Caption: 69 High Street, Godalming, January 2026. Soon scaffolding will go up on site. 

Waverley Borough Council has appointed building contractor Etec Group to deliver the first phase of the 69 High Street project - a significant milestone in the transformation of the site into affordable homes and a vibrant space for locals and visitors.  

Renowned café and bar operator Loungers is already confirmed as the commercial tenant, with plans to open before Christmas. 

Portfolio Holder for Finance, Assets and Property at Waverley Borough Council, Councillor Mark Merryweather, said: "The development of the commercial space at the front of the site will unlock the development of new affordable housing on the rest of the site and I’m thrilled to have both Etec and Loungers on board. We are now well underway with bringing our plans to life.  

“We bought 69 High Street with a bold vision: deliver much-needed Waverley-owned affordable housing on under-used town-centre land, while keeping the High Street frontage as a lively and attractive commercial space”.  

Work has begun on site, and residents will soon see scaffolding going up. 

Etec has a proven track record in delivering high-quality projects across a range of sectors, including leisure, education, retail, healthcare, and housing. Clients include Maddox Gallery, where Etec has delivered sensitive refurbishment works to listed galleries in Mayfair; the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Hampstead, involving complex structural repairs to a listed place of worship; the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, where Etec operates across a multi-lot framework within a World Heritage Site; and Monsoon Accessorize, delivering retail fit-out projects in live shopping centre environments. 

CEO at Etec, Michael Smith, said: "We’re excited to be part of the transformation of this building in the heart of Godalming. Our team has now started the site set‑up and initial asbestos removal, and our next steps will focus on the demolition of the existing commercial unit with the retention of the facade. We're committed to working closely with Waverley Borough Council and Loungers to ensure the project meets the needs of both the local community and the future tenants." 

The 69 High Street project is fully self-financing, with additional funding from grants covering costs of asbestos removal, an essential step in ensuring the safety and integrity of the building.