PRIDE in Surrey will return to Woking this summer after the success of the first event last year, with up to 15,000 people expected to attend.

Organiser Stephen Ireland said there will be several improvements to the parade and festivities that were held in Woking Park last summer.

This year, it is hoped the Pride Park celebrations, with entertainments and stalls, will be held closer to the town centre, which will also have events happening throughout the day.

Pride in Surrey 2020, on Saturday 8 August, will begin with a parade from 10.30am in the town centre, leading to the ticketed free-to-attend park event.

Stephen told the News & Mail that a survey of some of the 7,700 people who attended the inaugural Pride in Surrey last year showed that they wanted more things to do and more facilities.

He said that this year there will be a longer parade route that runs straight into Pride Park, which will be larger and have a bigger capacity.

Stephen said he expected an attendance of more than 10,000, and the cost of putting on the event could rise from £32,000 last year to a maximum of £45,000.

For the full story get the 16 January edition of the News & Mail