, beating its 55% target. Missed bins have halved; soft plastics wait until 2030.
Swan Walk
Swan Walk closure cost its car park 27,000 paying visits
Swan Walk car park had about 27,000 fewer paying visits in July and August while the centre was shut, and Horsham's main car parks took £58,000 less than in 2025.
Leisure
Steyning Leisure Centre gym members fall below 800
Steyning Leisure Centre's gym membership fell from almost 1,000 to under 800 in 20 months, the council says, while swimming grew. Its dry side needs investment.
Horsham District Council
Horsham council shake-up slips a year to April 2029
Horsham District Council will run services until April 2029, a year later than planned. Its May 2027 election goes ahead for a likely two-year term, and no decision has yet been made on what replaces it.
Council
Billingshurst Cedars: £1m plot set to go to parish for £1
Horsham council plans to give The Cedars, off Stane Street, to Billingshurst Parish Council for £1, opening a site padlocked since 2019 as public green space.
Council
Horsham home battery advice: keep them out of the loft
Councillors want Horsham homeowners told to keep solar batteries out of lofts and bedrooms, as the council backs a fourth round of its solar and battery scheme.
Police
Billingshurst Station Road exposure reports: police appeal
Sussex Police is appealing for witnesses after reports of a man exposing himself near Station Road, Billingshurst, in July, September and October.
Council
Horsham council forecasts £5.6m gap as grant falls to £1.2m
Horsham District Council now forecasts a £5.6m gap by 2029/30 and just £67,000 next year, as grant falls from £7.7m to £1.2m. Band D to rise £5.39.
Bins
Horsham bin lorries break down: council to spend £2.2m on 9
Horsham's refurbished bin lorries were meant to last six more years. Breakdowns are now disrupting rounds, so the council plans to buy nine new ones for £2.2m.
Planning
Southwater 23 Homes at The Copse Refused by Councillors
Councillors refused 23 homes behind The Copse, Worthing Road, Southwater on 3 November, overruling officers who had advised approval despite three past refusals.
Local Plan
Horsham Local Plan: Inspector's early view is it is sound
The Inspector closed the Local Plan hearings on 22 October saying his preliminary view is the plan is sound. One more short consultation, then his report early in 2027.
Police
Steyning and Pulborough burglaries linked: police appeal
Sussex Police has linked burglaries in Steyning and Pulborough to two others in West Sussex. In all four, thieves got in through a first-floor window and took jewellery.
Local Plan
Adversane school: Billingshurst full by 2036 without it
The Local Plan Inspector asked whether Billingshurst needs Adversane's secondary school. The county says spare places fall to its 5% limit in 2035/36 without it.
House prices
Horsham house prices August 2026: down 0.5% to £441,491
The average Horsham district home sold for £441,491 in August, 0.5% down on a year. Semis and terraces still rose; flats fell 2.6%. Still the dearest in West Sussex.
Jobs
Horsham claimant count jumps 80 to 1,790 in September
1,790 people claimed in September, up 80 in a month and the highest since February 2025. At 2.0% Horsham is still the lowest rate in West Sussex.
Business
King's Award 2026: Horsham firms take all 3 West Sussex wins
Metricell has been handed its King's Award at its Horsham office. All three West Sussex winners this year are Horsham district firms: Metricell, Dog-G8 and ERG.
Jobs
Horsham Employment Hub back for year 3: 31 jobs so far
Horsham's free Employment Hub and Think Futures youth service run for another year. In two years the Hub got 31 people into work. How to book and who to call.
Health
Lobular Moon Shot: PM Repeats Support for Horsham Campaign
Andy Burnham told MPs he backs the Lobular Moon Shot Project, founded in Horsham, and will meet it again. There is still no £20m research pledge.
Planning
Mowbray Employment Park: County Flood Team Objects to Plan
West Sussex's flood team objects to Mowbray Employment Park's drainage. Council officers want wider hedgerow buffers and a plot for an 80-unit start-up hub.
Taxis
Horsham Taxi Fares to Rise: 2 Miles £8.45 From 13 November
A two-mile daytime taxi ride in Horsham goes from £8.07 to £8.45 from 13 November if no one objects. The Christmas double rate would start at 6pm, not 11pm.
Licensing
KFC Horsham Asks to Serve Until 3am: Comment by 29 October
KFC on Bishopric wants to serve hot food from 11pm to 3am every night. Residents can comment until 29 October. Two more licence bids are also open.
Water neutrality
Horsham water neutrality: Hardham licence cut now in force
The Environment Agency cut Southern Water's Hardham licence on 9 October, seven months late, to 27 megalitres a day. The last step after water neutrality.
