3, Old Kings Head Court, 11 High Street, Dorking RH4 1AR

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What is / was the opening date for the business:

October 2020

Tell us about the business (short summary):

Capers is a family owned and run business. Serving fresh homemade food, with our popular toasties and homemade soup made daily in the colder months, salads in the warmer months and a variety of daily & weekly specials.

What products do you stock?

We try to stock local suppliers where possible from locally-roasted speciality coffee, premium organic loose-leaf tea, artisan gelato, homemade cakes & sweet treats. We are licensed now too, so those that wish can enjoy a glass or two with lunch.

What was your motivation to open the business?

Amanda grew up in Dorking and always wanted to open a tearooms or coffee shop. She loves the courtyard and when the lease came up, she jumped at the opportunity.

What can a customer expect from a visit?

Service with a smile, a warm welcoming atmosphere and good food & drink. We get a lot of lovely feedback from customers which we are always delighted to receive.

Is there anything that a customer should know before visiting?

We have seating inside, some people don’t realise and think we only have seating in the beautiful courtyard. If it’s a little chilly, we have cushions and blankets for our customers to use outside.

Why did you choose Dorking as a place to open the business?

It’s our home town and we love it.

What do you consider to be special / unique about the town?

Dorking is quirky and kind, with soul. There are lots of independent businesses. We are surrounded by beautiful countryside with great walks and cycle routes. There always seems to be something new to discover too – we often get locals coming in to Capers for the first time who didn’t know we were there!

What has been the reception from the Dorking community?

Very supportive, from both customers and fellow independent business owners. It’s a fabulous community to be part of.

What is your hope for the future of the business?

We hope to be able to expand our opening hours and food & drink offerings, including catering for private events on-site. Old Kings Head Court is beautiful, especially on a summer’s evening and the perfect space for a gathering.

Any other information that you would like to share:

Do try our delicious Hot Chocolate!

 

 

 

The following analysis contains data for the devices at Barnard Marcus, Dorking Sports Centre, S.C. Fuller and Westcott & Williams.

• Total footfall in December 2021 across these four devices increased by 2.4% from the previous month. However, the late rush for Christmas presents was dampened by the emergence of the more easily transmittable Omicron strain of the coronavirus, causing some shoppers to stay away from crowded high streets.
• The Artisan Market on Sunday, 5 December helped to produce a 122% increase in footfall compared to the three other Sundays in the month. This figure was further influenced by the Hurtwood 50km trail running ultramarathon which led to more than 3,000 people descending on the Dorking Sports Centre that same day (some of which may have also passed by other devices), as well as Boxing Day also falling on Sunday.
• Footfall during January 2022 Is likely to be influenced by the scale of Omicron and related government advice or more formal restrictions being imposed.

 

Weekly Footfall Profile

 

• Figure 1 shows how weekly footfall has compared year-on-year for the month of December.
• There was a slightly less even spread of footfall between Monday and Friday compared to recent months, but similar fluctuations on these days in relation to December 2020.
• The proportion of footfall on Saturdays was 2.2% down on last year, being adversely affected by the fact that Christmas Day fell on a Saturday this year.
• Conversely, Sunday’s figure was 2.6% higher in 2021 and was inflated this year by the Hurtwood 50km trail running ultramarathon – the equivalent event was cancelled in 2020.

 

Overall Footfall Volume

 

• Figure 2 shows the weekly footfall throughout December across the four active footfall devices.
• The device at Barnard Marcus witnessed the largest footfall of the four active devices for all weeks during December, although was only marginally greater than both Westcott & Williams and S.C. Fuller for Week 52.
• Barnard Marcus witnessed an 11.5% increase in footfall in relation to November as the housing market continues to be buoyant with prices at an all-time high.
• The device at Dorking Sports Centre was the only one of the four devices to register a decrease compared with the previous month, falling by 8.7%. This was largely a result of the leisure centre being closed for Christmas Day and Boxing Day, as well as a reduced number of visitors during 27-31 December.
• Figure 3 shows the weekly footfall summary and how total footfall has trended in December 2021.
• The highest total footfall across all active devices was registered in Week 50 (31,555) and the lowest in Week 52 (25,687).
• Total combined footfall was almost identical in Week 49 and Week 50, but then decreased thereafter as fears regarding the transmissibility of Omicron took hold. Footfall levels were predictably low on Christmas Day and Boxing Day in Week 51, which was then followed by two Bank Holidays during Week 52.

