'The sinkhole opens up and we were world famous'

It has now been 365 days and counting since a sinkhole appeared in the Surrey village of Godstone.

One year on, Godstone High Street is still closed and repair works remain ongoing, with residents and businesses alike asked to show patience.

Hopes that the street could reopen in December have since been pushed back until spring, as Surrey County Council (SCC) insists that this requires "more than just the repair of a road".

Peter O'Connell, rector of St Nicholas Church in the village, admits it has been a "very strange year".

He said: "This time last year, the schools had gone off for half-term, everything seemed normal and then suddenly overnight, the sinkhole opens up, [and] we were world famous.

"Andy Warhol said: 'We're all going to be famous for 15 minutes', and that was Godstone's moment."

Godstone was unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight when a sinkhole first appeared on the night of 17 February, 2025.

Having grown to at least 65ft (20m) by the following lunchtime, residents from 30 nearby properties were soon evacuated as the scale of the situation became ever clearer.

O'Connell said emails of inquiry came in from countries such as Australia and South Africa, as word of the sinkhole spread far and wide.

"The drone footage that went out was fantastic visually... but terrible for the village," he added.

Sami Bristow, director of Blossoms Coffee Shop, believes the sinkhole "has put Godstone on the map, but definitely not for the right reasons".

The sinkhole happened when her business was in its second year, when people were "still finding out about us".

It has changed the trajectory of Blossoms Coffee Shop, Bristow said.

"Looking back on how we were prior to this, we were essentially a lot busier... [the sinkhole] has stopped and deterred people from coming to visit us."

Businesses have suffered.

The Godstone branch of Dorwyn Windows has shut, and the Hare and Hound Pub has lost significant takings.

These are just two examples, with Bristow clear that the "majority of us are suffering, especially because there hasn't been the best communication".

Matt Furniss, cabinet member for highways, transport and economic growth at SCC, said: "We remain hugely sympathetic to the disruption being experienced by some residents and businesses in Godstone and thank them for their patience.

"We are working hard to get the road open again in the spring but need to be absolutely sure that the area is safe and stable before we do so for the benefit of everyone."

Bristow emphasises that small businesses are the lifeblood of the Godstone community.

"You don't want a derelict high street...it has happened in many places, and that is going to be what happens if you don't support the little ones."

It was initially hoped that work to repair the sinkhole would be complete in December.

SES Water has said this will continue until spring, a timeline described by O'Connell as "elastic".

"The initial estimates were six-nine months, we're at a year now...the initial estimates were optimistic," he added.

Last month, SCC told a public meeting that "compacting grout" - a stiff concrete-like substance - is still being injected into the affected areas.

Engineers working at the site have discovered a network of Victorian sand mining tunnels around the site.

This has complicated a repair project that, when concluded, is expected to cost SCC a total of £3m.

Furniss continued: "Our teams are working with specialist geotechnical contractors to locate, survey, fill and stabilize a large, 19th century underground mine network with limited visibility, to ensure the long-term stability of the area...

"These stabilisation works will therefore need to continue over the coming weeks, after which the burst water pipes can be replaced by SES Water and the final reconstruction of the road and pavements can get under way."

Should promises remain kept, the closure of Godstone High Street is approaching its final weeks.

The prospect of reopening is hugely exciting for the local community.

Bristow said: "For the community as a whole, to celebrate it and just being back open and back to where we were, it would be amazing."

O'Connell is also on board with some form of celebration to unify the village.

He said: "In some ways, we now sort of feel like two villages - people will say: 'which side of the sinkhole are you on?'

"There is that real sense of disconnection between the two halves of the village at the moment."

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