Crime
Horsham anti-social behaviour up 73%, other crime down 8%
Anti-social behaviour reports in central Horsham rose from 315 to 545 between March and August as other crime fell 8%. The jump shows up across Sussex too.
Local democracy
Horsham Town Council to go in April 2027 as orders made
Orders made 7 October: a 25-seat Parish Council of Horsham replaces the town and North Horsham councils from 1 April 2027, with a £1,012,756 first budget.
Local Plan
Horsham Local Plan hearings: Inspector's early view, sound
The Local Plan hearings ended on 22 October with the Inspector's preliminary view that the plan is sound. Report early 2027. The day-by-day sessions and sites.
Business
Horsham new companies: 72 firms registered in September
72 new companies at Horsham district addresses in September, from a meat retailer on Bishopric to a pub firm at Rusper's Plough. Six went into liquidation.
Schools
Ashington CofE Primary: Ofsted says 4 areas need attention
Ofsted's first report card for Ashington CofE Primary rates four of seven areas 'needs attention', including teaching. Behaviour and safeguarding meet the standard.
Planning
Horsham planning applications: who decides from 31 October
From 31 October officers decide most Horsham planning applications. Eight objections or a councillor's request will no longer guarantee a committee hearing.
Community
Horsham Winter Warm Ups 2026: Clubs That Ran Free Tasters
The 2026 Winter Warm Ups for over-50s have finished. These are the walking football, Men's Shed, table tennis, morris and gardening groups that ran free tasters.
Charity
Horsham Matters walk raises £10,968 for district food banks
Fifty walkers raised £10,968.02 for Horsham Matters on its first 20km sponsored walk, Amberley to Pulborough. A second walk is set for 18 September 2027.
Bins
Horsham's first electric bin lorry approved at £475,000
Horsham District Council will buy its first electric bin lorry for £475,000, plus about £20,000 of charging. Power costs about £110 a day against £300 for fuel.
Food hygiene
Horsham food hygiene ratings: 32 fives and 4 lower scores
Horsham district's 36 hygiene ratings for August and September: 32 fives, three 4s and a 3 for the Royal Oak at Wineham. No business in the district is rated 0.
Business
COOK Horsham reopens on the Carfax with a kitchen island
COOK's Carfax shop reopened on 2 October, the first in the chain with its new kitchen look. Open 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday, 10.30am to 4pm Sunday.
Business
Joanna's Tearoom: Chichester Arm Wound Up, Storrington Open
The company behind Joanna's Chichester tearoom went into liquidation on 21 September. Storrington is still taking bookings, with its own firm in administration.
Business
Slinfold firm ERG to receive King's Award on 12 October
The Lord-Lieutenant hands ERG its King's Award for international trade at Slinfold on 12 October. The air pollution firm employs 159 and dates from 1978.
Local democracy
Horsham single council approved despite North Horsham no
One 25-seat council for Horsham and North Horsham from April 2027, approved despite 60.5% of North Horsham respondents saying no. Orders made 7 October.
Southwater
Southwater police office run by volunteers marks 30 years
Volunteers have kept Southwater's police office open since 1996. Five of the longest-serving received Chief Constable awards at a ceremony on 18 September.
Housing
Pulborough, Billingshurst, Ashurst: 5 social homes saved
Five empty three-bed Saxon Weald homes will be repaired with £547,144 instead of being sold, Cabinet decided. The 22 garage-site homes were approved too.
Environment
Horsham waste plant logged 199 battery fires in a year
Batteries, vapes and electricals caused 199 fires at the waste plant north of Horsham in a year. Where each should go instead, from the bin-lid bag to the tip.
Horsham district
Horsham district £7.2m levy: £2m to Storrington hub
£2m for a Storrington recreation hub, £1.6m for a Mowbray health centre and £1.5m for a Pulborough pavilion. Full Council votes on the £7.2m on 7 October.
House prices
Horsham house prices July 2026: back up, to £441,654
The average Horsham district home sold for £441,654 in July, up 0.7% on a year after June's fall. Semis rose 2.0%, flats fell 2.0%. Still top in West Sussex.
Parking
Horsham On-Street Parking: £2.10 an Hour From 1 October
Town centre on-street parking goes to £2.10 an hour on 1 October. The carers permit rises fastest, from £22 to £30 a year. Here is the full new rate card.
Roads
Broadbridge Heath 20mph Plan: 30 Roads, Deadline 1 Oct
West Sussex wants 20mph on 30 Wickhurst Green roads, and a longer 40mph on the A283 at Storrington after a fatal collision. Comments close 1 October.