 

Week on Week Change in Footfall

 

• Figure 4 shows the percentage change in footfall week-on-week during December 2021 for each individual device.
• Dorking Sports Centre witnessed a week-on-week decrease in footfall throughout December – the 26.3% reduction in Week 49 being caused by an inflated figure the previous week from hosting the ultramarathon. A combination of Omicron fears and closure for Christmas and Boxing Day were the key contributors to a 34.7% drop at the same location during Week 51.
• The footfall at Westcott & Williams remained steady throughout the month, even increasing slightly during the final fortnight. 31,553 31,555 27,683 25,687 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 Week 49 2021 Week 50 2021 Week 51 2021 Week 52 2021 Number of passers-by Weekly Summary -40% -30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20% Week 49 2021 Week 50 2021 Week 51 2021 Week 52 2021 Percentage Change Week-on-week percentage change by device Barnard Marcus - 238 High Street, Dorking, RH4 1QR Dorking Sports Centre - Reigate Road, Dorking, RH4 1SN S.C. Fuller - 28-30 South Street, Dorking, RH4 2HQ Westcott & Williams - 41 West Street, Dorking, RH4 1BU Data and analysis by the Local Data Company www.localdatacompany.com
• Figure 5 shows the week-on-week change in footfall across all devices in Dorking during November.
• There were week-on-week decreases in combined total footfall for three of the last four weeks of the year, with only a very slight increase (amounting to just two additional passers-by) in Week 50.
• The biggest week-on-week percentage drop (-12.3%) came in Week 51 with Christmas and Boxing both falling in that week.

 

 

The following analysis contains data for the devices at Barnard Marcus, Dorking Sports Centre, S.C. Fuller, The Optical Studio and Westcott & Williams.

• Total footfall in November 2021 across these five devices decreased by 4.4% from the previous month, largely caused by a drop in pedestrian traffic at The Optical Store – the device which generally witnesses the highest number of passers-by – especially during the first week of the month compared with the final week of October.
• The Artisan Market on Sunday, 7 November failed to provide its usual uplift – footfall on this day was actually 35.1% lower than the average of the other three Sundays in November which is in complete contrast to historical figures.
• There was a clear upward trend in footfall as the month progressed which will have contributed toward this.
• Footfall is likely to increase further during December as we continue the run-up to Christmas, although will be adversely affected by Christmas Day and Boxing Day – for which there will be little footfall due to the closure of shops and leisure centres.

 

Weekly Footfall Profile

 

• Figure 1 shows how weekly footfall has compared year-on-year for the month of November.
• Although there remains a fairly even spread of footfall across weekdays, there was an increase in weekend pedestrian traffic during November compared to both October 2021 and the equivalent month in 2020.
• The proportion of footfall registered on Saturdays during November 2021 was 1.8% higher than in November 2020 and up by 2.2% on Sundays as work commitments forced more people to shop during the weekends.
• Sunday remains as the day of the week with the lowest footfall, accounting for 13% of weekly footfall.

 

Overall Footfall Volume

 

• Figure 2 shows the weekly footfall throughout November across the five active footfall devices.
• As per previous months, the Optical Studio again witnessed the largest footfall of the four active devices for all weeks during November, registering approximately twice as much activity than any other individual device.
• However, this particular device witnessed a fall of 8.8% from October’s figures.
• The device at Dorking Sports Centre registered a 0.3% increase compared with counts for the previous month.
• Figure 3 shows the weekly footfall summary and how total footfall has trended in November 2021.
• There was a steady increase in total footfall for every week from the first week of November, increasing from 46,232 in Week 44 to 55,462 in Week 48.

 

 

Week on Week Change in Footfall

 

• Figure 4 shows the percentage change in footfall week-on-week during November 2021 for each individual device.
• We witnessed more volatility in terms of week-on-week changes than the preceding months.
• The biggest week-on-week change was a 29.9% increase at S.C. Fuller in Week 47, although the same device also registered a 12.8% reduction in footfall the following week.
• The four other devices each registered a week-on-week increase in Week 48, with footfall at Barnard Marcus rising by 22.9% and Dorking Sports Centre increasing by 21.3%.
• The device at Westcott & Williams was the only device to register an increase in footfall during Week 44.
• Figure 5 shows the week-on-week change in footfall across all devices in Dorking during November.
• There was a week-on-week increase in total footfall throughout the whole of November as the need to fulfil Christmas wish lists intensified while the month progressed.
• The largest increases were 5.7% in Week 45 and 5.6% in Week 48 – the latter also being the effect of the arrival of monthly pay packets towards the end of the month, leading to a greater capacity to spend in the shops.

 

The following analysis contains data for the devices at Barnard Marcus, S.C. Fuller, The Optical Studio and Westcott & Williams.

