Helen Maguire MP champions Surrey business at Fetcham Park House

On Wednesday 21st January 2026, the Mole Valley Chamber was delighted to welcome Helen Maguire MP as our guest speaker at the beautiful Fetcham Park House. The event provided a vital platform for our local Surrey businesscommunity to hear directly from their representative for Epsom and Ewell about the challenges and opportunities facing our local economy. Helen, a former Captain in the British Army and now the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Primary Care and Cancer, shared her insights on everything from SMEs to the future of local government. This memorable gathering was a prime opportunity for attendees to interact personally with their Member of Parliament, Helen Maguire MP, on crucial business topics.

Understanding the backbone of our local economy

Addressing a room full of entrepreneurs and leaders, Helen emphasised that over 5,000 businesses currently operate across the area, ranging from global defence contractors like KBR in Leatherhead to innovative startups like Sunswap. As someone who believes you cannot truly “get it” until you have run a business yourself, she expressed her dedication to visiting as many local firms as possible to understand their unique pressures. In her ongoing work, Helen Maguire, serving as MP, is focused on deepening her understanding of how these businesses form the fabric of Surrey’s economy.

Tackling challenges for Surrey business owners

The discussion turned to the significant hurdles currently facing the high street. Helen spoke candidly about the “difficult decisions” many Surrey business owners are making due to:

• Rising Costs: Impacting hospitality businesses like Charlie and Ginger.
• Business Rates: The urgent need for reform to prevent further closures.
• Trade Barriers: Challenges with EU paperwork and the missed opportunities of the SAFE Fund for defence companies.

To support our local heroes, Helen highlighted the Liberal Democrat call for a 5% VAT reduction for the hospitality industry and more bespoke customs arrangements to support exporters. Notably, the work being pushed forward by Maguire as the area’s MP continues to impact Surrey business policy.

A vision for community and local government – Helen Maguire MP

Looking ahead, Helen discussed the upcoming local government reorganisation into a new unitary authority for Surrey, which is expected to take full effect in May 2027. She also announced an upcoming event in Parliament this May, aimed at fostering “community connections” by bringing together local businesses and charities to share resources and volunteers. Furthermore, it is clear that Helen, as the elected MP, envisions collaboration at the heart of her agenda for Surrey, demonstrating the dedication of Helen Maguire to her constituency.

Helen closed the morning by reiterating that her door is always open to the Surrey business community. “You are the backbone of the local economy,” she noted, “and my job is to enable you to thrive”.

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