Community
Horsham Playground Opens at Highwood: Zipwire, Ball Court
The Highwood Riverside play area and ball court are open, with a fort, zipwire and basket swing for under-12s. The hall and pitches have no date yet.
Planning
Pulborough Traveller Site Refused on Train Horn Noise
Six Gypsy and Traveller pitches off Gay Street Lane refused 10 votes to 3, on train horns and vehicle movements. Officers had recommended approval.
Parking
Horsham Sunday Parking: New 2 to 3 Hour Rate, £2 to £5.20
A new Sunday and bank holiday band cuts three hours at The Pavilions from £3.90 to £2. Park View leaves the parking order. Call-in deadline 22 September.
Jobs
Horsham Claimant Count Up 60, Lowest Rate in West Sussex
1,750 claimed in August, the sharpest monthly rise since February 2025. At 2.0 per cent Horsham is still the lowest rate in West Sussex; Crawley is 4.6.
Billingshurst
Billingshurst Pump Track and Play Areas: Comment by 28 Sept
Billingshurst has until 28 September to comment on a pump track, a new Jubilee Fields play area, paths and seating. Early estimates reach £144,000 a project.
Storrington
Storrington Air Quality: Pollution Zone to Go by 2031
Storrington NO2 is under the legal limit at every site for a second year, so the council expects to lift its 2010 pollution zone. Cabinet votes 23 September.
Crime
Horsham Crime Down 5%, Anti-Social Behaviour Up 20%
Horsham had 6,890 crimes in 2025, the lowest rate in West Sussex, but anti-social behaviour rose 20% to 1,594 cases. Councillors see it 15 September.
Planning
Thakeham Flooding: Bellway Built the Swale, Then Applied
Winter flooding hit Abingworth Meadows, Thakeham. Bellway dug a drainage swale before seeking permission. Councillors decide on 22 September.
Planning
Storrington Traveller Site: Officers Back Four More Pitches
Officers back four more Traveller pitches at Fryern Park Farm, Storrington, taking the site to six despite parish objections. Councillors vote on 22 September.
Local democracy
Horsham merger: town says yes, North Horsham says no
Horsham Town Council backed a single council. North Horsham voted to stay separate. The consultation closed on 7 September; the decision is due on 28 September.
Cost of living
Horsham unclaimed benefits: £31m, 9,100 homes missing out
Council papers put £31m of unclaimed benefits in Horsham district, an average of £3,374 for each of 9,100 households. Councillors see the report on 9 September.
Horsham
Horsham's Sam, 11, wins BAFTA Young Presenters 2026
BAFTA named 11-year-old Sam from Horsham a 2026 Young Presenter after live auditions in Piccadilly. He wins a year of interviews, events and industry mentoring.
Swan Walk
Swan Walk Horsham: Carfax Mall open, rest still shut
The Carfax Mall is open again, as far as Next and TG Jones. The Post Office inside is listed open 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday. No date for the rest.
Jobs
Horsham Jobs and Skills Fair 2026: over 450 jobseekers came
Over 450 jobseekers and more than 30 employers filled the Drill Hall on 30 September, the first year the Horsham fair ran into the evening. Who was there.
Community
Wheels for ALL Horsham: autumn term starts 11 September
Friday sessions restart at The Bridge on 11 September, 4.30pm to 6pm, £5 a place and free for carers. Summer's Parkinson's and stroke sessions drew 50 people.
Horsham
Bishopric Horsham: stream goes, work starts January 2027
The stream and birch trees go as planned, the water feature stays, and Worthing Road is cut to save £958,000. Cabinet decides on 23 September.
Housing
Horsham district: 22 social rent homes on 7 garage sites
Saxon Weald would build in Southwater, Horsham, Billingshurst, Steyning, Coldwaltham and Pulborough from April 2027, if councillors release £2.29m.
Leisure
Horsham leisure centres: padel courts, 40 more gym stations
Cabinet is asked on 23 September to find a new operator for December 2027. The report also calls the Broadbridge Heath running track end of life.
Culture
Capitol Horsham reopens 29 November: what £10.2m bought
Horsham's theatre and cinema reopens with panto on 29 November. The first plan was worth £10.7m before a contractor's price rise forced a rethink.
Community
Shelley statue approved for Horsham Park, £57,000 short
Permission for a 2.45m memorial to the poet was granted on 1 July. The fundraisers have £28,000 of the £85,000 they need, and one body objected to the paving.
Business
Storrington tearoom firm in administration, still open
Administrators were appointed to Joanna's Boutique Tearoom on 24 August, and to its Cranleigh company the same day. All three tearooms are still taking bookings.
