Guildford Shopmobility is back at Bedford Road car park after Age UK Surrey closed it in June. A £44,874 council grant pays for it; hire costs £12 a visit.

Guildford Shopmobility has reopened, four months after its old operator shut it. The scooter and wheelchair hire service is back on level 3 of Bedford Road car park. Guildford Borough Council has given it £44,874 in community grant funding (Guildford Borough Council).

The council announced the reopening on 2 October. It credits a joint effort with Experience Guildford, the town centre business group, and the service users who campaigned to bring it back.

Why it closed

Age UK Surrey ran Shopmobility from Bedford Road for 30 years. It announced the closure on 13 May, and the last day of trading was Friday 12 June 2026 (Age UK Surrey).

The charity blamed money. It said it had received no increase in funding from the borough council, and no guarantee the funding would last the whole year. It set out the figures itself:

  • £44,000 was its grant for the 2025-26 financial year
  • £22,000 was a one-off grant covering the first six months of 2026-27
  • it was then told no further funding would follow for the rest of 2026-27

Age UK Surrey said that left the service running at a deficit it could no longer carry. It also pointed to falling income from trusts and foundations across the sector.

What the council says now

Cllr Carla Morson, the council’s lead councillor for community services, said the council had promised to keep funding in place while a new operator was found.

“I’m delighted we’ve been able to deliver on that promise, and even though we’re halfway through the year, we’ve been able to increase the funding we awarded to the service to help give it the strongest possible start.”

The release does not say how the £44,874 is split across the months left in this financial year, or whether the grant continues into 2027-28. Guildford Borough Council is abolished on 1 April 2027, when West Surrey Council takes over its services.

Two campaigners are quoted in the council’s release. Shirlee Posner, a service user, said she was “determined to fight for its future” when she heard it would close. Ruth House said the service had been “a game changer” for her family, because her husband’s spine condition made walking any distance hard.

Amanda Masters, chief executive of Experience Guildford, said: “We couldn’t see this service lost forever, it is far too important to too many people.”

What it means for you

If you or someone you look after struggles with Guildford’s hills and cobbles, the service is open again. According to its own website and the council (Guildford Shopmobility):

  • Where: level 3, Bedford Road car park, GU1 4SA. Drive in from Laundry Road, next to the County Court. The car park has direct access to North Street through the Friary.
  • When: Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4.30pm. Closed on Sundays and bank holidays.
  • What: mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs, for short or long-term mobility problems.
  • Cost: registration is free, then £12 per visit. Membership and off-site hire are also offered, with details on application.
  • Parking: free, in the service’s own secure undercover area. Staff will bring the equipment to your car.
  • You do not need a Blue Badge to use it.
  • Bring ID the first time, and allow extra time so staff can show you how the equipment works.

The two sources give different phone numbers. The council’s release lists 01483 453993, and the service’s website lists 07897 581613. The email is guildfordshopmobility@gmail.com.

Bedford Road is also one of the town’s main car parks for Blue Badge holders, with twelve disabled bays on level 3. Charges and the other car parks are in our guide to parking in Guildford.