Godalming High Street Plans Hit By Rising Costs and Further Delays

Published on: 29 Sep, 2025
Updated on: 4 Oct, 2025

Council officers say they don’t expect the proposed new restaurant to open until well into next year

By Chris Caulfield

local democracy reporting service

Godalming High Street’s long-vacant Woolworths and M&Co building has been described as “a money pit that is getting worse” – with further delays and more money needed before the council-owned site can reopen.

Waverley Borough Council bought 69 High Street in 2022 with dreams of turning it into a restaurant with flats at the rear, but has come up against a litany of problems since then with the budget soaring from its original £2.2m.

Now officers have told the overview and scrutiny committee they do not expect the restaurant, Loungers, to open until deep into next year – and that they would need more money to get the project over the line.

When pushed for how much the budget would go up, officers were unable to give a precise amount saying they were still reviewing the figures and would have a definitive number “in the future”.

The update left members of the opposition-chaired committee “shocked” and “very concerned” over the direction of travel.

Cllr Jane Austin

Committee chair Jane Austin (Conservative, Bramley and Wonersh) said: “This is a sticky topic politically for the administration because it is costing an awful lot of money and is taking a very long time.”

She added: “The Loungers date has moved from 2023, 2024, then it was 2025 and now it’s 2026 and the flats – we still don’t even have a date, wow, it’s not good news and yet more money.

“I’m just pretty shocked by this. I’ve described it as a money pit before and it’s just getting worse. I’m sorry, I need to be honest.

“It just feels very concerning when we hear about more delays and more cost.”

Cllr Peter Martin

Cllr Peter Martin (Conservative: Godalming Holloway) said: “It’s three and a half years since the acquisition and we are just about to start on site, providing we get council and executive approval.”

The meeting also heard that the homes still require further approvals, expected before the end of this year assuming the business case is approved and planning applications are accepted.

In August last year, the council approved its own plans to redevelop part of the site in an effort to “breathe new life” into the retail unit, it said at the time.

The plans involved the partial demolition to the rear of the building and to refurbish what is to become the restaurant.

The homes, should they be built, will be social and affordable housing managed by the council.

The council said it stepped in to buy the prominent town centre location in an effort to “drive forward redevelopment, attract new investment, and build much needed homes.”