Good place to meet friend on a budget between Salisbury (Wiltshire) and Ashford (Kent)

[Freshstart40]

Hello

I'm trying to think of ideas of someplace my friend and I can meet half way ish, we both drive. Preferably a day thing or an overnighter is fine. Small ish budget... I keep coming back to spa days but that feels uninspired! A good shopping mall, walking place, anything really. I've been on google for ages but no joy. Just looking for ideas please!

London is halfway between, just a little north of the obvious driving route. Could you not both park on the outskirts and take the train/tube into Central London? So many free sources of entertainment - galleries, museums, parks, walking, shops ... Using what money is available for lunch or a theatre matinee.

There’s probably a good reason why this is a terrible idea!

Egham? Near to Windsor, the Travelodge is OK. It's about an hour and 45 from Ashford, junction 13 on the M25, and about the same from Hindon near Salisbury, depending on the A303 of course. Just take the Heathrow Lane on the M3 onto the M25 and it's the first junction from there. Couple of nice restaurants, Runnymede and a fantastic charity bookshop.

Ds was at Royal Holloway, so I either got there from near Ashford, having come over from Brussels the day before, or having been to Devon to see Mum, stopped at the Lamb at Hindon, and driven up to see ds the next day.

Winchester, but that's far closer to Salisbury.

Thank you, to you both. I'd discounted London on this occasion as I'm there the previous Saturday so didn't want to go again so soon. I'll look into Egham now. Thank you

RHS Wisley or Painshill Park