• Total footfall in February 2022 across these four devices increased by 95.7% from the previous month following the further removal of coronavirus restrictions, with the legal requirement to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19 being withdrawn from Thursday, 24 February.
• This also represented a 118.7% year-on-year increase in footfall from February 2021 which roughly mirrored a national year-on-year rise of 126.4% in overall footfall for the week 21-27 February (Source: BDO), with the equivalent month last year falling within the third national lockdown.
• The Artisan Market – usually scheduled for the first Sunday of the month – did not take place in February.
• Average daily footfall is likely to increase further during the coming months following the government’s exit strategy from coronavirus restrictions, with workers returning more regularly to the office and the prospect of warmer weather. However, the increased cost of living due to rising energy prices (further heightened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during the past month) and inflation on a wider scale may soon hit the spending habits of high street shoppers.

 

Weekly Footfall Profile

 

• Figure 1 shows how weekly footfall has compared year-on-year for the month of February.
• The proportion of footfall in February was 2.0% higher on Fridays and 3.3% up on Saturdays compared to the equivalent month last year.
• Conversely, the proportion of footfall on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays were 1.4%, 2.0% and 2.5% lower respectively than in February 2021, demonstrating a shift to shopping more towards the latter end of the week. 15% 15% 15% 16% 14% 16% 10% 15% 13% 13% 13% 16% 19% 10% 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20% Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Percentage of passers-by Percentage of weekly footfall across days of the week 2021 2022 Data and analysis by the Local Data Company www.localdatacompany.com
• As usual, Sunday resulted in the lowest percentage footfall of any day - the Artisan Market did not take place in February and therefore failed to provide its usual boost to visitor numbers.

 

Overall Footfall Volume

 

• Figure 2 shows the weekly footfall throughout February 2022 across the four active footfall devices.
• The device at The Optical Studio, located in the prime position of the High Street, witnessed by far the largest footfall levels of the four active devices for all weeks during February, increasing significantly from Week 5 to Week 6.
• The other three devices registered roughly the same levels of footfall at under 10,000 passers-by each week. • While the devices at Barnard Marcus, S.C. Fuller and Westcott & Williams registered slightly lower footfall in February compared to the previous month, footfall jumped by 250.8% at The Optical Studio.
• Figure 3 shows the weekly footfall summary and how total footfall has trended in February 2022.
• The first week of February (Week 5) witnessed the lowest total footfall across all active devices (63,601 passers-by), but then increased to in excess of 90,000 for each of the three subsequent weeks.
• Total combined footfall reached a peak of 98,117 during Week 8 as the government removed the requirement to self-isolate if testing positive for COVID-19 on the Thursday of that week.

 

Week on Week Change in Footfall

 

• Figure 4 shows the percentage change in footfall week-on-week during February 2022 for each individual device.
• The device located at The Optical Studio saw a 93% increase in Week 6 (7-13 February) compared to the previous week
• Other devices were much more consistent, although Barnard Marcus did witness a 22% drop in footfall during the same week which was then immediately followed by a 16% increase. 63,601 96,967 92,291 98,117 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 Week 5 2022 Week 6 2022 Week 7 2022 Week 8 2022 Number of passers-by Weekly Summary -40% -20% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Week 5 2022 Week 6 2022 Week 7 2022 Week 8 2022 Percentage Change Week-on-week percentage change by device Barnard Marcus - 238 High Street, Dorking, RH4 1QR S.C. Fuller - 28-30 South Street, Dorking, RH4 2HQ The Optical Studio - 62 High Street, Dorking, RH4 1BE Westcott & Williams - 41 West Street, Dorking, RH4 1BU Data and analysis by the Local Data Company www.localdatacompany.com
• Figure 5 shows the week-on-week change in total footfall across all three devices in Dorking during February.
• There was a combined 52.5% increase in footfall during Week 6 (7-13 February) as the easing of coronavirus restrictions continued.
• The subsequent week witnessed a 4.8% drop in footfall which was more than cancelled out by a 6.3% rise the following week.

The following analysis contains data for the devices at Barnard Marcus, S.C. Fuller and Westcott & Williams.

• Total footfall in January 2022 across these three devices was little changed from the previous month, decreasing by just 0.7%. This was largely due to the continuation of ‘Plan B’ measures from December, with the government advice to work from home only being lifted on Wednesday, 19 January. The wearing of masks in enclosed spaces became no longer a requirement from Thursday, 27 January.
• The Artisan Market did not take place in January and returns on Sunday, 6 March.
• Average daily footfall is likely to increase during February as the Omicron strain of coronavirus continues to wane, whilst more workers are set to return to the office and spring is on the horizon. However, the increased cost of living due to rising energy prices along with inflation on a wider scale may soon hit the spending habits of high street shoppers.

