Is Hythe Ferry coming back? Election predictions, local government update, and the county show!
Your July monthly briefing
Well, summer seems to well and truly taken over; the heatwaves, schools breaking up, freezers full of ice cream, closing windows to drown the hourly whirring of lawn mowers, and event listings full to the brim.
One of my favourite times of year is, without doubt, the New Forest and Hampshire County Show.
I usually sneak in before 8am opening and start the day with the most expensive Americano outside the press tent gazing at the empty horse show arenas before the chaos and crowds ensue.
Those moments of peace immediately centres me and I feel weirdly at home, so I can’t wait to be back there next week! If you’d like to be featured in our show roundup, comment below or email editor@newforestbusinessnews.co.uk.
What’s coming up in this edition;
Is Hythe Ferry coming back? Exclusive interview with the Hythe Pier owner
What’s happened in the New Forest area recently
Latest food hygiene ratings
New Forest predictions for the next General Election
Update on the local government reorganisation plans
Kerri L Watt
Editor
What’s happened in the New Forest recently…
The latest ‘deliberate tax defaulters’ receiving penalties published by HMRC has no New Forest based individual or businesses listed. There was one in Bournemouth and six in Southampton.
Residents in Bransgore, Fordingbridge and Ringwood will start receiving wheelie bins in August for phase two of the New Forest District Council’s new waste service beginning in those areas in October.
Local Liberal Democrats have opened a petition pressuring Redrow to build a pedestrian bridge in Lymington promised in 2011 as part of their building application.
The Hythe Pier Museum and Shop opened 28 June.
The New Forest Show announced four new shaded areas after last year’s heatwave, and a “chat stage” with new celebrity speakers.
School meals cost for parents will go down from £3.20 a day to £2.75 (a 14% decrease) due to Hampshire County Council appointing a new catering provider.
The Green Gram in Fordingbridge saved 100,000 plastic containers from landfills in July.
Crafts and gift store Lovells has opened in Hythe, taking over the old Lloyds bank building.
The cafe at Sunnyfields Farm is no longer in operation.
Is Hythe Ferry coming back? Our interview with Hythe Pier owner
With the first anniversary of Hythe Ferry ceasing its service in August, we spoke with Hythe Pier owner Ashleigh Mutimear-Macmillan can confirm she is “confident” the ferry will return to service.
Phase one of the three-phase infrastructure work began in May involving testing the strength of the structure supporting the walkway before beginning repairs to the pontoon.
Mutimear-Macmillan shared, “The Pier is my passion project and I want it to have its own identity separate to the ferry.
“As it has a different set up as a private business, we can’t apply for lottery funding or the like. I am in discussions with the Hythe Pier Heritage Association for funding opportunities for the future.”
Mutimear-MacMillan has been “working hard behind the scenes with councillors, contractors, services etc”.
After a recent flood in the Waterside left residents struggling to access Southampton or leave the area, Mutimear-Macmillan believes “we cannot rely on one road in and out for only cars and buses. We should be utilising the waterway.”
She confirmed discussions are open with Hampshire County Council, Southampton City Council, and Hythe and Dibden council around local water-based transport and Hythe Ferry’s role within that.
Mutimear-MacMillan wants to make Hythe Pier more accessible and regularly hosting events. Recently they trialled a ‘Pilates and Prosecco’ event with 48 guests doing pilates down the pier, and a baby shower and would “love to do more private pop-up events”.
Ashleigh Mutimear-MacMillan is an employee of Hythe Ferry since 2021 and purchased Hythe Pier in November 2024.
New Forest election predictions
From recent and predicted future election results, Electoral Calculus has predicted that if there were a general election, the two New Forest constituencies would move from Conservative to Reform.
They predict that nine New Forest East wards and nine New Forest West wards would have a Reform majority and both constituencies could lose their current MP.
The latest Food Standards Agency hygiene rating scores for the New Forest have been announced.
At the time of writing, 261 establishments have been scored so far in 2025 with 70% of them achieving the highest ‘5’ rating.
Those who scored a recent ‘5’ rating include:
Steff’s Kitchen, Beaulieu
Tilley’s Bakery, Hythe
Langley Tavern, Langley
The White Hart, Lymington
The Brock Tearoom, Brockenhurst
Scored 1-2:
Sir John Barleycorn, Cadnam
New Forest Bistro, Blackfield
The Wheatsheaf Inn, New Milton
Update on the local government reorganisation plans
With three options for the reorganisation, New Forest District Council are supporting ‘option one’, a new rural council for mid Hampshire.
This would serve businesses and residents of New Forest, Test Valley, Winchester and East Hampshire as opposed to adding the New Forest or Waterside in with larger cities.
Final proposals with be sent to government by the end of September and they will ultimately decide on the reorganisation.
Have your say on the reorganisation before 27 July here: https://newforest.gov.uk/article/4030/How-to-have-your-say
Feature in our New Forest Show roundup next week
If you’d like your business to be featured in our show roundup (exhibitors, sponsors, attendees, anyone!) comment below or email editor@newforestbusinessnews.co.uk.
The New Forest and Hampshire County Show takes place 29 to 31 July 2025.
More information or to buy tickets: https://linktr.ee/NewForestShow (we do not receive any commission on ticket sales).