Residents Complain as Surrey Sinkhole on Godstone High Street Remains Unfixed After More Than a Year of Evacuations and Business Losses

It’s been 365 days since a dramatic sinkhole tore through Godstone High Street in Surrey, yet life on the street remains far from normal.

The 20-metre-long, six-metre-wide gap in the road that forced dozens of residents from their homes has left the village in limbo, with ongoing construction, closed shops, and no clear timeline from the council on when things might finally return to normal.

For locals like 87-year-old Eric Eamon, the sinkhole feels like a personal shock from the past.

“The day before it happened, I was walking down the road with my daughter,” he recalls.

“The cars sounded different going over the road. The next day, the sinkhole appeared. I realized they must have been driving over a hollow road.”

Childhood Memories Reveal the Cause

For Eric, the cause of the sinkhole wasn’t a mystery.

As a boy, he played in the Victorian sand mines beneath Godstone, exploring the underground tunnels on rainy days with friends.

“We’d get a candle from the shop and play hide and seek down there,” he says.

Today, he doesn’t plan to leave his home, despite fears that there may be up to 125 similar cavities beneath the village.

Families Evacuated and Businesses Struggling

The sinkhole erupted on the night of February 17, 2025, quickly filling with water from a burst pipe and forcing 30 residents out of their homes.

Initially, authorities said repairs would take three to six months.

That timeline has long passed, and residents say no compensation has been offered for lost income, disrupted daily life, or the impact on property values.

Local business owners have been hit hard. Shane Fry, who runs a garage on the High Street, reports that client traffic has all but disappeared.

“We’ve been offered no compensation. The small break on business rates is nothing compared to the loss,” he says. Even months later, Fry estimates his turnover is still down 10–15 percent.

Alison Cullinan, owner of The Hare & Hounds pub, has also seen her profits plummet. “It’s taken the rug from beneath our feet,” she says.

“We’re an independent pub leasing the property, so it’s been really tough. And we don’t know what’s going to happen next. It’s terrifying.”

Complex Repairs Due to Hidden Mine Network

Surrey County Council says ongoing discoveries of old mine tunnels are prolonging recovery.

The collapsed road has been temporarily made safe, and basic utility services restored, but stabilizing the area remains a major challenge.

Over 667 tonnes of grout have already been pumped into 125 holes reaching up to 15 metres deep, yet new tunnels continue to be found, making the final reconstruction a slow and painstaking process.

Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, describes the situation as “highly complex,” emphasizing the priority of safety for residents and travelers before the road can reopen.

“We are working with specialist geotechnical contractors to locate, survey, fill, and stabilize the 19th-century underground mine network,” he said.

Financial Cost and Uncertainty

To date, more than £2.3 million has been spent on repairs, with the total cost expected to reach at least £3 million.

Despite a council meeting organized by local MP Claire Coutinho last month, residents remain without a firm timeline for when the road will fully reopen.

For many, the sinkhole’s impact goes beyond money.

Longstanding families are anxious about their homes and the possibility of future collapses, while businesses face an uncertain future in a village that is effectively split by the blocked road.

What’s Next?

Council officials say stabilizing the underground mine network will continue in the coming weeks.

Once completed, burst water pipes will be replaced, and the final reconstruction of the High Street can begin.

While authorities aim for a spring reopening, they stress that safety and long-term stability must come first.

Residents and business owners continue to wait anxiously, hoping for the day Godstone High Street can truly return to normal.

Summary

A year after a 20-metre sinkhole ripped through Godstone High Street, the village remains in disruption.

Families were evacuated, shops closed, and businesses struggled, all while the council navigates the complex challenge of stabilizing an old mine network beneath the village.

Costs have surpassed £2.3 million, but no definitive completion date has been given.

Residents and shop owners are left facing uncertainty, hoping for safety and a return to everyday life.