 

Weekly Footfall Profile

 

• Figure 1 shows how weekly footfall has compared year-on-year for the month of January.
• Although the distribution of footfall across days of the week was largely similar to the equivalent month in 2021, there was a 2.3% increase on Fridays to 16.6% – a key factor being that New Year’s Day fell on a Friday last year, as well as there being a growing number of shoppers who are taking advantage of the free-parking period between 15:00 and 18:00 on this day.
• Conversely, the proportion of footfall on Saturdays was 0.6% down on last year, being adversely affected by the fact that New Year’s Day occurred on a Saturday this year.
• As is usually the case, Sunday saw the lowest percentage footfall of any day - the Artisan Market did not take place in January and therefore failed to provide its usual boost to visitor numbers.

 

Overall Footfall Volume

 

• Figure 2 shows the weekly footfall throughout January 2022 across the three active footfall devices.
• The device at Barnard Marcus (High Street) witnessed the largest footfall levels of the three active devices for all weeks during January, except for Week 1 when S.C. Fuller (South Street) registered just 74 more passers-by.
• The device located at Westcott & Williams (West Street) witnessed the lowest footfall across the three devices for all weeks in January.
• The device located at S.C. Fuller witnessed a 9.4% increase in footfall in relation to December, although the devices at Barnard Marcus and Westcott & Williams suffered falls of 6.7% and 2.5% respectively compared to the previous month as the effects of ‘Plan B’ took their toll.
• Figure 3 shows the weekly footfall summary and how total footfall has trended in January 2022.
• Week 1 witnessed the lowest total footfall across all active devices (23,985 passersby), but was then followed by the week with the highest combined footfall (25,004) as daily cases of Omicron has passed its peak.
• Total combined footfall reduced to 24,185 in Week 3, but then increased again in both subsequent weeks as further COVID-related restrictions were lifted, ending with 24,945 in Week 5.

 

Week on Week Change in Footfall

 

• Figure 4 shows the percentage change in footfall week-on-week during January 2022 for each individual device.
• The device located at S.C. Fuller saw a 34% increase in the first full week of 2022 compared with the previous week which included the New Year’s Day Bank Holiday.
• Westcott & Williams was the only location to register a drop in footfall during Week 1, but then remained the most consistent for the rest of the month.
• Figure 5 shows the week-on-week change in total footfall across all three devices in Dorking during January. Data and analysis by the Local Data Company www.localdatacompany.com
• There were week-on-week increases in four of the first five weeks in 2022, showing a general trend upwards as new coronavirus cases reduced and government guidelines were lifted as the month progressed, giving more confidence to the high street shopper.
• The uplift in footfall following the easing of restrictions was seen nationality, with a 5% rise in footfall in hospitality venues across a number of English cities over the weekend of 28/29/30 January compared to the previous weekend. (Source: Wireless Social)
• The only week-on-week drop in footfall during January came in Week 3 – a fall of 3.3% after two successive increases. The weather that week was slightly cooler and wetter than the preceding week, but still fairly warm/dry compared with historical averages.

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185 High St, Dorking RH4 1RU

01306 889654

Holland and Barrett focuses on enhancing the well-being of their customers around the world by delivering the highest quality, best value nutritional supplements and wellness products, bringing wellness to the world one happy customer at a time.

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5 Dene Street, Dorking, RH4 2DR

01306 881 960

The White Hart is a small but lively drinker’s pub just off the High Street. Its cellars are built into local caves, which can be seen at the back of the pub.

The pub offers a pool table, three big screen TVs showing all major sporting events, and the walls are decorated with old adverts – including one from 1849 describing the pub as having a good bar, tap room and parlour and also a well of fine spring water.

cricketersdorking.co.uk | Back to Pubs & Microbreweries

81 South St, Dorking RH4 2JU

01306 889938

Traditional local pub for cask ales and bar snacks, with a 2-tiered garden and quirky events.

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High St, Dorking RH4 1QT

01306 881222

Chinese restaurant in Dorking.

scfuller.co.uk | Back to Fashion | Back to Gift & Bookshop

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28-30 South Street, Dorking, RH4 2HQ

01306 882177

S C Fuller is an outdoor country sports shop that sells an extensive range of equipment, clothing and accessories for many different activities and pursuits – from air-rifles to arrows, folding knives to fishing supplies, optics to outerwear, torches to trekking poles and much more. Not to mention their year-round supply of fireworks for all occasions and celebrations.

Established in 1892 by the Fuller family, this independent shop has been a presence in Dorking for over 100 years. Currently, the fourth generation of the Fuller family runs the business, and they pride themselves on offering expert advice and service to their customers.

And for a bit of S W Fuller family trivia: they were the first gun shop in Surrey to become a registered firearms dealer (RFD Number 1 Surrey) and founder S W Fuller was the first man in Dorking to own a motor car.