Planning
Mowbray Employment Park: 977 jobs, comments by 15 Sept
Legal & General's outline plan for Mowbray, north Horsham: up to 59,416 sqm of workspace, 977 jobs forecast, buildings to 16m. Comments close 15 September.
Local democracy
North Horsham votes against merging with Horsham Town
North Horsham Parish Council backed Option 2 unanimously on 30 July, calling the merger rushed. It has £2,000 to campaign. The consultation closes 7 September.
Community
Cootes Pond appeal: £23,000 to dig out 40 years of silt
Horsham's Cootes Pond has dried up again. Volunteers have quotes of £22,700 to dig out the silt and rebuild the bank, and have raised £2,350 so far.
Southwater
Southwater Country Park paddling beach shut into September
The paddling beach has been closed since 29 June after illness reports linked to the lake. The council says it stays shut until at least September.
Jobs
Horsham claimant count: under-25 claims up 19% in a year
1,725 people in Horsham district claimed unemployment benefits in July, up 30 on the year. Every bit of that rise came from under-25s: 260 to 310.
Business
Three Horsham market traders in UK final this Friday
Garden to Jar, Silver Hollow Jewellery and Brownie Alchemy reach the NMTF national final in Stratford-upon-Avon on 28 and 29 August. All three trade in Horsham.
Planning
Horsham Local Plan: 5,500 more homes, comment by Monday
Comments on the district's revised Local Plan close at 11.59am on Monday 24 August. The Call for Sites for the next plan closes at 5pm on Tuesday.
Schools
Horsham GCSE Results 2026: what each school published
Bohunt's first Year 11 cohort got one grade in four at 7 to 9, and Tanbridge beat the county on English and maths. Five of eight schools published nothing.
Warnham
Warnham volunteers pass £250,000 given to the reserve
The Friends of Warnham Local Nature Reserve have given Horsham District Council more than £250,000 since 2017. Their own income hit a record £91,542 last year.
Horsham Museum
Horsham Museum closes 7 Sep for roof repairs, back 5 Jan
Horsham Museum shuts from Monday 7 September until 5 January for roof repairs. Saturday 5 September is the last day in, and everything on ends then.
House prices
Horsham house prices June 2026: dearest in West Sussex
The average Horsham district home sold for £436,940 in June, dearer than anywhere in West Sussex. But annual growth has slid from 4.3% to below zero.
Housing
Elmfield Green Billingshurst: 83 Homes, Move-In January
Bellway's 83-home Elmfield Green is selling now, showhome in October, first residents from January 2027. Its water neutrality conditions are being dropped.
Planning
Pulborough Traveller site: six pitches decided on Tuesday
Officers recommend approving six Gypsy and Traveller pitches off Gay Street Lane, North Heath, over 28 objections and the parish council. Horsham's Planning Committee decides Tuesday 18 August.
Horsham District Council
One council for Horsham? Merger plan, have your say by 7 Sep
Horsham District Council wants views on merging Horsham Town Council and North Horsham Parish Council into one 25-seat council. Both options ward by ward, and how to respond by 7 September.
Swan Walk
Swan Walk Horsham Fully Reopens After 11 Weeks Closed
Swan Walk in Horsham fully reopened on 1 October, 11 weeks after closing, and the Wellbeing Hub followed on 5 October. Prize lockers run on four dates to 18 October.
Recycling
Horsham doorstep recycling: new collector from 4 September
From 4 September, Anglo Doorstep Collections takes over Horsham's free doorstep reuse service and coffee pod collections end. What to put out, and what to do with pods.
Housing
Broadbridge Heath: all 92 new homes could be affordable
Vistry and Hyde want all 92 homes planned south of Broadbridge Way to be affordable, up from 34. Horsham's Planning Committee decides on 18 August.
Council
Horsham council signs two-year AI training deal for staff
Horsham council has approved a two-year AI apprenticeship training contract for its staff, awarded directly without a tender. The cost is not public.
Parking
Steyning car park revamp approved: new layout, fewer spaces
Horsham council has approved a resurfacing and new one-way layout for Newmans Gardens car park in Steyning, with more disabled bays but fewer spaces overall.
Jobs
Horsham district's jobless claimant count holds at 1,730 in June, half the national rate
1,730 people in Horsham district were claiming unemployment-related benefits in June 2026, the ONS claimant count shows. At 2.0% of working-age residents, the district's rate is far below the South East's 3.1% and the UK's 3.9%.
Food hygiene
Horsham district food hygiene ratings, July 2026: a perfect month as all 24 inspected businesses score 5
Every Horsham district food business rated in July 2026 got the top hygiene score of 5, from Cote Brasserie and Monte Forte on East Street to village pubs in Partridge Green and Two Mile Ash. 24 ratings, not one below the top mark.